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Great Expectations


Rhonda B

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Great Expectations, the song, has always made me sad with its Pagliacciesque overtones.

EC once again slyly borrows from one of my favorite novels, this time, the title of Charles Dickens' coming-of-age story of Pip.

l think like most of EC's debut solo album, GE is a catharthis, a sad true story of how EC was mistreated and abused by the corporate record executives.

To borrow from the great Smokey Robinson, it's like the tears of a clown...

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Very good Susie!.. also from the very sad Pagliacci opera! Not sure if many know about it but I did study that Opera at University.  I love the connection to Tears of a Clown. I feel the music though here in Great Expectations is very light-hearted and almost comedic(like a clown) and trying to take away from that, like a distraction. Although if you just read the words you see how Eric was commenting on the state of affairs regarding his music and production. It has the same theme as Desperate Fools but the music of Desperate Fools is  very contemplative and sad.

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Also, I wanted to mention, on my CD of Eric Carmen's first solo album.. a few bonus tracks were added including the piano demo of Great Expectations as well as some others. In the piano demo, his voice is so identical to his finished Studio copy you would almost swear it was the same track. The piano demo version is just as spectacular even without all the little incidental sound effects.

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Underrated very creative Eric Carmen tune. Love it. Though it is probably my 3rd least fave on the album (just ahead of "Last Night" which I love also and "On Broadway" - a very good cover). ..

...Which is a massively strong testimonial to how great that first album is. Wall to wall greatness.

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