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Raspberry sound-a-likes


marvin

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Now that I've got people thinking that parts of "Tonight" sound like "Friday On My Mind", what about these other sound-a-likes:

1. "Cruisin' Music = "This Whole World" and "Do It Again" by the Beach Boys

2. "Party's Over" = "All Right Now" by Free

3. "I Don't Know What I Want" = "Won't Get Fooled Again" by the Who

That was off the top of my head. Any others that you can think of?

Marvin

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hey Marvin, The intro to "I Wanna Be With You" sounds like "Vacation" by The Go-Go's. Both songs are in the key of E. Charlotte Caffey's guitar playing sounds a lot like Wally's style. The only exception being that Wally is probably using a 12 string Rickenbacker -- and Charlotte is playing a Fender Telecaster.

"Hey Deanie" sounds very Beach Boys, because Bruce Johnston contributed to the backing vocal. The harmonies are definately a very "California" sounding style.

What do you think? Hey man! I'm new to this web site, but it is definately the grooviest! laugh

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There are two songs that I can think of. One is called "Coming Home" by singer-songwriter Ian Thomas back in 1978 that was a big hit in Canada. It almost sounds like "Make Me Lose Control" meets the Raspberries or The Beach Boys. That song can be found on "The Best Of Ian Thomas" only available in Canada or probably if you download the song on the Morpheus site (Napster wannabe). The song called "Painted Ladies" by Ian Thomas which went the Billboard Top 40 & hit #34 back in late 1973 can be found on "Super Hits Of The 70's": Volume 17 on Rhino CD. The other song is called "Baby, It's Tonight" by singer Jude Cole which was a Top 20 hit back in 1990. That song can be found on "A View From 3rd Street" on Reprise. That song also reminds me of "Make Me Lose Control" at the beginning of the song. Matt

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First of all, I don't know of any similarities between "Vacation" and "IWBWY", but since "IWBWY" came first, it really didn't copy "Vacation." On the other hand, the opening drum roll of "IWBWY" is simliar to Little Eva's "The Locomotion" and I seem to recall Jim saying that he did have "Locomotion" in mind.

Being from Canada, I know "I'm Coming Home" by Ian Thomas very well. It's still played on the radio here. The middle section (acapella) is similar to that of "MMLC."

Marvin

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  • 4 weeks later...

Some posters may recall a 1975 New York Times review of Springsteen's "Born to Run" that stated the song "opens with a drum roll borrowed from the Raspberries..." That was very cool.

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I asked Eric the exact same thing in one of the questions submitted to "Ask Eric", but it hasn't been answered, yet. I think it was in the context of 'modern influences' of artists that I would consider his contemporaries -- Elton John, specifically. Maybe someday...Kirk.

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  • 1 year later...

If this kind of topic gets too detailed, Eric's never gonna want to come on board and have to defend himself all the time. Remember, he's still sensitive to criticism. He got enough of it from Clive Davis and the gang from Arista when history shows his music has stood the test of time just the way it is.

As I have said before, Eric has never written songs that create a new sound or style. But he has the ability to compose a timeless tune that is as good, or better than the original great song or style that influenced him. That is a kind of (Sorry Marvin) Genius.

(I would say "In my opinion", but since my opinion counts more than anybody else's in my little world...So it is written, so it is truth ) :rolleyes:

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I always loved the Ian Thomas song "I'm Coming Home", until Brian Adams sang "Coming Home" and ruined it for us all. Still, Ian's song is a million times better than Brian's, even if no one outside of Canada knows who he is (and we all know him as Dave Thomas' (of "Bob and Doug MacKenzie") brother).

Funny how I love Ian's music and Eric's - must have something in common.

Michelle

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If this kind of topic gets too detailed, Eric's never gonna want to come on board and have to defend himself all the time. Remember, he's still sensitive to criticism.

As I have said before, Eric has never written songs that create a new sound or style.

ACTUALLY, SAYING THAT HE STOLE FROM THE BEACH BOYS IS A GOOD THING. I MEANT IT AS TO POINTING OUT A FACT. NOW, SAYING THAT ERIC HAS NEVER WRITTEN SONGS TO CREATE A NEW SOUND OR STYLE, IS A CRITICISM BECAUSE, IN FACT THE RASPBERRIES DID CREATE A NEW STYLE: POWER POP. EVEN THOUGH POWER POP WAS A MIXING OF GENRES, IT WAS NEW, ESPECIALLY IN 1972. AND THE SOUND THE RASPBERRIES CREATED ON "GO ALL THE WAY" WAS THE DEFINING MOMENT FOR POWER POP AND ALL THAT WAS TO FOLLOW.
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Actually, as Greg Shaw said, "Power Pop began with The Who..." but he went on to say: "The Raspberries were the essence of power pop, more than the Who or any of their prototypes. On their best records, every nuance, every tiny bit was flawlessly designed to create an overall impact that's never been matched."

He also stated, "It's singularly important, in attempting to follow the thread of power pop over the years, that we clearly distinguish it from its closely related form, pop-rock. Pop-rock goes back to the Zombies, Hollies, Searchers etc., and while these groups often ventured into hard rock, the foundation is in pure pop, and the sphere of pop-rock encompasses all varieties of soft rock, stretching back to the blandest inanities of Gilbert O'Sullivan or Hamilton, Joe Frank etc.... Since pop-rock is by nature commercial, it's always been around, and in the hands of this or that exceptional group, sometimes approached the splendor of power pop. There was a period in the early '70s when so many musicians turned against the vapidity of mainstram rock that it seemed a kind of spontaneous pop revival was taking place. We had a wealth of groups and records that were, if not power pop, than certainly powerful pop-rock: "Do Ya," "Tonight" and "Chinatown" by The Move, "Baby Blue" and others by Badfinger, "Love Is In Motion" and "Darling" by Stories, "September Gurls" by Big Star, "Some Sing Some Dance" by Pagliaro, "Orbit" by Thundermug and dozens more....The only problem was, these records either became hits and sold to the AM masses, or more often they stiffed and were never heard....

The only pop revival band that could really have done it was the Raspberries. What a perfect band!...Their first 4 records were smash teen hits, entrenching the Raspberries in AM radio and the teen mags. They were beloved by the press and the cult rock audience of the time, even if neither of these factions was then potent enough to give more than encouragement. Most of all, they made the best damn records I'd heard since 1967."

IN ESSENCE I THINK HE WAS TRYING TO SAY THE RASPBERRIES WERE A BREED ALL THEIR OWN. Badfinger were great but were never "intense" like the Raspberries. The 'Berries were the supreme creators of classic power pop.

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I am ALIVE!!!!! Thanks for the advice Darlene---Anyone who doubts that the Raspberries are the kings of Power Pop probally thinks those Johnson Strat copies are as good as the originals. As far as copying others goes, lets face it if you hear rough edged three part harmony you think Beatles, if you hear smooth three or four part harmonies you think Beach Boys, and everything else just falls into place. As for sound alikes---how can you listen to Cruisin Music and not think Beach Boys--or I Reach for the Light and not think Paul and thise other three guys??

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