Regular followers of this blog know that I’m a big fan of power pop, and one of the foremost practitioners of that genre is Eric Carmen, both with the Raspberries and as a solo act. That brings us to today’s classic song of the day, one his best songs, “Make Me Lose Control.”
Eric Carmen released “Make Me Lose Control” in May of 1988, but it sounds to me like something from the mid-70s, along the lines of his former group’s “Go All the Way,” “I Wanna Be With You,” or (particularly) “Overnight Sensation (Hit Record).” It’s got the hooky melody, big drums, and overall swagger of his best work, just a decade or so later than you would have thought.
Carmen wrote “Make Me Lose Control” with Dean Pitchford, who previously co-wrote “I Sing the Body Electric” and the title song from the movie Fame, as well as “You Should Hear How She Talks About You” for Melissa Manchester. The single was produced by Jimmy Ienner, who also produced all those hits for the Raspberries. Carmen had this to say about the record:
“[It was an] odd record because it was all by itself. The song wasn’t part of an album, but it was an interesting experience to jump back into the studio with Jimmy Ienner after ten years”
It was worth the wait. “Make Me Lose Control” is one the best pieces of power pop you can play on your turntable. (Or stream on your whatever device…) Listeners back then thought the same; it went all the way to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, #4 on the Cash Box Top 100, and #1 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart. It definitely stood out on the radio—and on MTV.
Which leads us to today’s daily bonus video of the day. It’s the official music video for Eric Carmen’s “Make Me Lose Control.” Yeah, it’s got a bit of an American Graffiti vibe to it—a ’60s-influenced video for a ’70s-influenced song released in the ’80s. What time is it, again?
