Boats Against the Current
Boats Against the Current | ||||
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Studio album by Eric Carmen | ||||
Released | August 1977 | |||
Genre | Soft rock | |||
Length | 37:57 | |||
Label | Arista | |||
Producer | Eric Carmen | |||
Eric Carmen chronology | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [1] |
Boats Against the Current is a 1977 album by Eric Carmen. The title is taken from a line in the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne ceaselessly into the past.”[2] It was Carmen's second solo LP, after the Raspberries disbanded. It peaked at #45 on the Billboard album chart.
The album yielded two charting singles, the title track as well as "She Did It." "She Did It" is the bigger hit from this album,[3] which reached #23 Billboard and #15 Cash Box, as well as #11 in Canada.[4] The title track subsequently reached #88 Billboard and #92 Cash Box.[5] "Marathon Man" was released as a third single in March 1978 but failed to chart.[6][7] "Love is All that Matters" melody is lifted from Tschaikovsky's "Fifth Symphony, Second Movement."
Guest musicians on this album included back-up vocals by several of the Beach Boys and Burton Cummings (formerly of the Guess Who), guitar by Andrew Gold, and drumming by Toto's Jeff Porcaro.
The title song was covered in 1978 by Olivia Newton-John on her album Totally Hot.
Television performance
Carmen performed three tracks from the LP ("She Did It," "Boats Against the Current" and "Marathon Man") on The Midnight Special television program (season 6, episode 5) on October 14, 1977.[8] The show was hosted by Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr.
Track listing
All tracks composed by Eric Carmen:
- "Boats Against the Current" – 4:22
- "Marathon Man" – 3:55
- "Nowhere To Hide" – 5:05
- "Take It or Leave It" – 4:00
- "Love Is All That Matters" – 4:17
- "She Did It" – 3:48
- "I Think I Found Myself" – 4:25
- "Runaway" – 8:05
Chart singles
Year | US Billboard | US Cash Box | US Record World | US AC | CAN | CAN AC | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1977 | 23 | 15 | 27 | 26 | 11 | -- | "She Did It" |
1977 | 88 | 92 | -- | -- | "Boats Against the Current" | ||
Personnel
- Eric Carmen - vocals, guitar, piano
- Burton Cummings - piano, backing vocal on "Marathon Man"
- Jeff Porcaro - drums
- Richie Zito - guitar, backing vocals
- Andrew Gold - guitar, backing vocals
- Jim Horn - saxophone
- Bobby Keys - saxophone
- Richard Reising - guitar, piano
- Curt Becher - backing vocals
- Gene Estes - percussion
- Tom Scott - saxophone
- Paul Buckmaster - conductor, string arrangements
- Ollie E. Brown - percussion
- Michael Boddicker - keyboards
- Nigel Olsson - drums
- Dave Wintour - bass
- Joe Chemay - backing vocals
- Steve Madaio - trumpet
- Bruce Johnston - backing vocals
- Val Garay - mixing
- Kevin Beamish - recording engineer
References
- ↑ Allmusic review
- ↑ See more at: http://www.scribnermagazine.com/2015/04/so-we-beat-on-on-the-great-gatsbys-last-lines/#sthash.FllL5koI.dpuf
- ↑ "She Did It" by Eric Carmen. Song Facts. accessed July 28, 2011.
- ↑ http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.5447a&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=esejjuktcfbg4qtk413eaqjqu1
- ↑ http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/19780211.html
- ↑ http://www.45cat.com/record/as0319us
- ↑ http://www.priceminister.com/offer/buy/82098411/eric-carmen-marathon-man-i-think-i-found-myself-45-tours.html
- ↑ http://www.tv.com/shows/the-midnight-special/hosts-marilyn-mccoo-and-billy-davis-jr--207398/