All by himself, Eric Carmen released two different eponymous records - his debut after breaking from The Raspberries in 1975, and another one in 1984. The first one did much better, reaching #21 on the album chart, while his 1984 record stalled at #128. Eric Carmen's solo career got off to a great start - and what better way to kick off a solo career than with a song called "All By Myself"? "All By Myself" hit #2 in 1975 and was followed up by another hit landing at #11 ("Never Gonna Fall In Love Again"). Carmen's career fizzled after that until 1987, when his contribution to the Dirty Dancing soundtrack, "Hungry Eyes", topped out at #4. He even beat that monster hit with a follow up single called "Make Me Lose Control", which got to #3 in 1988. His last charting single was "Reason To Try", which stopped trying at #87 that same year. Back to Eric Carmen's 1984 album. Things were off to a tepid start with the lead single, "I Wanna Hear It From Your Lips" stalling at #35 and then "I'm Through With Love" only going to #87. But buried among a bunch of sleepy ballads failing to match the majesty of "All By Myself" is an upbeat pop rocker called "American As Apple Pie". Some trivia - what other artists have had two self-titled records? Check here.
After splitting from the Go-Go's in 1984, Belinda Carlisle embarked on what would prove to be a very successful solo career. Her sunny melodies and unmistakeable vibrato, which I can achieve if I sing while speeding down a cobblestone road, helped catapult many of her songs to the upper end of the charts. However, the wave of success began to ebb by the close of the decade. Her third solo album, "Runaway Horses", spawned her last top 40 hits: "Leave A Light On" (which features George Harrison on slide guitar) went to #11 and "Summer Rain" went to #30. "Runaway Horses" ran to #37 on the US album chart, but did much better in other countries. The same can be said for the excellent track, "(We Want) The Same Thing", which sounds like a lost ABBA song to me. "Runaway Horses" was doing so well in the UK, this song was released as the sixth (!) single and still reached #6 in the UK. I wonder how it would have done in the US...
It's a rather simple love song, but the powerhouse delivery by singer/songwriter Brandi Carlile takes this song to new heights. "The Story" is Carlile's only charting single to date, and one of the few songs she's recorded that she didn't write (the song was written by her bassist, Phil Hanseroth). Despite being heavily featured on the hit TV show Grey's Anatomy and other media venues, "The Story" concluded at #75 in 2007. The song helped propel Carlile's album of the same name to #58 on the Billboard Top 200 and drew comparisons to Janis Joplin. Her follow-up work has always drawn critical acclaim, but that hasn't yet translated to further success on the singles chart. Carlile's albums have fared better, her last two breaking the top 10.
Cake is a California band that made some waves in the 90s thanks to their unique indie sound. The band effortlessly blends a wide variety of musical styles to accompany the lead vocalist's spoken word delivery. The lyrics are sharp and often sarcastic, driven by catchy guitar riffs and punchy brass. Cake's breakthrough 1996 single, "The Distance", proved to be their only top 40 hit, reaching #35. Their follow-up record spawned a lesser known single called "Never There", which hit #78. "Short Skirt/Long Jacket" came from their fourth album, 2001's "Comfort Eagle", but it failed to chart. Shame, as it is among their finest work. The video is a hoot, too. It shows the reactions of people from various walks of life as they listen to the song for the first time.
Tony Carey made his first claim to fame in the 70s as keyboardist for the classic rock band Rainbow. He went solo in the 80s and scored a few modest hits, the biggest being "A Fine Fine Day", which climbed to #22 in 1984. His first charting single as a solo artist, "I Won't Be Home Tonight", is a rocking AOR gem that should have made a bigger splash in 1983, yet it only reached #79. The prolific Tony Carey also is the voice and songwriter in the band, Planet P (aka Planet P Project).
California-based singer/songwriter Grant Lee Phillips had a taste of widespread success in the 90s with a string of cerebral songs drenched in haunting melodies. None made it to the Top 100 chart, but it is hard to think of the 90s without Phillips and his band, Grant Lee Buffalo. They came close to a big break with the brilliant song, "Mockingbirds", from their 1994 sophomore album, "Mighty Joe Moon". The video is quite wonderful, too.
While the title of the song sounds harsh, it's true meaning is tragically moving. In 2011, legendary country and pop singer Glen Campbell was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. He continued to tour and record until the disease would no longer allow him to do so. "I'm Not Gonna Miss You" is his last song and video, both achingly beautiful. The song acknowledges his impending dementia and serves as a final love letter, while the video provides a nostalgic look at his remarkable life and career. Glen Campbell is one of the biggest crossover country stars of all-time, boasting over 35 Billboard Top 100 hits, and many more on the country charts. His most familiar songs include "Wichita Lineman", which hit #3 in 1968, "Galveston", which hit #4 in 1969, and "It's Only Make Believe", which hit #10 in 1970. He topped the chart twice with 1975's "Rhinestone Cowboy" and 1977's "Southern Nights".
