Make Me Lose Control (song)
Encyclopedia
"Make Me Lose Control" is the title of a 1988 Billboard Hot 100 #3 hit single (see 1988 in music
) written and performed by the singer-songwriter
Eric Carmen
. It was co-written by Dean Pitchford
.
Released a few months after the success of "Hungry Eyes
," Carmen's song from the film Dirty Dancing
which peaked at #4 on the Billboard
Hot 100
chart, "Make Me Lose Control" also reached the Top 5 on the Hot 100, topping out at #3. On the Sales chart, the song spent a week at #1; on the Airplay chart, it made #4. The song spent 13 weeks in the Top 40. In addition, "Make Me Lose Control" spent three weeks at #1 on the adult contemporary chart
, the singer's second song to do so (following "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again
" from 1976).
Carmen stated in the liner notes to a compilation album that "Make Me Lose Control" 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." Ienner is the producer of this and other songs recorded by Carmen.
"Make Me Lose Control" did not originally appear on any of Carmen's studio albums; the song would later surface on various "greatest hits" releases. In keeping with its nostalgic feel, richness of harmony and underlying yearning for the "sweet songs" of the 50's and 60's, it features prominent backing vocals by The Beach Boys
and references four other songs from that era: "Uptown
" (whether the song indicates the song recorded by Roy Orbison
or the one recorded by the Crystals
is unclear), "Stand by Me
" by Ben E. King
, "Be My Baby
" by The Ronettes
and "Back in My Arms Again
" by the Supremes
. Of the seven times Carmen's compositions have reached the Top 10, it is the only song that has been released by no other artist besides him.
It was featured in the Showtime TV series Dexter
in a season one episode called "Shink Wrap" (1x08), being enthusiastically sung into a police trophy by Debra Morgan (Jennifer Carpenter
), while she danced in her bra in front of a mirror.
, a radio personality who got his start in Cleveland, Carmen's hometown. The video references the film "American Graffiti
" by re-creating the scene in which the blonde in the white
T-Bird (Suzanne Somers
) tells Curt (Richard Dreyfuss
) "I love you" and his near-misses with her thereafter. In the video, a mysterious young blonde pull up beside Carmen's car and tells him "I love you". Like Dreyfuss' character, Carmen will only see a T-Bird in passing for the remainder of the video.
Year: 1988
Track listing:
1988 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1988.-January-March:* January 1 – André Rieu's Johann Strauss Orchestra plays its first concert....
) written and performed by the singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Eric Carmen
Eric Carmen
Eric Howard Carmen is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and keyboardist.He scored numerous hit songs across the 1970s and 1980s, first as a member of the Raspberries , and then with his solo career, including hits such as "All By Myself", "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again", "She Did It",...
. It was co-written by Dean Pitchford
Dean Pitchford
Dean Pitchford is an American songwriter, screenwriter, director, actor, and novelist. His work has earned him an Oscar and a Golden Globe Award, as well as nominations for three additional Oscars, two more Golden Globes, seven Grammy Awards and two Tony Awards.-Early life:Pitchford was born in...
.
Released a few months after the success of "Hungry Eyes
Hungry Eyes
"Hungry Eyes" is a song performed by Eric Carmen, and was featured in the film Dirty Dancing. The song was recorded at Beachwood Studios in Beachwood, OH in 1987. "Hungry Eyes" peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts in 1988...
," Carmen's song from the film Dirty Dancing
Dirty Dancing
Dirty Dancing is a 1987 American romantic film. Written by Eleanor Bergstein and directed by Emile Ardolino, the film features Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in the lead roles, as well as Cynthia Rhodes and Jerry Orbach...
which peaked at #4 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart, "Make Me Lose Control" also reached the Top 5 on the Hot 100, topping out at #3. On the Sales chart, the song spent a week at #1; on the Airplay chart, it made #4. The song spent 13 weeks in the Top 40. In addition, "Make Me Lose Control" spent three weeks at #1 on the adult contemporary chart
Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...
, the singer's second song to do so (following "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again
Never Gonna Fall in Love Again
"Never Gonna Fall in Love Again" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American pop rock artist Eric Carmen. It was released as the second single from Carmen's self-titled debut solo album, the song peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in June 1976, remaining in the Top 40...
" from 1976).
Carmen stated in the liner notes to a compilation album that "Make Me Lose Control" 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
Jimmy Ienner
Jimmy Ienner is an American music producer, best known for producing albums for such artists as John Lennon, Bay City Rollers and Three Dog Night. He went to Stamford High School and graduated in the Class of 1963. He grew up in the Cove section of Stamford and while still in High School,...
after ten years." Ienner is the producer of this and other songs recorded by Carmen.
"Make Me Lose Control" did not originally appear on any of Carmen's studio albums; the song would later surface on various "greatest hits" releases. In keeping with its nostalgic feel, richness of harmony and underlying yearning for the "sweet songs" of the 50's and 60's, it features prominent backing vocals by The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
and references four other songs from that era: "Uptown
Uptown
The term uptown often refers to a specific portion of a city in contrast with the local downtown area or in British English the main area of the city center. The term is used mainly in the United States and Canada...
" (whether the song indicates the song recorded by Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison
Roy Kelton Orbison was an American singer-songwriter, well known for his distinctive, powerful voice, complex compositions, and dark emotional ballads. Orbison grew up in Texas and began singing in a rockabilly/country & western band in high school until he was signed by Sun Records in Memphis...
or the one recorded by the Crystals
The Crystals
The Crystals are an American vocal group based in New York, considered one of the defining acts of the girl group era of the first half of the 1960s. Their 1961–1964 chart hits, including "Uptown", "He's a Rebel", "Da Doo Ron Ron " and "Then He Kissed Me", featured three successive female lead...
is unclear), "Stand by Me
Stand by Me (song)
"Stand by Me" is the title of a song originally performed by Ben E. King and written by King, Jerry Leiber, and Mike Stoller, based on the spiritual "Lord Stand by Me,", plus two lines rooted in Psalms 46:2-3...
" by Ben E. King
Ben E. King
Benjamin Earl King , better known as Ben E. King, is an American soul singer. He is perhaps best known as the singer and co-composer of "Stand by Me", a U.S...
, "Be My Baby
Be My Baby
"Be My Baby" is a 1963 single written by Phil Spector, Jeff Barry, and Ellie Greenwich, performed by The Ronettes and produced by Spector. When released as a single, the song reached #2 on the U.S. Billboard Pop Singles Chart and #4 on the UK's Record Retailer...
" by The Ronettes
The Ronettes
The Ronettes were a 1960s girl group from New York City, best known for their work with producer Phil Spector. The group consisted of lead singer Veronica Bennett ; her older sister, Estelle Bennett; and their cousin Nedra Talley...
and "Back in My Arms Again
Back in My Arms Again
"Back in My Arms Again" is a 1965 song recorded by The Supremes for the Motown label.Written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland, "Back in My Arms Again" was the fifth number-one song for the group on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart in the United States from...
" by the Supremes
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
. Of the seven times Carmen's compositions have reached the Top 10, it is the only song that has been released by no other artist besides him.
It was featured in the Showtime TV series Dexter
Dexter (TV series)
Dexter is an American television drama series, which debuted on Showtime on October 1, 2006. The sixth season premiered on October 2, 2011. The series centers on Dexter Morgan , a bloodstain pattern analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department who moonlights as a serial killer...
in a season one episode called "Shink Wrap" (1x08), being enthusiastically sung into a police trophy by Debra Morgan (Jennifer Carpenter
Jennifer Carpenter
Jennifer Leann Carpenter is an American actress, known for her portrayal of Emily Rose in The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Debra Morgan on Dexter, and the lead role in the 2008 horror movie Quarantine.-Early life:...
), while she danced in her bra in front of a mirror.
Music video
The music video features Kid LeoKid Leo
Lawrence J. Travagliante — better known by his on-air personality Kid Leo — serves as both program director and afternoon disc jockey on Little Steven's Underground Garage on Sirius XM Radio...
, a radio personality who got his start in Cleveland, Carmen's hometown. The video references the film "American Graffiti
American Graffiti
American Graffiti is a 1973 coming of age film co-written/directed by George Lucas starring Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat, Charles Martin Smith, Cindy Williams, Candy Clark, Mackenzie Phillips and Harrison Ford...
" by re-creating the scene in which the blonde in the white
White
White is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive cone cells in the human eye in nearly equal amounts and with high brightness compared to the surroundings. A white visual stimulation will be void of hue and grayness.White light can be...
T-Bird (Suzanne Somers
Suzanne Somers
Suzanne Somers is an American actress, author, singer and businesswoman, known for her television roles as Chrissy Snow on Three's Company and as Carol Lambert on Step by Step....
) tells Curt (Richard Dreyfuss
Richard Dreyfuss
Richard Stephen Dreyfuss is an American actor best known for starring in a number of film, television, and theater roles since the late 1960s, including the films American Graffiti, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Goodbye Girl, Whose Life Is It Anyway?, Stakeout, Always, What About...
) "I love you" and his near-misses with her thereafter. In the video, a mysterious young blonde pull up beside Carmen's car and tells him "I love you". Like Dreyfuss' character, Carmen will only see a T-Bird in passing for the remainder of the video.
Album
Album title: The Best of Eric Carmen [Arista]Year: 1988
Track listing:
- 1. All by Myself
- 2. Never Gonna Fall in Love Again
- 3. That's Rock & Roll
- 4. Hey Deanie
- 5. Hungry Eyes
- 6. Make Me Lose Control
- 7. Change of Heart
- 8. She Did It
- 9. It Hurts Too Much
- 10. No Hard Feelings
- 11. Boats Against the Current