Carmen's first solo single "All By Myself" was penned by Carmen based on a classical theme by Sergei Rachmaninoff. It was subsequently covered by Celine Dion and also used in the opening scene of the movie 'Bridget Jones' Diary'.
Besides his successful solo career, Carmen is remembered as one of the rock'n'rollers behind the Cleveland, Ohio-based band The Raspberries. As lead vocalist and co-songwriter, he helped the group gain big popularity in the 70s through arena-ready hits such as "Go All the Way" and "Tonight", with the band becoming a cult figure among power pop fans. Carmen reunited with Raspberries producer Jimmy Ienner to be a part of the 'Dirty Dancing' soundtrack, a commercial juggernaut that achieved massive success and was RIAA certified multi-platinum. Carmen's song "Hungry Eyes" reached the top 40 charts in Canada, Germany, the U.S., and elsewhere while attracting critical acclaim. Over the years, Carmen's work has been praised by many of his fellow musicians including Bruce Springsteen and Ringo Starr among others.
On 24 December 2013, the first new recording in over 15 years by Carmen titled "Brand New Year" was released.
Spotlight
Eric Carmen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Get the car I'm gonna take a little strip out of town
Gotta go do a show
Rock and roll until I'm upside down
(I see the light) I see the light
Hear the crowd
Clappin' loud, they want the show to start
Oh, and now the stage is dark
Can't you feel your heart
Spotlight, lighting the stage
I gotta go a little crazy tonight
Spotlight, take me away
I'm gonna rock till I feel alright
Here it comes
Feel the drums pound the rhythm of a jungle beat
And all around
Hear the sounds that go up and down the city street
(Play that guitar) Play that guitar
Play it hard
Open up and let it move your soul
Oh, I'm goin' out of control
I'm goin' out of control
Can't you feel it grow
Spotlight, lighting the stage
I gotta go a little crazy tonight
Spotlight, take me away
I'm gonna rock till I feel alright
Spotlight, give me the heat
I'm gonna burn like a star in the sky
Spotlight, I'm gonna explode now
I'm ready to go, I'm ready to go
Alright
Spotlight, lighting the stage
I gotta go a little crazy tonight
Spotlight, take me away
I'm gonna rock till I feel alright
Spotlight, give me the heat
I want to burn like a star in the sky
Spotlight, I want to explode now (yeah)
I'm ready to go, I'm ready to go
Alright, alright
Alright, alright
(Give it to me)
Spotlight
Feel the drums pound the rhythm of a jungle beat
Spotlight
Can't you feel it, feel it, feel it, feel it
Spotlight
In Eric Carmen's song Spotlight, the singer is a musician who is about to perform in front of a live audience. The lyrics capture the excitement and anticipation that he feels as he prepares to take the stage. He sings about the joy of playing music and the exhilaration of the spotlight. The spotlight is a metaphor for the attention and admiration that he receives from the audience.
The song opens with the singer getting his guitar and car, ready to drive out of town to perform. He describes the audience clapping and cheering loudly, eager for the show to start. As the spotlight shines on him, he feels his heart racing and encourages the audience to feel the same energy. He feels the rhythm of the music and becomes consumed by the passion and power of performing. The song culminates in the climax of the performance, where the singer explodes with energy and excitement, propelled by the spotlight's brightness and heat.
Throughout the song, Eric Carmen uses vivid imagery and descriptive language to convey the intensity of the experience. He taps into the universal appeal of live music, capturing the essence of what it means to rock out and enjoy a concert.
Line by Line Meaning
Get my guitar
I need to get my guitar in order to play in the upcoming show
Get the car I'm gonna take a little strip out of town
I will use my car to get out of town and play the show
Gotta go do a show
I must attend and perform in the show
Rock and roll until I'm upside down
I will rock and perform until I'm exhausted
(I see the light) I see the light
I am getting excited about seeing the spotlight on the stage
Hear the crowd
I can hear the crowd getting ready for the show to start
Clappin' loud, they want the show to start
The crowd is enthusiastic and wants the show to begin
Oh, and now the stage is dark
The stage lights are not yet on
Mmm, I can feel my heart
I can feel my heart racing with excitement
Can't you feel your heart
Can't you feel the same excitement I am feeling
Spotlight, lighting the stage
The spotlight is illuminating the stage
I gotta go a little crazy tonight
I need to let loose and have some fun tonight
Spotlight, take me away
I am yearning for the spotlight to take me away into the music
I'm gonna rock till I feel alright
I will keep rocking until I feel satisfied and happy
Here it comes
I can sense the show is about to start
Feel the drums pound the rhythm of a jungle beat
The drumbeat is powerful and feels like a jungle rhythm
Hear the sounds that go up and down the city street
I hear the sounds of the city as I perform
(Play that guitar) Play that guitar
I am urging myself to play the guitar with passion and energy
Play it hard
Play the guitar with force and intensity
Open up and let it move your soul
Let the music flow through your soul and express yourself
Oh, I'm goin' out of control
I am losing control in the best way possible with the music
Can't you feel it grow
Can't you feel the music growing within you and taking you to new heights
Spotlight, give me the heat
I want the spotlight to give me the heat and intensity of the performance
I'm gonna burn like a star in the sky
I will burn bright, like a star in the sky with the spotlight on me
Spotlight, I'm gonna explode now
I am about to explode with energy and excitement in the spotlight
I'm ready to go, I'm ready to go
I am ready to perform and give it my all
Alright
Alright, let's do this
(Give it to me)
I am asking for the music to be given to me
Can't you feel it, feel it, feel it, feel it
Can't you feel the power of the music taking over and moving you
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ERIC CARMEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind