‘Go All the Way’ is a song written by Eric Carmen of American rock group the Raspberries, from their 1972 self-titled debut album. Released as a single in July 1972, the song reached the Top 5 on three principal US charts: number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 4 on Cashbox, and number 3 on Record World. The single sold more than 1.3 million copies, earning the band their only certified Gold Record. It was their second single release and their biggest US hit. Because of its sexually suggestive lyrics, ‘Go All the Way’ was banned by the BBC, limiting its success in the United Kingdom.
The song is about a girl trying to convince a guy to "Go all the way," meaning to have sex with him. Carmen told Blender magazine in 2006 that he was inspired by The Rolling Stones performance of ‘Let's Spend The Night Together’ when Mick Jagger had to sing it as "Let's spend some time together." Carmen said, "I knew then that I wanted to write a song with an explicitly sexual lyric that the kids would instantly get but the powers that be couldn't pin me down for." ‘Go All The Way’ was part of their first album, and it was their only hit. They made two more albums before breaking up.
The album contained a raspberry-scented scratch-and-sniff sticker. When the group was trying to think of a name, one of the four members rejected a suggestion with the phrase, "Aw, Raspberries" (an old Our Gang line). They had their name.
Allmusic critic Mark Deming called it "among the finest records ever made about one of the key subjects in rock & roll — convincing your girlfriend to have sex with you," saying that it "merges smooth harmony parts and an easy-going melody with hook-laden breaks and a guitar figure that Pete Townshend would have been happy to have dreamed up." Rolling Stone critic Dave Marsh called it a "[ringer] for Paul McCartney."
The tune ranked at number 33 on the Billboard Year-End Top 100 of 1972 and number 39 on Cashbox's year-end best-sellers countdown. In 1989, Spin magazine named ‘Go All the Way’ in its list of the "100 Greatest Singles of All Time", ranking it at number 91. ‘Go All the Way’ appeared in Blender magazine's July 2006 issue as one of its "Greatest Songs Ever".
Label – Capitol
Songwriter – Eric Carmen
Producer – Jimmy Ienner
SONG LYRICS
[Intro]Mama, yeah (Whoo)
Ooh
Come on
Ma-ma-ma-ma, yeah, whoo
[Verse 1]
I never knew how complete love could be
'Til she kissed me and said
[Chorus]
"Baby, please (Baby) go all the way
It feels so right (Feels so right)
Being with you here tonight
Please (Baby) go all the way
Just hold me close (Hold me close)
Don't ever let me go (Don't let me go)"
[Verse 2]
I couldn't say what I wanted to say
'Til she whispered, "I love you so"
[Chorus]
"Please (Baby) go all the way
It feels so right (Feels so right)
Being with you here tonight
Please (Baby) go all the way
Just hold me close (Hold me close)
Don't ever let me go (Don't let me go), oh no"
[Bridge]
Before her love, I was cruel and mean
I had a hole in the place where my heart should have been
But now I've changed and it feels so strange
I come alive when she does all those things to me
And she says (Come on)
"Come on (Come on)
(Come on)
Come on (Come on)
I need you (Come on), I love you (Come on)
I need you (Come on)"
(Come on)
[Chorus]
"Please (Baby) go all the way
It feels so right (Feels so right)
Being with you here tonight
Please (Baby) go all the way
Just hold me close (Hold me close)
Don't ever let me go (Don't let me go), oh no"
[Outro]
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh, ooh
Oh yeah
No, no, no, yeah, yeah, ow
Go all the way, yeah
Whoo-hoo