If you the threw into a music blender The Byrds – I’ll Feel a Whole Lot Better and a sped up melodic instrumental version of Don William’s – I Believe in You then Should I Wait by the Raspberries might sound like the result. I challenge you to listen to the former by The Byrds and not hear the striking similarities between the two; it’s almost uncanny, which is not to insinuate that today’s featured track doesn’t hold up on it’s own.
I first heard it in Max’s PowerPop article way back in December, 2021. I agree with him when he described Should I Wait as ‘country tinged power pop‘. It seems deceptively simple and an emulation of other music, but artists have been borrowing and stealing for decades, and when a band can achieve this crisp and catchy sound you have to give credit where it’s due. It does seem Should I Wait stands as a testament to the band’s influence on the power pop genre and with each listen it sounds better.
Below are snippets from Max’s article:
‘The Raspberries formed in the early 1970s when Eric Carmen and Jim Bonfanti envisioned a band that would emulate bands such as The Beatles, The Who, and The Beach Boys.
This song came off of the Side 3 album released in 1973…It was an odd and cool album cover (see image left). It was a die-cut of a basket of Raspberries, with the group’s name placed on top of the LP sleeve.
Three members wrote and sang songs. It wasn’t just Eric Carmen…This song (Should I Wait) was written and sung by Dave Smalley the bass player. This was their third album and they would end up releasing four studio albums’.
[Verse 1]
Don’t you know you’re gonna lose
If you love somebody that don’t love you?
You’ll believe him when he’s untrue
But I can’t bear seeing him break your heart in two
I’ve let it happen much too long
[Chorus]
Should I wait, hoping you’ll find out on your own?
It’s me who’s loved you for so long
[Verse 2]
If he hurts you with his lies
Don’t let it take too long to open your eyes
You’re gonna see through his disguise
But I can’t bear seeing him break your heart in two
I’m tired of trying to play it cool
[Verse 3]
If I had the chance I’d make you see
When you fall in love how it should be
A love that makes you sad can only turn out bad
So I’ll be hanging ’round until you’re free
The album itself, while not reaching the commercial heights of their earlier releases, is regarded as a cult classic, with Rolling Stone calling it “an album that stands the test of time.” Artists like Cheap Trick and The Knack have cited Raspberries as a major influence. Eric Carmen’s later solo success, particularly with ballads like All by Myself, drew attention back to his earlier work with Raspberries, further boosting the song’s legacy.
References:
1. Side 3 (Raspberries album) – Wikipedia
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
Great power pop song! Like you it was Max who introduced me to the Raspberries – right up my alley. His intro inspired me to cover “Cry,” another nice song they did. It’s from their fourth and final studio album “Starting Over” released in September 1974.
It was cool to read your background with the group. I listened to ‘Cry’ and thought it was pretty good. Thanks Christian.
This song sounds vastly different from their hits from that time period I’m more familiar with. Good song though.
Hi Jeff. Ok, I don’t know any of there stuff apart from this and the song Christian covered. Yeh ‘Should I Wait’ is pretty good.