The oldest of three sons born to Shirley Jones and Broadway entertainer/television star Jack Cassidy, he first found success as a teen idol, following in the footsteps of his elder half-brother, David Cassidy of TV's The Partridge Family. He went to Beverly Hills High School.
He released several successful singles in the late 1970s. His first single, "Morning Girl", a The Neon Philharmonic classic, didn't chart in the USA but did well in Europe.[citation needed] His second single, a cover version of The Crystals' "Da Doo Ron Ron", hit #1 in the United States in 1977, and he, like David, became a major teen idol. He achieved two further top ten singles with cover versions of Eric Carmen's "That's Rock 'N' Roll" and "Hey Deanie" in 1977 and his first three albums also sold well. Cassidy and his mother Shirley Jones of the Partridge Family are the only mother and son to each have a song reach number one on the Billboard Hot One Hundred Charts.[citation needed] Cassidy also achieved chart success and toured in Australia.
Cassidy starred opposite Parker Stevenson in the popular The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries television series, which ran for several seasons on ABC-TV, starting in 1977. In 1987, Cassidy joined the cast of the Daytime Soap Opera General Hospital for several months, playing the character of Dusty Walker from 1987–1988. He was first in a series of young, male, blond actors to appear on General Hospital, followed by Chris Aable in 1988 and Steve Burton in 1989. Cassidy made his Broadway debut in 1993 in a production of Blood Brothers alongside brother David Cassidy - the first time the two brothers had ever appeared together professionally. Along with Petula Clark who played the mother, this production was a major success and achieved great critical acclaim.
Among his credits as a TV producer were the creation of the short-lived Fox Television Network Action/Adventure series Roar, which starred the then-unknown Heath Ledger. Other writing and producing credits include Cold Case, The Agency, and the creation of American Gothic as well as the 2005 ABC series Invasion.
Cassidy has two children from his first marriage with model Ann Pennington, and one child from his second marriage, with actress Susan Diol. On August 28, 2004, Cassidy married a third time, to producer Tracey Turner, with whom he has two children.
She's Right
Shaun Cassidy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This girl came along and said
"Boy you've been livin' a lie"
She said "Your heart's misplaced
I can see it in your face
You know how to run but you're losin' the race
And in the end, no one can change that but you"
With this kind of talk goin' 'round
When you know that she's right
It's pointless to fight
With a girl who has got your heart down
So I decided to hear what she had in mind
And soon I realized she was giving me more than her time
She said "It's all on your side
And you'd better take advantage
Get out of line
I'm sure that you could manage
Then just take your time
And don't let them take advantage of you"
What do you do?
With this kind of talk goin' 'round
When you know that she's right
It's pointless to fight
With a girl who has got your heart down
She caught me comin' and goin'
She never knew what she gave to me
From the start I never knew what to be
In Shaun Cassidy's song "She's Right," the lyrics suggest that the singer has been going through life in a bit of a haze, seemingly lost and directionless, until he meets a girl who sets him straight. The girl tells him that he's been "living a lie," and that his heart is in the wrong place, leaving him perpetually behind in a race he doesn't even realize he's running. Despite feeling a bit defensive at first, the singer decides to really listen to what the girl has to say, and discovers that her advice is sound - he needs to take advantage of his own strengths and stop letting others take advantage of him. It's amazing how much clarity can come from just a few honest words from someone who cares about you.
The chorus of the song highlights the internal conflict that the singer is feeling - on one hand, he knows that the girl is right and that he needs to make a change, but on the other hand, it's difficult to go against what he's always known and try something new. Ultimately, the singer realizes that he can't fight with the girl who has "got his heart down," meaning that he has already fallen for her and can't ignore her advice.
In terms of the melody and instrumentation, "She's Right" has a catchy, upbeat sound that underscores the positive messages in the lyrics. It's a great example of a feel-good pop song that still manages to have some substance to it.
Line by Line Meaning
Just when I thought I was old enough to realize
I thought I knew everything there was to know, until this girl came along and showed me otherwise.
This girl came along and said "Boy you've been livin' a lie"
She told me that I've been deceiving myself and not living truthfully.
She said "Your heart's misplaced
She believes that my heart is somewhere it shouldn't be, possibly in the wrong place or with the wrong person.
I can see it in your face
She can tell by looking at me that I'm not where I should be emotionally or mentally.
You know how to run but you're losin' the race
I can run, but I'm not winning the race towards finding or fulfilling my true purpose in life.
And in the end, no one can change that but you"
Ultimately, I am responsible for my own life and the decisions I make.
What do you do?
I am left feeling unsure about what I should do next.
With this kind of talk goin' 'round
All this advice and truth-telling is making it hard to escape from the reality of the situation.
When you know that she's right
Deep down, I know that she's speaking the truth.
It's pointless to fight
There's no use in resisting or trying to deny the truth.
With a girl who has got your heart down
Especially when the one speaking the truth is someone who has won my heart and earned my respect.
So I decided to hear what she had in mind
I choose to listen to her and consider what she has to say.
And soon I realized she was giving me more than her time
I came to understand that she was offering me more than just her time, but valuable insights and advice.
She said "It's all on your side
She believes that I have the power to change my circumstances and take control of my life.
And you'd better take advantage
I should seize the opportunity presented to me and not let it slip by.
Get out of line
I need to break away from the routine and try something different.
I'm sure that you could manage
She has faith in my ability to handle the challenges ahead.
Then just take your time
I should approach things slowly and deliberately, taking whatever time I need to make the right decision.
And don't let them take advantage of you"
She wants me to be aware of those who might try to exploit me or take advantage of my vulnerability.
She caught me comin' and goin'
At every turn or situation I find myself, this girl seems to have the right advice or solution.
She never knew what she gave to me
I'm grateful for her input and wisdom, even though she may not have realized how much of a difference it made to me.
From the start I never knew what to be
I've always been unsure of my identity or what my purpose in life was until she gave me some clarity and direction.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SHAUN CASSIDY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind