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.
Teen Dream
Shaun Cassidy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bright and bred
We were born into the heart of a golden age.
We had nothing to lose, nothing at all
We had only to live and we gave it all.
Caught in a hurricane that was yet to be seen
Baby, caught in a teen dream, teen dream, oooo, oh yeah!
Too young to know too young to care
We were riding a dream that we loved to share.
So we gave it our hearts, and mind and soul
On a generation younger than rock-n-roll
Caught in a hurricane that was yet to be seen
Baby, caught in a teen dream, teen dream, oooo, oh yeah!
Teen dream, teen dream, oooo, oooo
The song "Teen Dream" by Shaun Cassidy is a nostalgic ode to teenage bliss and the unfettered nature of youth. The opening stanza paints a picture of a generation that is bright and hopeful, born into a world of possibility and buoyed by the excitement of the era. The singer laments that they had nothing to lose, as they threw themselves into the joys of teenagehood, living and loving with abandon. The reference to a "golden age" suggests an era of prosperity and optimism, a time when anything seemed possible.
The song's chorus is catchy and upbeat, with the repeated refrain of "Teen Dream" underscoring the theme of youthful exuberance. The singer reflects on their carefree existence, admitting that they were too young to know or care about much beyond the present moment. They rode the wave of their teenage dream, giving themselves fully to the experience, and embracing a spirit of shared enthusiasm.
The third stanza again references the storm of life, which the teenagers find themselves caught up in, perhaps unaware of the turbulence they will face as time goes on. Nonetheless, they continue to pursue their collective "Teen Dream" with tenacity, united by the shared experience of a generation that embodies a time of freedom and unconstrained possibility.
Line by Line Meaning
Fresh out of school
Just having graduated, we were ready for our next adventure
Bright and bred
We were full of energy, eager to experience everything life had to offer
We were born into the heart of a golden age.
We were lucky enough to come of age during a time of prosperity and cultural growth
We had nothing to lose, nothing at all
We didn't have any responsibilities or worries, so we took risks without fear
We had only to live and we gave it all.
We were determined to make the most of life and live it to the fullest
Caught in a hurricane that was yet to be seen
We were swept up in a powerful force that we didn't fully understand or anticipate
Baby, caught in a teen dream, teen dream, oooo, oh yeah!
We were naive and idealistic, pursuing our own vision of a perfect life
Teen Dream, teen Dream, oooo, oooo
Our dreams and aspirations were grand and idealistic
Too young to know too young to care
We were too inexperienced and naive to fully understand the consequences of our actions
We were riding a dream that we loved to share.
We were united in our pursuit of a better life, and shared our hopes and dreams
So we gave it our hearts, and mind and soul
We put all of our passion and energy into pursuing our dreams
On a generation younger than rock-n-roll
We were part of a new and exciting generation that was breaking free from tradition and forging our own path
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SHAUN CASSIDY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind