Created by Bernard Slade, the series was inspired by and loosely based on The Cowsills, a real singing family in the late sixties. In fact, in its early development the Cowsill children were approached to be featured on the show, though that idea was quickly discarded (The Cowsills rejected the offer when producers wanted to replace their real-life mother Barbara in the cast). The show starred Shirley Jones as mother Shirley Partridge and David Cassidy (Jones' real-life stepson) as her son Keith. The remaining Partridge children were played by Susan Dey as Laurie, Danny Bonaduce as Danny, Jeremy Gelbwaks (replaced after one year by Brian Forster) as Chris, and Suzanne Crough as Tracy Partridge. Dave Madden played Reuben Kincaid, who was their manager and family friend.
The back of the bus, became an icon for the show, due to its Mondrianesque paint design.
The Partridge Family was produced for ABC by Screen Gems television, which was just finishing its run with The Monkees, another show about a fictional music group. The company promoted the success of the show by releasing a series of albums featuring the music of the family band, though most cast members did not actually play on the recordings. A group of studio singers and musicians, led by producer Wes Farrell actually created the Partridge Family sound. Although he was originally cast with the intent to lip sync, just weeks into production David Cassidy convinced Farrell he could sing, and was allowed to join the studio ensemble as the lead singer. Several songs were made without Cassidy as lead, they were featured in some of the early episodes and on the first album. He and Shirley Jones, who sang background, were the only cast members who were actually featured on the recordings. The whole cast would lip sync to the recordings when they performed on each episode, though it was obvious to most viewers that the actors were lip-synching, The Partridge Family became an instant success, not only as a TV show, but as a band that produced actual hit songs.
The Partridge Family's biggest hit came in 1970 with the song "I Think I Love You," which began climbing the Billboard chart in September and peaked at number one in December of that year. The companion LP, "The Partridge Family Album" reached number four. Other Partridge Family singles including, "I'll Meet You Halfway", "Doesn't Somebody Want To Be Wanted", and "I Woke Up in Love This Morning" would also chart high on the Billboard chart. The theme songs "When We're Singing", and its successor "C'Mon, Get Happy" were composed by Danny Janssen and Wes Farrell.
The title card for the pilot episode of The Partridge Family was, "What? and Get Out of Show Business?".
As the show and associated merchandizing took off, David Cassidy became an overnight teen idol. Cassidy launched a solo singing career, touring with his own group of musicians and performing Partridge Family songs as well as hits from his own albums. In the midst of his overwhelming rise to fame, Cassidy soon grew tired of the show. In the summer of 1972 he gave a very candid interview to Rolling Stone magazine in which he attempted to distance himself from the squeaky-clean image of Keith Partridge.
By the fourth season, due to declining ratings and Cassidy's looming departure, a feeble effort was made by the producers to breathe new life into the show. They introduced a precocious 4-year-old neighbor named "Ricky Stevens" played by Ricky Segall to occasionally sing children's songs with the band. To no avail, the ABC network moved the show from its 8:30 Friday night slot to Saturday at 8:00, directly opposite the hit All in the Family, against which they knew it would not survive. The show was cancelled, after 96 episodes and ten Partridge Family albums.
The Partridge Family had a brief resurgence in animated form, which saw the family propelled into the future. The animated Partridge Family first appeared when the kids did a series of guest spots on "Goober and the Ghost Chasers". That idea evolved into a CBS Saturday morning Hanna-Barbera-produced cartoon, "Partridge Family 2200 A.D.". It featured new characters Veenie (Keith's Venusian friend) and Marion (Laurie's Martian friend). Danny had a pet robot dog named Orbit. Shirley Jones and David Cassidy did not voice their animated counterparts, and Susan Dey and Dave Madden had very limited involvement with this series. Sixteen half-hour installments were produced for the animated series, which lasted for half a season on CBS Saturday morning (September 7, 1974 - March 8, 1975); on the syndicated Fred Flintstone and Friends, it was retitled The Partridge Family in Outer Space.
Nickelodeon featured a heavily publicized run of the original series in the early- to mid-90s, along with the Brady Bunch, as part of its Nick-At-Nite line-up. The network used interviews and commercials featuring cast members, and even created a new version of the Mondrian-esque Family bus for promotion.
In 2000 two different made-for-TV movies aired on different networks; Both "Come On Get Happy" and "The David Cassidy Story" attempted to tell the story behind the series. While the movies were criticized as being somewhat inaccurate, they did recreate some of the imagery and music from the original series. "Come On Get Happy" even featured another replication of the bus, which was later auctioned off on eBay.
A modernized version of the bus was created for a new promotion in 2004, when VH1 premiered In Search of The New Partridge Family. This talent competition in the format of American Idol sought a new cast for a contemporary version of the sitcom. The elimination type program aired seven episodes in which a panel of judges selected a new Partridge Family cast from auditioners across the country. The resulting pilot episode of The New Partridge Family aired in January of 2005, but due to low ratings VH1 opted not to produce any more episodes.
The first two seasons of the original series were released as of October 2005 on DVD from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Also, at the same time Arista Records released a new music compilation, "Come On Get Happy!: The Very Best of The Partridge Family," which included four previously unreleased tracks.
Despite the prefabricated nature of the "band", the Partridge Family's records were some of the best arranged and produced of their day. Much care was given not only to the overall sound, but even to show that sound would translate to AM radio, then the major outlet for pop music. The writing was equally good, at least on the early albums. However, as ratings and record sales began to drop, so did the quality of the material.
Doesn't Somebody Want to Be Wanted
The Partridge Family Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But every street I walk I find another dead end
I'm on my own but I'm so all alone,
I need somebody so I won't have to pretend
I know that someone's just waiting somewhere
I look around for her but she's just not there, oh!
Doesn't somebody want to be wanted like me?
Doesn't somebody want to be wanted like me?
Just like me
I'm runnin' free but I don't want to be
I couldn't take another day like yesterday
I'm dead on my feet from walkin' the street
I need somebody to help me find my way
I've gotta get out of this town (out of this town)
Before I do I'll take a last look around, though
Doesn't somebody want to be wanted like me?
Where are you?
Doesn't somebody want to be wanted like me?
Just like me
You know, I'm no different from anybody else
I start each day and end each night
It gets really lonely when you're by yourself
And where is love?
And who is love?
I gotta know
Doesn't somebody want to be wanted like me?
Where are you?
Doesn't somebody want to be wanted like me?
Just like me
Doesn't somebody want to be wanted like me?
Where are you?
Doesn't somebody want to be wanted like me?
Just like me
Doesn't somebody want to be wanted like me?
Where are you?
The Partridge Family's song "Doesn't Somebody Want to Be Wanted" is a cry for love and companionship from someone who feels alone and isolated. The lyrics use the image of a person wandering aimlessly through the city streets, searching for someone to connect with, but only finding dead ends. The singer bemoans the loneliness of life and wishes for someone to share their journey with.
The repetition of the chorus, "Doesn't somebody want to be wanted like me?" is a reflection of the singer's sense of desperation and longing for companionship. The lyrics describe the toll of loneliness, the feeling of being dead on one's feet after a long day, and the need for someone to help find one's way.
The song has a universal appeal because everyone, at some point in their life, has experienced feelings of loneliness and the need for connection. The song speaks to the human condition of seeking love and companionship, reflecting on the universal desire to find someone who wants to be wanted.
Line by Line Meaning
I go downtown and roam around
I wander aimlessly through the city trying to find someone.
But every street I walk I find another dead end
Despite my efforts to find someone, I can't seem to make any progress.
I'm on my own but I'm so all alone,
I may be alone, but the loneliness is overwhelming.
I need somebody so I won't have to pretend
I want somebody to be with so I don't have to put up a front.
I know that someone's just waiting somewhere
I have faith that there's someone out there for me.
I look around for her but she's just not there, oh!
I keep searching but it seems like she's not in sight.
Doesn't somebody want to be wanted like me?
Is there anybody out there who's looking for love just like I am?
Where are you?
Where is that person for me?
I'm runnin' free but I don't want to be
I may have the freedom to do what I want, but without someone to share with, it's meaningless.
I couldn't take another day like yesterday
I'm tired of living each day in solitude, it's becoming unbearable.
I'm dead on my feet from walkin' the street
My search for love is taking a toll on me both physically and emotionally.
I need somebody to help me find my way
I need someone to guide me, to help me find direction in my life.
I've gotta get out of this town (out of this town)
I need a fresh start, a change of scenery.
Before I do I'll take a last look around, though
Before I leave, I'll search one more time, just in case.
You know, I'm no different from anybody else
I'm just like everyone else, looking for love and companionship.
I start each day and end each night
My days are just like anyone else's, but it's the loneliness of the nights that's hardest to bear.
It gets really lonely when you're by yourself
Being alone can be very tough emotionally and mentally.
And where is love?
Where can I find love?
And who is love?
Who can be that special someone for me?
I gotta know
I need to find out the answer to these questions.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Mike Appel, Jim Cretecos, Wes Farrell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@marthaaguirre9167
The partidge family is the coolest band in the world and the cartoon VERSION id great hb.
Knows hos cartoons
I think they did anob on
The original cast members from the live atcion SERIES
Live action or the animated SERIES
I think it was funny just like the tv show.
Especially that funny funny amcanhanle dog Orbit.
Bow. Wow ruff ,rurr
He reminds of and other
Dog named Dino mutt.
Well to mancanchle dogs are better then one.
ilke the animation they did on them and they did
That's not bad of a band MANAGER it's like the the original from the live
Action SERIES of tv show.
I grew up watching them.
And like the music was out of sight i dig the the kids did grate on the instruments.
Can Sherly Jones play that key that song Better than ever she on cool partridge on can an instrument like her.
Way to .
Now that's why like a bout 70s.
The partidge family 200 ad.
Did Keith and LAURIE went Gaxs high.
They met ther friends.
All those grate characters.
Keep up the in cartoon history it belongs in artoon hall of fame.
Just like the others.
Goober and the ghost chasers.
Thank god for Joseph Barbara and William Hanna.
I know my caroons.
Scooby scooby Doo.
And rest of the GANG.
Thank you a cartoon fan.
@Gusfrabaaa
I go downtown and roam around but every street I walk I find another
dead end
I'm on my own but I'm so all alone, I need somebody so I won't have to
pretend
I know that someone's just waiting somewhere
I look around for her but she's just not there, oh!
CHORUS:
Doesn't somebody want to be wanted like me?
Where are you?
Doesn't somebody want to wanted like me - just like me
I'm runnin' free but I don't want to be, I couldn't take another day
like yesterday
I'm dead on my feet from walkin' the street, I need somebody to help me find my way
I've gotta get out of this town, before I do I'll take a last look
around, though
CHORUS
BREAK:
SPOKEN:
"You know, I'm no different than anybody else.
I start each day and end each night.
It gets really lonely when you're by yourself.
And where is love?
And who is love?
I gotta know."
@lisacalvert6212
Love this song! So great to be a teen in the 70's!!
@tina_mariemurphy9410
His voice is truly beautiful he sings from the heart .,,❣️🙇♀️🙇♀️🙇♀️❣️🙇♀️🙇♀️❣️🙇♀️🙇♀️❣️🙇♀️❣️❣️
@anthonyrobertson7062
I remember as a young kid in the mid 70s dad had all the car doors open one warm spring day, cleaning out the car with the radio playing a pop station and this song started playing. When it got to the part with him talking I thought "Hm, good song." I always kepted it tucked in my memory then later found out where it came from and such.
@marthaaguirre9167
The partidge family is the coolest band in the world and the cartoon VERSION id great hb.
Knows hos cartoons
I think they did anob on
The original cast members from the live atcion SERIES
Live action or the animated SERIES
I think it was funny just like the tv show.
Especially that funny funny amcanhanle dog Orbit.
Bow. Wow ruff ,rurr
He reminds of and other
Dog named Dino mutt.
Well to mancanchle dogs are better then one.
ilke the animation they did on them and they did
That's not bad of a band MANAGER it's like the the original from the live
Action SERIES of tv show.
I grew up watching them.
And like the music was out of sight i dig the the kids did grate on the instruments.
Can Sherly Jones play that key that song Better than ever she on cool partridge on can an instrument like her.
Way to .
Now that's why like a bout 70s.
The partidge family 200 ad.
Did Keith and LAURIE went Gaxs high.
They met ther friends.
All those grate characters.
Keep up the in cartoon history it belongs in artoon hall of fame.
Just like the others.
Goober and the ghost chasers.
Thank god for Joseph Barbara and William Hanna.
I know my caroons.
Scooby scooby Doo.
And rest of the GANG.
Thank you a cartoon fan.
@Paulvon128
I want to say this tune was from 1970
@barbibutton9619
A
@747heavyboeing3
@Paulvon128 This single was released in February, 1971.
@sildavidal1768
I love this song! Everything about it! The beautiful blend of their voices!
@tina_mariemurphy9410
I love love love this song and everything the genius sings .
@gregoryyoung8823
Wow, this brings back fond memories. Believe it or not, this was the first 45 I ever bought, when I was 10 years old.