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.
I'm On My Way Back Home
The Partridge Family Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
chased all my rainbows to the end
I wish I knew then what I know today,
I'm on my way back home again
Love --
that's what's waitin' for me,
that's where I've got to be
feel your lips touchin' mine
CHORUS:
I'm on my way back home, gonna fly
I'm on my way back home, gonna fly
I'm on my way, I'm on my way back home to you
I went to look for Mister Happiness, only to find he wasn't in
Wouldn't you know I had the wrong address, I'm on my way back home again
Love --
that's what's waitin' for me,
that's where I've got to be
Just to look in your eyes,
feel your lips touchin' mine
CHORUS
BRIDGE:
I remember when you told me I'd return
You knew even then something I had to learn
It's so far and yet it's right there where you live
It's something that you get only when you give and it's
Love --
that's what's waitin' for me,
that's where I've got to be
Just to look in your eyes,
feel your lips touchin' mine
CHORUS
REPEAT AND FADE
The Partridge Family's song "I'm On My Way Back Home" is about the journey of finding true happiness and eventually realizing that it was always within reach, which is a common theme in many songs. The song begins with the singer saying goodbye to their past, "Got on a silver plane and flew away, chased my rainbows to the end," having searched for happiness in many different ways and places but to no avail. However, the singer eventually comes to the realization that everything they needed was back home with their loved one, "Love -- that's what's waiting for me, that's where I've got to be, just to look in your eyes, feel your lips touching mine."
The second verse continues with the theme of looking for happiness, but again, the singer comes to the same conclusion that it's all about love, "I went to look for Mister Happiness, only to find he wasn't in, wouldn't you know I had the wrong address." The bridge of the song reveals that the singer's loved one was always aware of this truth and that the only way to find true happiness is through love, "I remember when you told me I'd return, you knew even then something I had to learn, it's so far and yet it's right there where you live, it's something that you get only when you give and it's love."
Overall, "I'm On My Way Back Home" is a song about the journey of searching for happiness and finding it in the most unexpected place, and it speaks to the human experience of constantly seeking and striving for something that may have been within our reach all along.
Line by Line Meaning
Got on a silver plane and flew away,
I boarded a silver plane and left, leaving everything behind.
chased all my rainbows to the end
I pursued all my desires and dreams, exploring them fully.
I wish I knew then what I know today,
I regret not knowing what I know today at that time.
I'm on my way back home again
I am coming back to my home, where I belong.
Love -- that's what's waitin' for me,
Love is waiting for me, and it's the most important thing in life.
that's where I've got to be
Being in love is where I need to be, and it's my ultimate goal.
Just to look in your eyes, feel your lips touchin' mine
I want to see the beauty in your eyes and feel the touch of your lips.
I'm on my way back home, gonna fly
I am going to fly back to my home to be reunited with my love.
I went to look for Mister Happiness, only to find he wasn't in
I searched for happiness but realized it's not something that can be found outside of my home.
Wouldn't you know I had the wrong address, I'm on my way back home again
I discovered that my quest for happiness was misguided and I'm returning to my true source of happiness, my home.
I remember when you told me I'd return
My love had once predicted that I'd come back to him.
You knew even then something I had to learn
My love knew that I had to learn the true meaning of love and happiness, which I have now realized.
It's so far and yet it's right there where you live
Although it seems like I traveled a far distance, I've finally found happiness in my home with my love.
It's something that you get only when you give and it's
Happiness is earned by giving love to others and it's the most valuable thing in life.
I'm on my way, I'm on my way back home to you
I'm flying back to you, my love, and I can't wait to be back home with you.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@moviemonster2083
This show never got enough respect for its perfect cinematic capturing of the musical numbers and its overall quality. It was the best that Hollywood with all its expertise could manage. Excellent camera work, placement of performers, editing, props, costumes and all in perfect sync to charmingly set off the wonderful songs.
@judydenver5362
Yes! and I would say that they started the modern Music Video, TOO!!!
@pjames8712
David Cassidy was a pure entertainer and his voice was Pure Gold . Never again will we have a voice, actor and musician as we did in him. He was black balled by Hollywood. Yet, he will always be PURE GOLD and Untouchable throughout the years.
@judydenver5362
And, a masterful comedian, great comic timing!!!!
@rosegreen9911
I still listen to this song and love his voice! RIP sweet man ❤🙏🙏
@RosePetal17
Because the songs were part of a tv show, they may not have been truly appreciated, but I really think they were such beautiful songs and stand alone. David's voice could melt butter!
@djdon60
You hit it, on the target, Ms. Picton!
@joycetyner7643
Sales say the productions were Zgreat !!
@deekaye25
I always thought so! Great songs!!
@GM-xh6gj
The songs are some of the best written by some top writers. They’re beautifully crafted and perfectly catchy for pop charts. Though we know they didn’t sing the backup vocals, the harmonies are intricate. I love the fact that the TV family had a hit record in 2 weeks time and their first gig was Caesars Palace so Shirley had to learn an entire show in a week. Wow! Lol