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 Am A Clown
The Partridge Family Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The song "I Am A Clown" by The Partridge Family is a poignant expression of the loneliness and isolation felt by the singer, who is personified as a clown. The singer sings from the perspective of the clown, who is constantly performing for others and making them laugh, but who deep down feels invisible and disconnected from those around him. The lyrics suggest that the singer's clown persona is a mask he wears to hide his true self and his pain from the world.
The first verse sets up the idea of the clown as a puppet, something that can be wound up and made to perform on command. The second verse expands on this, with the singer lamenting that he is only recognized for his jokes and tricks, not as a human being with emotions and needs. The third verse continues this theme, with the singer expressing a sense of frustration and despair at being stuck in the same routine, unable to break free and be his true self.
The chorus repeats the central thesis of the song: "I am a clown." The singer acknowledges that this is his identity, and that he is resigned to it. He longs for someone to see through his mask and love him for who he truly is, but he fears that if he lets down his guard, people will reject him.
Line by Line Meaning
See the funny little clown
Observe the comical, petite entertainer
See the puppet on a string
Observe the marionette being directed
Wind him up and he will sing
Activate him and he will commence singing
Give him candy...he will dance
Offer him sweets and he will perform a jaunty routine
But be certain not to feel
Be cautious not to empathize
If his funny face is real
If his amusing visage is genuine
Stop right up and see him folks
Approach and view the comedic spectacle, ladies and gentlemen
Couldn't you die at all his jokes?
Are his quips not uproariously amusing?
Couldn't you cry at all his tricks
Aren't his illusions emotionally moving?
He'll come up with in a fix?
He'll conjure up something in a difficult situation?
But be certain not to stray
Be careful not to wander away
He will steal your heart away
He will charm and captivate you
I am a clown, I am a clown
I am a performer specializing in humor
You'll always see me smile
I always wear a cheerful expression
You'll never see me frown
I will never display sadness
Sometimes my scenes are good
Occasionally my performances are excellent
Sometimes their bad
At times they are poor
Not funny ha-ha, funny sad
Ironically funny, yet also disheartening
I am a clown, look at the clown
I am a humorist, observe me
Always the laughing face
I always elicit laughter
Whenever you're around
Whenever you're present
Always the same routine
My act is consistently identical
I never change
I am unchanging
Not funny ho-ho, funny strange
Not amusing in an expected manner, but rather peculiar
Sometimes I think the world is a circus town
Occasionally I believe the world is a place of chaos and absurdity
Sometimes I feel I belong in a side show
Occasionally I believe I am better suited for a freak show
That man on the flying trapeze
The aerial acrobat
He ain't never coming down
He is perpetually suspended in mid-air
He know's what I know...
He is aware of the same thing I am aware of...
If you look inside
If you deeply examine me
If I didn't hide, you might decide
If I didn't conceal anything, you might make a decision
You don't want me
You don't desire me
I am a clown, that's why I'm a clown
I am a humorist, that's the reason I am a humorist
Just like the fool on the hill
Just like the buffoon on the peak
Begging to come down
Imploring to descend
I want to live again
I yearn to exist anew
I want to feel
I desire to experience sensation
Tell me you love me, make me real
Declare your affection for me, validate my existence
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: TONY ROMEO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mayeastwell1828
OMG he got me through some hard times, with his awesome Music back then I am 62 yrs now and he still saves me thank you David, miss you so much xx
@christheobald6183
Some are the hard times are his fault
@francesbuchanan9738
Still saving me in 2023 ❤❤❤
@angiesmith8040
David got me thru alot of hard times too. And still does. I will forever have him iny heart I am 59 now and still play his music every day.
@MegaWelshie1
At 11 years old David was my first real crush. I'm 62 now and he's still the most beautiful man I've ever seen, what a loss..🥰😢💔
@carolbarlow908
Me too x
@bridgetd7390
His breathtaking voice can only be beaten by his incredible beauty. RIP David Cassidy
@bridgetd5074
@Patti Macomber Thank you and stay healty.
@vocalistpianist2639
My God, this is a beautiful song. David's beautiful voice is eternal. You're with the angels now and forever young!
@valeriebanks6519
Yes, I agree ...its so beautiful ...the last words of the song is me ...