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 Don't Care
The Partridge Family Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If I didn't care would I feel this way?
If this isn't love
then why do I thrill?
And what makes my head go round an' round
While my heart stays still?
would it be the same?
Would my ev'ry pray'r begin and end
When I speak your name?
And would I be sure that this is love
Beyond compare?
Would all this be true
If I didn't care for you?
If I didn't care more than words can say
These lyrics from The Partridge Family's song "I Don't Care" express a deep and profound love that goes beyond mere words. The first line, "If I didn't care more than words can say," suggests that the singer's feelings for someone are so intense that they cannot be adequately expressed through language alone. It speaks to the idea that true love is often beyond verbal expression and requires a deeper understanding and connection.
The next lines, "If I didn't care would I feel this way? If this isn't love then why do I thrill?" show the singer questioning their own emotions. Despite their doubts, they cannot deny the thrill and excitement that this love brings. The lyrics imply that love is often accompanied by a mix of emotions, including uncertainty and confusion. Despite these doubts, the singer cannot help but feel an undeniable connection and attraction.
The line, "And what makes my head go round an' round while my heart stays still?" highlights the internal conflict between rationality and emotion. While the mind may be unsure and hesitant, the heart feels a sense of stillness and certainty. It portrays the struggle between logic and intuition when it comes to matters of the heart, suggesting that love is often beyond logical comprehension.
The final verse asks rhetorical questions that emphasize the strong emotional impact this love has on the singer. It poses the question of whether everything the singer prays for begins and ends with the person they love, reinforcing the idea that their feelings are all-encompassing. The verse concludes by wondering if all of this could be true if the singer didn't care for the person so deeply.
Overall, these lyrics capture the complex and intense emotions of love. They explore the paradoxes and uncertainties that often accompany deep affection, showcasing the internal struggle between logic and emotion. The song suggests that true love transcends words and logic, leaving the singer questioning their own feelings and acknowledging the profound impact this love has on their life.
Line by Line Meaning
If I didn't care more than words can say
If I didn't have a love that is beyond expression
If I didn't care would I feel this way?
If my feelings weren't genuine, would I still be so deeply attached?
If this isn't love then why do I thrill?
If what I'm experiencing isn't love, then why do I feel such excitement and joy?
And what makes my head go round an' round
And what is it that fills my mind with constant thoughts and spins me around?
While my heart stays still?
While my emotions remain steadfast and unwavering?
If I didn't care would it be the same?
If I didn't have any feelings, would everything remain unchanged?
Would my ev'ry pray'r begin and end
Would my every prayer revolve around you and find completion?
When I speak your name?
When your name escapes my lips?
And would I be sure that this is love beyond compare?
And would I have no doubt that this love is incomparable?
Would all this be true if I didn't care for you?
Would all these feelings and experiences be authentic if I didn't have love for you?
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jack Lawrence
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@cindydavis2612
I don't know much if anything about music lol, but I love the bass line of this song. How it goes from high to low and repeats itself through all 3 verses. It's what makes the song so good!! 👍
@barrywooten6858
Love this song.
@Werewolf0216
Love this song and she who it makes me think of
@debrajcw6028
🥰🙏🙌
@robertpusateri2345
Never heard this before.
@DELSTAR1
It was in the 3rd season episode about teen shoplifting involving Danny and Punky.