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.
Oh No Not My Baby
The Partridge Family Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I didn't believe a single word was true.
I told them all I had faith in you.
I kept right on sayin':
Oh, no, not my baby.
Oh, no, not my sweet baby.
You're not like all those other girls
Who play with man's hearts like they were toys.
My mama told me, "Son,when rumors spread
That there is truth somewhere
And you should use your head."
But I sure didn't listen to what she said;
Don't you know I kept right on sayin':
Oh, no, not my baby.
Oh, no, not my sweet baby.
You're not like all those other girls
Who lead you on and tell you lies, no, not my baby.
Tell me, baby,
I don't believe what they're sayin', no.
Oh, no, not my baby.
Oh no, not my sweet baby.
Oh, no, not my baby.
Oh no, not my sweet baby.
Not my baby, not my baby
Not my baby, not my baby, not my baby
Not my, not my sweet, sweet baby.
Not my baby, not my baby
Not my baby, not my baby, not my baby
Not my, not my sweet, sweet baby.
Not my baby, not my baby,
Not my baby, not my sweet, sweet baby.
Oh, no, not my baby.
Oh no, not my sweet baby.
Oh, no, not my baby.
The Partridge Family's song "Oh No Not My Baby" is a classic love song with heartwarming lyrics. The singer begins by saying that he did not believe his friends when they told him that his lover had someone new. He professes his faith in his lover and claims that she is not like other women who use men's hearts like toys. He keeps on insisting that it is not his baby who is flirting around with other men.
The singer mentions his mother's advice about using his head when rumors circulate, but he ignored it and kept on saying that his baby would never cheat on him. He pleads with his lover to tell him the truth and assures her that he does not believe what others are saying about her. He repeats the chorus, "Oh no, not my baby," and ends on a sweet and positive note.
In essence, the song is about trust and faith in a significant other. The singer is saying that he trusts and believes in his partner, despite what others may say about her.
Line by Line Meaning
When my friends told me you had someone new,
When my friends informed me that you were seeing someone else,
I didn't believe a single word was true.
I didn't believe any of it was true.
I told them all I had faith in you.
I reassured them that I trusted you.
I kept right on sayin':
I kept repeating to myself and others:
Oh, no, not my baby.
No, it can't be you.
Oh, no, not my sweet baby.
I can't believe my beloved could do this.
You're not like all those other girls
You're not like the other girls who...
Who play with man's hearts like they were toys.
Who manipulate men's feelings as if they were unimportant.
My mama told me, "Son,when rumors spread
My mother warned me,
That there is truth somewhere
that there is usually a kernel of truth to rumors.
And you should use your head."
And that I need to think logically about it.
But I sure didn't listen to what she said;
But I didn't take her advice.
Don't you know I kept right on sayin':
Instead, I kept repeating:
Tell me, baby,
Please tell me, my dear,
I don't believe what they're sayin', no.
I can't believe what everyone is saying.
Not my baby, not my baby
You can't be the one who's cheating on me.
Not my baby, not my baby,
This can't be happening.
Not my baby, not my baby, not my baby
You can't be the one who's hurting me.
Not my, not my sweet, sweet baby.
Not my darling, my loved one whom I cherish.
Oh, no, not my baby.
No, it can't be you.
Oh no, not my sweet baby.
I can't believe my beloved could do this.
Oh, no, not my baby.
No, it can't be you.
Lyrics Β© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CAROLE KING, GERRY GOFFIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
coconutgrove7
I'll never forget that 4th season with David's looks and especially in this episode with David wearing the tighter jeans, longer hair and looking just a little more sexier!! I remember being mesmerized here with him singing this song and with the way he says "yoooouuuu" at 0:28. He has an allure about him here coming across so strongly!! I think People magazine owe him a "Sexiest Man Alive" cover!
Joe Czapka
One of the greatest voices ever!
Miranda Yeatts
0:29 My favorite part :) His voice is so breathy and amazing!!!!! I LOVE HIM!!! :) He's so adorible in the episode in particular :)
Alice W
Oh my, I dont think he ever looked better than he does on this take, in fact I dont think anyone has or will do ever again, its pure perfection. Song is great too! RIP David Cassidyπ₯
Darna Bedwell
@Royal-Tea
That's true he is out of this world in Tomorrow. A little more mature and able to be his fabulous self.
But he is still so wonderful singing this song. His voice is so caressing and tender. I fall apart hearing him sing this. π€π€π€
Royal-Tea
Well...that's hard to say because he also looks amazing in the video of his song " tomorrow" and so many more !
susan ogle
So agree with you. x
Patti Brooks
RIP David Cassidy . He was a awesome singer and guy . So sad hes gone but hes never forgotten
Lol Ver
He is magical. Season 4 he was just enchanting β€
Christine french
Just beautiful and a wonderful escape from this Covid world What a voice, what underrated talent. My first love, in my heart for ever. Where's that darned time machine back to 1974 ...