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.
Roller Coaster
The Partridge Family Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My papa said don't cry
Life is full of ups and downs
Like a roller coaster ride
There'll be times you'll get so scared
Rollin' down these hills
But hang on tight with all your might
'Cause you don't know what you feel
You go up, down, all around
On a cycle that's never endin'
You got on this train when you were born
And the wheels just keep on spinnin'
Like a roller coaster (like a roller coaster)
It keeps going faster (it keeps going faster)
Time going past you (time going past you)
Thrills comin' at ya (thrills comin' at you)
Hey, up down, all around
Like a roller coaster
I left home at just sixteen
Thought I'd have some fun
Hitched a ride on a diesel truck
Headed for Washington
And now I know now what my poppa meant
When he told me heart to heart
Son, you'll find out soon enough
Life is just an amusement park
You'll thrill, like a kid
You'll get so excited
You hang on tight with all your might
As if your hearts ignited
Like a roller coaster (like a roller coaster)
Keeps going faster (keeps going faster)
Time going past you (time going past you)
Thrills comin' at ya (thrills comin' at you)
Yeah, up down, all around
Like a roller coaster
Up, down, all around, all around, all around
Up, down, all around
On a cycle that's never endin'
You got on this train when you were born
And the wheels just keep on spinnin'
Like a roller coaster (like a roller coaster)
Keeps going faster (keeps going faster)
Time going past you (time going past you)
Thrills comin' at ya (thrills comin' at you)
Yeah, up down, all around
Like a roller coaster
Like a roller coaster (like a roller coaster)
Keeps going faster (keeps going faster)
Time going past you (time going past you)
Thrills comin' at ya (thrills comin' at you)
Like a roller coaster (like a roller coaster)
Keeps going faster (keeps going faster)
Time going past you (time going past you)
Thrills comin' at ya (thrills comin' at you)
Yeah, up down, all around
Like a roller coaster
The Partridge Family's song "Roller Coaster" is an upbeat and energetic track that speaks to the experience of living life as a series of highs and lows, just like a roller coaster ride. The singer of the song reflects on the advice his father gave him as a child - to hang on tight and stay brave in the face of life's ups and downs. The lyrics suggest that our experiences are like a never-ending cycle, and that we must hold on tight and enjoy the ride, even when it gets a little scary.
The metaphor of the roller coaster is particularly apt, as it captures the feeling of excitement, anticipation, and fear that can come with life's biggest moments. The up-tempo beat of the song and the catchy chorus make it a fun, uplifting track that encourages listeners to embrace life and all the thrills that come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
I recall when I was young
Looking back at my childhood
My papa said don't cry
My father taught me to be resilient
Life is full of ups and downs
Life is unpredictable
Like a roller coaster ride
It's like riding a roller coaster
There'll be times you'll get so scared
There will be moments of fear
Rollin' down these hills
Going through difficult times
But hang on tight with all your might
Don't give up, hold on tight
'Cause you don't know what you feel
Emotions can be unpredictable
You go up, down, all around
Life is full of peaks and valleys
On a cycle that's never endin'
The ups and downs continue
You got on this train when you were born
You started this journey when you were born
And the wheels just keep on spinnin'
Life keeps moving forward
I left home at just sixteen
I left home at a young age
Thought I'd have some fun
I wanted to have a good time
Hitched a ride on a diesel truck
I hitchhiked on a truck
Headed for Washington
I was headed to Washington
And now I know now what my poppa meant
I finally understand what my father meant
When he told me heart to heart
When he spoke to me honestly
Son, you'll find out soon enough
You will learn eventually
Life is just an amusement park
Life is like an amusement park
You'll thrill, like a kid
You will feel excited
You'll get so excited
You will feel a rush of excitement
You hang on tight with all your might
Hold on tight and don't give up
As if your hearts ignited
Feeling fully alive and engaged
Up, down, all around, all around, all around
Life is constantly changing
Like a roller coaster
It is like riding a roller coaster
Keeps going faster
Life seems to speed up
Time going past you
Time is passing quickly
Thrills comin' at ya
Exciting experiences await
Yeah, up down, all around
Life is full of ups and downs
Like a roller coaster
It is like riding a roller coaster
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Mark James
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rose Petal
I think these are some of most well crafted pop songs...I'm surprised more people haven't covered them over the years.
Laura Barto
David was such an underrated talent. This man could sing!
Bridget D
This song alone captivates with the great voice of David Cassidy. In his heyday he looked by far the best than anyone else. And so we will always keep him in mind. Thank you for the music. RIP
DrTomoculus
The guy who wrote this song, Mark James, also wrote "Suspicious Minds" and "Always On My Mind" - huge hits for other artists. Massive hits.
This should have been the single from "Bulletin Board." I remember this song from when I was a little kid! I loved it back then. Now I realise why! Cuz it kicks ass!
Joanna Gipson
Never heard this song before. I liked it. David seems to enjoy this genre better.
LeRoy SL
This is a badass tune. It was my favorite track of their's when I was a kid in the 70's.
Ginny L.
David Cassidy still rocks it! Great job playing teenager, Keith, now you have a young heart so keep rockin!
Chai'naMarie03
Nice song. David is great as usual.
quikset33
This song has a great guitar hook and horn section. How come those guys never made the live gig. =)
Cathy Stone
I lost all my partridge family albums in a fire when I was a kid , just now trying to get new ones . I found all the shows on DVDs and get to watch 😃