Dreams Are Nuthin' More Than Wishes

David Cassidy : 'It's a piece of me - my whole life is in that album ,and all the dreams I've ever had. If people don't like it ,they don't like me' 

This amazing , fabulous album was released in October 1973, produced by Rick Jarrard, #1 on the UK chart on November 24 (for one week), 13 weeks on charts. Singles - Daydreamer/ Puppy Song  #1 on the UK chart (for 3 weeks) 13 weeks on chart.

Where to start writing about it, why it's still so special.

It was the first own David Cassidy's album (the third solo one)  he sounded on it completely different than on TPF's albums from 1973. He made a few enemies because of that record. Larry Uttal had to pay Wes Farrell to let David have another producer - Rick Jarrard ,who worked with one of David's favourite artist (and a friend) Harry Nilsson. Rick let David choose songs and suggested only one himself. It was  'Daydreamer' written by Terry Dempsey (1941-2019). Thank you Rick, it was a great choice , funny but David didn't like it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0mrYzW6iRM

David Cassidy was only 23 years old but he knew what he wanted to play, sing and why. There are some covers, some songs written for him, and 2 songs he co-wrote with his friends, Kim Carnes and Dave Ellingson. There is no big production, instead a lots of piano and congas, drums, rhythm and bass, acoustic guitars. And he worked with amazing great musicians, who remembered David from the time when he recorded his first song in 1970, 'I Think I Love You' . In 1973 they helped him  making his own project. I can imagine that they were very proud of David, how much he learnt. Michael Omartian, Mitt Holland, Emory Gordy, Al Casey, Larry Knechtel, James Burton, Ron Tutt. And David's great backing singers, Gloria Grinel, and Trish Turner. 

And his voice ..it's just pure magic..he was such an amazing interpreter, wasn't afraid to bare his feelings, every cover he sang he made his own..

On the fold-out cover of the album there are written notes made by David , it's a great read, even if his handwriting is not very legible. The notes captured the wonderful mood that prevailed during the recording, we  can also read why David selected each song :

Sing Me -'the most personal song that has ever be written for me' , Summer Days -'this is the way I always wanted this song to be' , Fever - 'made in one take in the last 10 minutes..', Can't Go Home Again - 'one of my best ones I think. Though I doubt if I would ever have finished it without my true friends Kim & Dave. I have all the pictures in my head.' And thanks :'but mostly Rick Jarrard. I couldn't have made it as I did if he hadn't believe in me as he did.'

At this point David Cassidy was a superstar in the UK..but in his native country this album was a failure, American fans weren't ready for real David , they wanted Keith.

And why Hawaii..'Bali Ha'i' is my favourite song from this album and if dreams are really nothing more than wishes... maybe I will go there one day..

dronepicr, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtApiCz_GFw