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Showing posts from April, 2021

The David Cassidy Story

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If I had to name  one thing I don't like (regarding DC), this tv film from 2000 would be in top 3. Of course I know that it was just a typical tv biopic not an artistic cinema, but if that character was DC.. David Cassidy and The Partridge Family were very popular in the 90s again. There were reruns of the show, 'I Think I Love You' was covered, and also used in an oudstanding, famous commercial. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDb1jujp9VE Millions of people heard what Hugh Grant told Andie McDowell on 'Four Weddings and a Funeral'. So it wasn't a big surprise that documentaries were made about David and his iconic show, e.g. 'David Cassidy - The Teenage Dream'. There were also two tv movies.  The first one called 'Come On, Get Happy : The Partridge Family Story', was aired on November 13th, 1999, on ABC. Eve Gordon played Shirley, Rodney Scott - David, Cathy Wagner - Susan, and Shawn Pyfrom - Danny. The story is told from the  Danny's viewpo

What Is Your Fav Episode of The Partridge Family ?

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Some days ago I got an email from a friend who reads my blog from time to time. And she asked me two questions. The first one is the title of today's post. Difficult question, I love  all of them, but of course the best are those with a lot of David, if I can put it this way, and with my fav songs. But all the songs are my fav.. It's impossible to name the best,  but I have to try. Maybt Top 3 will do. But a song first from my fav Season 4  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AL8oxCCi-M 1.Whatever Happened To Keith Partridge? (Season 3, 11(60) aired November 24, 1972). David was nearly in every scene, that time he had something to play, not only 'yes mom, no mom' stuff. Keith was scared, very happy, later unhappy, vulnerable, full of hope, uncertain, disappointed..and I love that scene when he says about suffering, that it must  be a lesson in it somewhere, and that truly magical music scene  when he is singing 'Looking Through The Eyes Of Love"..Wow..But what for

The Rat Pack Is Back ..the most difficult post so far for yours truly.

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It's going to be very difficult, and I have no idea if anyone will read it.. because first of all I don't know a lot about the Original Rat Pack, they were very famous in America, but not at all in Poland (on the contrary) .Of course I know Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin (remember that TPFepisode about hamsters, I'm joking) etc, but I haven't  heard much about that phenomenon, The Rat Pack, and there is no video with DC in The Rat Pack Is Back (he made guest appearances as Bobby Darin eg in 2004, and in preview shows in New York in 2005), and I'm sure I will make a lot of mistakes..but I can't only write about the things I want to or know about.  And maybe someone knows more and will write a comment..We'll see..This is a video about The Original Rat Pack https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8Lm5c00yIc In October 1998 David Cassidy announced that he would leave EFX at the end of the year. From 1996 he had brought a new quality to the show and was named the best Las V

Sheltered In Your Arms /Reed Vertenley, John Pagano, David Cassidy/

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I have a very close English friend. She was a huge, very loyal David Cassidy's fan in the 70s, she saw him in concert in 1985 twice, she told me a lot about being his fan (sometimes it was hard), we discussed DC's music and his private life..those questions : why, if only, what a shame..etc. But about one year ago she told me she was fed up with talking about DC (and his pics), and that we should moved forward and didn't look back to the 70s, but lived in present..and also that DC hadn't recorded nothing interesting after 1990. And even that she is a real friend, she doesn't read my blog.. Of  course DC recorded some very interesting (or even great) tracks after 1990. I think that is one of the things which makes DC such an outstanding artist. That he was always searching for new challenges, that he wasn't afraid to make something new and always exciting. New musicians, new record label, new sound, new producers, new kind of music . In 1998 he made covers of his

Saying Goodbye To Our Teen Idols

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Another post I haven't planned to write..But Rusty Young died some days ago, yesterday Les McKeown, Bay City Rollers' frontman They have one thing in common, I havent thought about them for more than 40 years..Rusty meant great music for me, I had no idea how he looked like..it was the other way round with Les and his friends from Edinburgh..They were teen idols, the first such popular boys band ever ,teen idols on a really global scale, also in Poland. Suddenly Scotland became popular all over the world because of those boys.Their songs..sure it wasn't a great music, but it was music for fun, played at countless school balls, home parties, discos..everywhere..Of course it wasn't such fun for those young men, I read a little bit about Les yesterday. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ue3dAqP4io Really our teen idols could sing and play. Real pro. Bay City Rollers was also David Cassidy's support in Holland during his World Tour, on May12th, 1974 I don't know how i

'The Danger In Getting To Know David Cassidy' and some other articles from the 70s (and about one Polish librarian)

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I love our DC Official Website, that amazing , great library with..who knows how many pages..maybe even 20k..Every kind of info, from the shortest articles or just  notes from the late 60s, to long , detailed analysis on DC's phenomenon, and there are concerts' audio, fans' memories, videos, radio interviews..the list of teen mags, DC in popular culture, his albums' reviews ,books about him, memorabilia, podcasts, blogs, everything you can think of related to DC. Can you imagine daily amount of work with running something like that? Just deciding and publishing updates need time..and each page needs an attention too..correcting wrong data.. I can imagine how much work and care is needed every day because I once worked in a very big high school library with 50k books , some were from the 19 century. There were only 2 of us, my dear Maria liked that uninteresting, so boring part of our profession- borrowing books, statistics, writing raports, she was sitting in one place

Crazy Over You...David Cassidy Unreleased Songs

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  There are such songs..You listen once..ok, not bad, a next rock ballad about wanting someone really badly..but after 15 minutes, without any reason , you want to listen once more..and after 24 hours you are completely addicted. This is such a song , unreleased DC's  hidden gem, 'Crazy Over You' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AK5AQzoRG4 David Cassidy played that demo (and some others) on the Mark and Brian radio show in May 1989 (I wrote about in in the post from 20thMarch)..Those others were 'Treat Me Like You Used To' and 'I'll Never Stop Loving You'..Both were much safer, less risky, much more 'hit' potential..Maybe.. Unreleased DC songs, there are quite a lot of them ,there  are some pages dedicated to unreleased tracks on the DC website, where you can find all info.  http://www.davidcassidy.com/fansite/DiscographyPages/UnreleasedLiveSongs.html David Cassidy started writing his own music very early, on the set of the first season of TPF. H

David Cassidy Teenage Dream BBC 1 Documentary

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In the 90s,  David Cassidy, at the beginning of the decade 40 years old,  behaved like  a true workaholic. Once a global star, he wanted to be on top again, once a millionaire , the loss of his fortune hunted him, even that he never was materialistic. He was at the peak of his possibilities, and worked so hard  that around 1998  had very serious health problems ( nerve damage in his left foot and back pain), and a nervous breakdown. He became addicted to painkillers and antidepressants. His marriage was also on the rocks. Sue didn't like Las Vegas. She felt like a single parent with David working non stop, they started to lead separate lives, and actually separated for some months. Since 1987 they changed houses 11 times. Each time she had to organize their home life again. David, for whom she had resigned from her career and travelled with him wherever his work took him, was always absent. It didn't help that there were a lot of young, atractive women around him, actresses, si

David Cassidy In Las Vegas . Part 3. Let It Shine.

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 If I ever write a book about DC it will have a title 'Let It Shine'..or better Let Him Shine.  This is that one song that I would play if someone asked me about DC's music. There is everything in it. You can hear that it was sung by a big star (and David Cassidy was a big star , and we always should remember about it) ,by someone who thought  through every word, and knew the meaning of each before singing them, every note, the song performed by a perfectionist and an actor .. there are a lot of emotions in it...there is strenght in his voice but also sensitivity even vulnerability.. .and I always feel that he is singing this song just for me..that he believes in me..Magic is here, in that voice. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7ynTbvyQr0 David Cassidy changed EFX. About half the original songs were cut or replaced by new ones, written by DC, Bill Wray, Sue, Andrew Gold and members of the group'One Spirit', its singers were also David's backing vocals.The new l

David Cassidy In Las Vegas . Part 2. Intergalactic Circus Of Wonders

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Before coming to the U.S. in 2019, I read a lot about the places I was to see, and I read some books on American history, geography, and about American way of life. I always like to know something about the country I'm going to ..So I knew that everything in America was much, much bigger than in Europe..But it's one thing to read about sth and quite another to see it with your own eyes. Everything was beyond my imagination ..also Las Vegas and MGM Grand Hotel.When I finally got there, I sat at the feet of the statue of a giant lion, just overhelmed by the scale of that hotel ..I even didn't think about going inside.. MGM Grand Hotel was opened in Las Vegas in 1993. It was the largest single hotel in the U.S. with 6852 rooms, and at the time it was the largest hotel complex in the world. The 30 floor main building is 293 ft high. With 5 outdoors pools, rivers and waterfalls, the complex covers 2,7 ha. Such a hotel needed its own theatre..And EFX was a $45 million spectacle ,

David Cassidy in Las Vegas . Part 1. Lookin' For A Good Time / W.Farrell, D.Janssen, B.Hart/

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 I like this song very much..DC was 23 when he sang this, and at the time he could have written a very impressive book on that subject. Having a good time.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OmAJJdMnoU Las Vegas , Nevada , The Entertainment Capital Of The World, one of the most amazing and unusal place I have ever seen in my life. A real monument of humans' power nad strong will.. Just to think about building a city in such place. The journey itself  to it from LA is  exciting..The city was founded in 1905 on the floor of the Mojave Desert and is surronded by mountain ranges on all sides..Amazing mountains..Nevada is the third seismically active state in the U.S. and the climate is subtropical hot desert. In July the average temperature is 40C..Enough..I could write about it...a lot. In TPF's pilot made in December1969, the first family's show was to be in Las Vegas, and the pilot was actually filmed there. David Cassidy wrote in his autobiography that it was the first time

Blood Brothers (Willy Russell) Part 4. The Phoenix Theatre

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 I've thought that I finished with Blood Brothers, but I was wrong. I should write one more post about it .First, let's watch this video, it's one of the most moving David Cassidy's interview I have ever seen. The interview is from 2001 , but I 've decided to include it here, because on that programme DC met with Blood Brothers' producer Bill Kenwright and his co-star  and friend , Petula Clark. It's really amazing and very moving conversation. I know that such talk shows have own scripts  ..but this one is so sincere... just friends so happy to see each other again..(I know Im very naive...) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faUBRWVmj7M&t=19s But let's return to 1995 .In autumn of that year David Cassidy toured the UK with the Blood Brothers, and he got a very, very warm welcome. He was always a star there. The tour was a great success, and there were many fans who watched Blood Brothers several times, just for David. While  performing in Bristol, he

David Cassidy In Popular Culture. Part 2. TPF

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Recently I have been asked to have a look  and read some Google Alerts on David Cassidy and TPF. Review the old ones , starting with 2010, and deal with new ones. In English (alerts). . Those old ones were hard, a lot about DC's personal problems, drinking, bankruptcy, divorce, and after November 2017..'David Cassidy, born...a former...died...' So many of them..I've removed a lot without reading..But it's very interesting what can we find about DC and TPF on Internet. I will try to make some cathegories..But first a song. The Partridge Family of course, it's cold and..snowing..I need some sunshine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-Vg0j7QqcU 1. How to earn on DC and TPF     There are a lot of such pages..With memorabilia from the 70s - teen mags, board games, lunchboxes, posters, paper dolls, and also original vinyl albums, sometimes very rare editions, some quite expensive, and thousands of pics.. But  real money are earned by selling new products - clothes wit

Song For A Rainy Day /David Cassidy, Kim Carnes/

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  This is a great song from DC 'Rock Me Baby' album, released 49 years ago..And after some very warm days it's raining today, and it's quite cold. The best weather to sit at home, do something useful and think about yesterday's celebration..David Cassidy's  birthday. Actually a lot was going on online. Fans posted pics, videos and memories, money was gathered for charities..But let's listen first to David's and Kim's song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ljs8WnMBf3w I wonder how many people had  watched, listened  and read about David Cassidy yesterday. There were more than 2k likes on David Cassidy website FB page, under the post on his birthday..Of course there are a lot of people who are not on social media ,or they are but never write comments. For me the most moving was listening to the United DJs - those amazing legendary guys, true legends, the men who made Radio Luxembourg in the 60s, and in the 70s, they knew David personally , they liked hi

I remember April..David Cassidy's birthday.

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  I got it yesterday, from my son-in-law.Just amazing, so much trouble to make it..I don't  know what I'm going to do with it..David Cassidy's Corner on the outskirts of Warsaw. And it's not a first present regarding David Cassidy which I've got. Is it a little too much.? That my kids buying me presents related to DC ?. I have already some books, a lot of photos, keyring with DC pic, a giant poster, some teen mags, even  comic books and his albums. All are presents..but do I really need them? Where is the line between being a normal fan and an obsessed one. Maybe I should stop writing this blog...But today is David's birthday, not a good timing..and a lot of fans are going to celebrate..And me too, I'm a fan after all.. Why we do this? Celebrating  birthday of the man who died in 2017 ,whom most of us never met?  Of course , it's a good opportunity to talk about DC's legacy, some radio stations will play his songs..but I don't believe that we cou

David Cassidy In Popular Culture. Part 1 . Music

This is something I've wanted to write many times and first of all to share with you some songs or articles I've found while writing this blog.  David Cassidy in popular culture.  What does it mean to be a popular culture icon? This is something or someone which or who is generally recognized, at once, it can be a popular belief, an image of a certain view, an object like a can of soup or an image of someone..Because also real  people can become pop culture icons...They are forever stuck in one moment in time..When we say eg 'Rita Hayworth' we can imagine her in 'Gilda', in her first dramatic role, singing 'Put The Blame On Mame' .It doesn't matter that she had a different name or that she starred in other films. She is like a beautiful butterfly, pinned forever in display case for all of us to admire..And when people hear ; 'David Cassidy'..they imagine  a beautiful boy with long hair, in bell bottoms, puka shells, singing I Think I Love You

C' mon , Get Happy /D.Jannsen, W.Farrell/

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 One of the best opening theme ever. Great to sing along, makes us happy..I'm using present tense, you should read some comments under that video..it still makes people happy like it was 50 years ago..This song has it's own place in  popular culture. A song about love and happiness, I always smile listening to it. Perfection. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lT2T49yP2ew But this is a post not about the song..this is a post ..I wondered for some time whether to write it at all. I've been trying not to write about DC's private life so far..but he told all himself. In the 90s there was a real renaissance of the 70s. Fashion, music, and ..The Partridge Family. Nickelodeon showed it every night at 8 pm. MTV ran the Partridge Family Marathon in July 1993. David was honoured in This Is Your Life, and one of the guests was Susan Dey. She had a present for him..it was very emotional..David Cassidy became a real star again, a celebrity..And everybody was waiting for his autobiogra

Blood Brothers (Willy Russell ) Part 3 Tell Me It's Not True

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 David Cassidy debuted  in Blood Brothers on Broadway on..and that is the question..On Today Show he said they were to open on June 9th 1993, on every Broadway pages I've checked the date was June 16th, and in one article (New York Times ) the date was August 16th...I'm really confused and we can't count on DC himself..he wasn't good with dates..I've  heard for example when he said..'when I finished The World Tour in 1975..' What a shame he didn't have someone like me by his side, I'm very good with names and dates..So ..let's say..in summer of 1993 , one day , DC played Mickey for the very first time.. First serious reviews appeared in September 1993 . New York Newsday : 'By rights, Willy Russell's Blood Brothers shouldn't work. It's a contemporary prince and pauper musical tragedy set in Liverpool. It overruns by a quarter , boast two songs of any worth, no dancing, grown actors playing children..(..) It also wipes me away witho

Blood Brothers /Willy Russell/ Part 2, David and Shaun

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David and Shaun while working on Blood Brothers spent a lot of time together. They rented apartments in New York, David much bigger for himself, Sue , Beau and the child's nanny, Shaun much smaller, suitable for a single, dating man. Here we can see them both with Petula Clark https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5NgoofoqVw David was always a great big brother for Shaun , Patrick and Ryan. When he became a superstar he simply had no time for them. The boys visited him and Shirley on the set of TPF, saw him in concert, but sometimes it was difficult to have a teen idol as a brother. Especially for Shaun, who was very ambitious and always wanted to be like David, even better. Some girls dated him because they wanted to meet David that way. Shaun :'..Than suddenly he was acting on this TV show. And don't forget, TPF was not just any TV show. It was very popular and it was considered very 'wholesome'(..) So I acquired a Partridge Family kind of image by association. And bel

Blood Brothers /Willy Russell/ Part 1 The Great Idea

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 In 1993 everybody noticed that DC again looked..different. On July 12th on the Today Show he wore a white shirt and  dark jacket. Yes, he played the guitar, but he left a rock singer image behind. DC was slimmer, had shorter hair, looked at least 10 years younger and much more vulnerable. He was to return on Broadway for the third time in his life https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LphhCMAbrC4&t=186s In June DC got a call from a  British producer Bill Kenwright, who asked David to fly to New York to see a musical called Blood Brothers on Broadway. It was opened in April with British actors (among them Stephanie Lawrence, DC's co-star in 'Time') but they had to be replaced by American cast, and also box office sales weren't very good .Kenwright wanted David to take the part of Narrator, but DC from the start knew that there was only one part for him, and he convinced Bill that he  should play Mickey Johnston. And it was a great idea. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gu2