Till There Was You / Meredith Willson

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David Cassidy never recorded that beautiful song, but of course he knew the whole soundtrack from 'The Music Man'. Jack taught him. DC : 'I sang mostly theatre stuff as a young kid, music from some of my dad's shows, like 'Wish You Were Here' and I learned 'The Music Man' when I was around seven. Years later I taught my own son 'The Music Man'. Because I could sing, I was always singled out in chorus and music and glee club. I was a soloist in the choir' (David Cassidy : Could It Be Forever?, 2007)

'The Music Man' debuted on Broadway in 1957, and in 1962 a movie version was made with Shirley Jones, David's stepmother ( I must remember about not fans who read my blog). Shirley was pregnant while the film was in production ( with Partick). When Shirley and her partner embraced during the footbridge scene, the baby kicked the man. The costume desingers had to adjust Shirley's dresses several times to conceal her pregnancy. So let's listen to Shirley Jones..

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

Amazing voice. The film version was a great hit, but I never heard about it, American musicals weren't shown at our cinemas..But of course I knew that song, and I loved The Beatles' great cover from 1963. I had no idea how a big star in America Shirley Jones was in the second part of the 50s and the first part of the 60s. She performed with Jimmy Stewart, Gene Kelly, Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Burt Lancaster..

A true movie star, and in 1960 she got an Academy Award for her role in 'Elmer Gentry'. I saw that film on our tv about 15 years ago and ..wow it was amazing, and I thought Shirley was incredible, and don't laugh at me but I had no idea who she was..The power of censorship, sure Poland became a free country in 1989, but there were a lot of books, films and tv series (especially American) we had no idea about..Let's watch Shirley..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYutyTYWpOo&t=14s

She was great in that role..In the late 60s her film career slower down, but of course when the first articles appeared  about TPF in summer of 1970, they were mostly about Shirley , not about her stepson. This is a fragment of one of them ; 

'She looked wonderingly toward young Cassidy -'I never knew David could sing. All kids plunk guitars around the house - but really sing?' (August 2, 1970). I don't know what to think about it. She must have known  that DC performed on Broadway..in 1969. Of course since TPF's debute in September 1970 most articles were about David, and sometimes sth was written about Shirley Jones, David Cassidy's stepmother.. 

They became real friends on the set. DC : 'Shirley Jones created an exceptionally warm atmosphere on the set. (..) She taught me how to accept fame at such a young age and how to deal with it. She set an example by how she conducted herself and how she treated people. (..) She's as warm and genuine in real life as she appears to be on TV. She kept me grounded'

I know it's a little bit too early for such songs, but - 1. I really love that one. 2. there are some great pics with Shirley and David in that video..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qS4DkNZr_4

Isn't this song beautiful..and what a wonderful singer David Cassidy was..



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