Love Is All That I Ever Needed. Chapter 33. David Cassidy : The Teenage Dream
In May 1998 David Cassidy had a new excellent album released by his own, short-lived record label, Slamajama Records, launched with Linda Blum, his business partner. David wanted to make something different and achieve a new modern sound.
The album ‘Old Trick, New Dog’
was produced by three young and popular musicians, Dino Esposito, Peter Bunetta and Scot
Rammer. David left himself a decisive voice, he was an executive producer. Like always he
worked with very good session musicians. Whatever he did, he wanted to have full control and
everything to the best quality possible.
The album was released two weeks before the official street date over the Internet. In less
than two days, it was in the top 5 in online record sales. It was a very good album - completely
different from the two previous ones released in the 90s.
He made a point that this time he
wouldn’t collaborate with Sue Shifrin. The album was very fresh and contemporary with new
versions of his old hits from the 70s, reinterpreted by David. The new arrangements were
sung not by a young boy, but by a very experienced, worldly and sexy 48 year old man.
David wanted to make his own new version of ‘I Think I Love You’. Also because his first and
biggest hit was experiencing a real renaissance in the 90s.
In 1991 a dance version made by
the British group ‘Voice of the Beehive’ reached number 25 in the UK.
In 1994 millions of people heard what Hugh Grant told Andie McDowell in a globally popular
movie, ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’- ‘..the words of David Cassidy in fact, while he was still
with The Partridge Family, uh..I think I love you.’
The screenplay was written by Richard Curtis,
whose partner Emma Feud was a lifelong and die-hard David’s fan. He wrote to them, was
very moved and grateful, especially for this small word, ‘still’.
In 1996 'I Think I Love You’ was
used in one of the most memorable Levi’s commercials ('Wide Leg Elevator Ad’), and in a
movie ‘Scream2’ a ska punk band, ‘Less Than Jake’ played a very energetic cover of it.
David did two new versions of 'I Think I Love You’ for ‘Old Trick, New Dog’. The first one with
seductive backing vocals of Elisa Fiorilo famous for her work with Prince, and the second,
crazy ‘Groove Mix’ became popular in clubs. ‘I Woke Up In Love This Morning’ also was a
trans, dance, and sexy number. The new “I Can Feel Your Heartbeat’ was slower and very
sensual.
David said: ‘I’m not redoing these songs because I feel some obligation or pressure
to do them. I’m doing them because I really love the songs. What pleases me the most is that
the songs still work some 20 years later. It’s the same guy singing but from a different place.’
There was also a very soul, funky and sensual cover of Jerry Fuller’s ‘Show And Tell’, and
great new material - another outstanding soul number, ‘Whatever Happened to Love, Peace
and Happiness’ and four wonderful love songs. One of them was the last song Tony Romeo
ever wrote personally for David, ‘You Were The One’.
The single ‘No Bridge I Wouldn’t Cross'
became an Adult Contemporary Top 25 hit in the USA.
He visited many music stores to sign his album. “At 48, David Cassidy still qualifies as a
heartthrob (..) Hundreds of screaming fans, even teenage girls who discover him on Nick and Nite reruns (of The Partridge Family) lined up outside the store waiting hours to meet him (..)
A trim, muscular man, he wore a black, long sleeved shirt, black jeans and black boots. He
seemed shorter in person but his blue eyes still sparkled.(..) Rules for meeting the celeb were
strict. He wouldn’t sign anything other than his new CD. And sorry, no kisses."
In 1998 The Official Website Of David Cassidy started working on the Internet and in
November a scan of a handwritten message from David appeared there: ‘Dear Friends in ‘Net’
Land. I’m using this way of speaking to you, to thank you for all your wonderful thoughts and
support of me.'
In December 1998 two great documentaries on David were aired. In the UK on BBC 1, ‘David
Cassidy: Teenage Dream’, and in America, a special episode about David from the series
‘Behind The Music’ was aired on VH1. Both films captured and showed that amazing, frenzy
mass-hysteria surrounded David in the early 70s. This worship only a few have experienced
and survived.
David was a celebrity again, a star, but he paid a price for it, being on the brink of a nervous
breakdown and the next divorce. He must have felt like he was walking in his father’s footsteps
and it was scary. He started losing control, and had to ask for help. Antidepressants helped
him to feel better but not physically. He had to complete his contract by the end of December
of 1998. However, last week Patrick Cassidy performed in EFX instead of him, because David
couldn’t walk any more.
Already in October 1998 David announced that he would leave EFX at the end of the year. He
brought a new quality to the show and MGM earned a lot of money because of him. Richard
Sturm, senior vice-president of MGM Grand Worldwide Entertainment said: ’With his wit,
warmth and infectious enthusiasm, David has helped make EFX the city’s premier production.
We’re grateful for his contributions to the show as well as our community and we wish him
every success in the future.’ And ‘He has done a sensational job for us.’
The day after his last performance, David went to hospital for the foot operation.
The insane schedule nearly finished his marriage. In 1999 David could spend more time with
his family in their Las Vegas house, bought in 1996.
He also could be more involved in charity events, they were always important for him.
In April 1999 David and Sue decided that they would use their song, ‘Message To The World’
as a benefit song for Kosovo refugees, and all proceeds were to go to ‘War Child', an
international organization that provided aid to young victims of the wars in Bosnia and Croatia.
Some celebrities took part in the recording, but first of all, about 80,000 people sang ‘Message
To The World’ with David. He recorded it using a mobile recording studio, and American
citizens across the country had the possibility to sing with him. It was one of the first charity
songs to be downloadable from the Internet.
In 1999 Sue founded the non profit organization The David Cassidy/Kidscharities.org.
In May 1999 David combined a charity with pleasure and organized the David Cassidy Golf
Tournament, a charity event for the Nevada Special Olympics. Among the celebrities
participating were his brothers, Daniel Baldwin, Smokey Robinson, Alan Thicke and David’s
long time friend and an avid golfer, Alice Cooper.
The tournament was at the Desert Inn
Country Club and it was not a coincidence..
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