Roller Coaster / Mark James

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"You got on this train when you were born and the wheels just keep on spinnin'.." 

It's just amazing coincidence that 'Roller Coaster' was the last song David/Keith performed on the last TPF's episode, aired on March 23, 1974. 

Of course DC didn't watch it, he was working, and first of all had a lot of fun. On March 22 he was in Tokyo, had a press conference at 12.30 p.m. and in the evening attended disco at Akasaka (according to Wikipedia it's a residential and commercial district of Minato in Tokyo). Next day, March 23 - Osaka. David stayed at Royal Hotel..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_tfCNqF8wM

What a music scene it was, some pseudo Roman or Greece sculptures who knows why, Shirley smiling at George Chakiris. 

What a career George Chakiris had..He is 91, a wonderful dancer, a legendary dancer. He was a dancer in Marilyn Monroe's 'Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend' number in 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes', and of course he got an Academy Award for best Supporting Actor for his role as Bernardo, the leader of The Sharks gang in West Side Story. Who knows maybe it was Shirley who gave him the Award. She got her Academy Award a year before George..They had a lot of fun on the set, Shirley, George and Dave Madden, they knew each other very well. We can admire their sense of humor and laugh with them watching this video (that scene started at 7.26 min)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWwbS79CKxc

What a gem this video is. Of course I've watched it again from start to finish.

But let's return to David singing 'Roller Coaster'. He never looked more like a superstar than in this scene. His hair, but first of all he was so sure of himself, as a performer and as a man.

This last episode was filmed in the autumn of 1973, and DC thought that this chapter of his life was closed once and for all. He would never do a tv series again. Of course he knew that a lot of people had stable work on the show and Dave Madden and Shirley were disappointed of its ending. But he had enough. He was tired, burned out and very bored and disillusioned with showbusiness. 

David was only 23, famous and successful, he had number 1 album in the UK and number 1 single. He was very wealthy and really wanted to become a horse breeder. He talked about it in several interviews in 1973  He wanted to stop touring after the World Tour, but the future looked great, so many doors opened for him, a great album.. maybe a good movie.

He had no idea what the future had for him..a real roller coaster.

Let's finish with this wonderful, very moving Japanese radio interview from March 1974. David was asked questions about the TV show and Shirley, and about his music, his land in Hawaii, why he didn't have a steady girlfriend, and also about family ties and loneliness. Great quality of sound and wonderful pics, this video is truly outstanding. He was so friendly and sincere, like always giving 100%...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQdbZqOo9_A&t=267s



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