August 1971. "A Million Kids Will Soon Wake Up In Love!"

In August 1971 the third Partridge Family album was released. It was originally titled 'The New Partridge Family Album', but at the very last moment was renamed as 'Sound Magazine'. I wonder why..

It should have had David's name in the title, because his voice (and for the first time his true voice, not altered), was the most important instrument on this extraordinary album. Instead it brought a lot of money people who owned David and his voice.

So we can read in Cash Box Magazine (August 14, 1972) how Bell Records promoted 'Sound Magazine, "A Million Kids Will Soon Wake Up In Love! With the newest single recorded by THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY (starring Shirley Jones ; Featuring David Cassidy) I WOKE UP IN LOVE THIS MORNING produced by Wes Farrell."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRlUcMrtiT0

This video has over 1.5 million views and over 1k comments. Someone has written that David didn't realize how good he was. Of course all those people who earned enormous money on his talent knew it very well. 'Sound Magazine' sold at rapid rate over the month before the start of the second season of the show, peaked at no 9 on September 25, 1971, and it was certified gold on September 27, 1971. In 1971 a Gold album represented 1$ million in sales (sales only in the US).

We have only two short reviews of 'Sound Magazine' from summer of 1971, at least only on the The David Cassidy Website. One was published on Cash Box Magazine, on August, 21, and it's just a short note. "The third album from the popular tv family is in the tradition of the first two. The songs bounce right along, a feeling of exuberance is constantly in the air, and, as an added bonus, a top single 'I Woke Up In Love This Morning' is included. With Shirley Jones and David Cassidy handling the vocals in their inimitable fashions, and with the slick production work of Wes Farrell, how can anything go wrong? It doesn't, and this  will be another spectacular best seller for the Family."

So Shirley Jones and Wes Farrell. Featuring David Cassidy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSExKeJlc3Q

Billboard published a short note too, (August 21), and whoever wrote it, noticed that, 'For their third album, the TV family come up with more dynamite rock material with the help of producer Wes Farrell, and it features the current hot single 'I Woke Up In Love This Morning'. Other strong cuts that feature Shirley Jones and David Cassidy are 'Summer Days', 'One Night Stand' and "I'm On My Way Back Home"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU2heMWfI3U

And what David Cassidy was doing in August 1972? Four weeks after the gallbladder operation (July 12), David was still weak and very skinny. Recovering and gaining strength and weight was a long process, and he was promised a longer break, but first there was a lot of things to do. The production of Season 2 restarted, and he had to record 2 more albums in 1971. Once again he was working non stop At the end of August he recorded songs for Partridge Family  Christmas album.

It's difficult to believe but when David returned to playing concerts again on August 14, 1971 (at first he had to perform with surgical belt) he performed every single week through December 5, usually on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. In Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Washington. For each concert he flew from LA and returned late on Sunday or early morning on Monday.

And of course on August 26 (according to the The David Cassidy Official Website it was on that day, not on 23) he guest starred on Merv Griffin Show. With his father, Jack..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSl6RDNPBuk