Ranking the Top 20 Partridge Family Songs

The Partridge Family and The Monkees are two Comfort TV sitcoms inextricably linked in my memory. In both cases I thought the songs they performed were even better than their respective shows. 

It took decades for the legacy and talent of The Monkees to be acknowledged, but that has not happened with The Partridge Family, which is understandable as the series was created with no regard for musical authenticity. The concept was to cast photogenic actors who would lip-sync to tracks recorded by professional singers and musicians. It was serendipity that David Cassidy, hired for his teen idol looks, asked executive producer Bob Claver if he could take a shot at singing as well. 

That, along with mixing Shirley Jones’ vocals into the backing tracks, shifted them toward the center on the manufactured TV band scale; they’re behind The Monkees, but still ahead of The Archies.   

How long have I been a fan? This was the first record album I ever bought that didn’t say Disney on the label. 

I bought every album after that, reacquired them all on CD, and their content still comprises one of my favorite go-to iPod playlists.  On this topic I know whereof I speak, and can confidently state that these are the 20 best Partridge Family songs.

#20: Doesn’t Somebody Want to Be Wanted

The group’s second highest-charting single (peaking at #6) is a classic example of the mid-tempo pop sound, escalating from the verses to the chorus, that can be found in many of their most popular tracks. However, it’s best remembered for Cassidy’s cheesy spoken-word bridge, which he hated doing. But producer Wes Farrell (who cowrote the song) guessed that his plaintive plea for love would make the Tiger Beat subscribers swoon, and he was right. 

#19: Brand New Me

It’s the first song on their first album, and was featured in what was arguably the series’ most famous episode (season 1’s “But the Memory Lingers On,” aka ‘the one with the skunk’). The powerful wall of sound arrangement highlights the talent of the top session musicians that play on most of the Partridge tracks, including drummer Hal Blaine, keyboardists Larry Knechtel and Michael Melvoin, guitarists Tommy Tedesco, Louie Shelton, Larry Carlton and Dennis Budimir and bassists Joe Osborne and Max Bennett.

#18: Hello, Hello

I’m kind of alone in my affection for this one, even among fellow Partridge fans. But I love the Dixieland jazz intro, something unique for a Partridge Family record, and the nostalgic feel of the entire track. 

#17: I Heard You Singing Your Song

By the time the group’s final album, Bulletin Board, was released in 1973, the magic was quickly slipping away and Ricky Segall had already started ruining the last few minutes of several series episodes. But this song and its marvelous vocal arrangements, reminiscent of The Beach Boys, offered one last blast of pop heaven. 

#16: I Really Want to Know You

It’s debatable whether any song recorded prior to when David Cassidy took over lead vocals should be considered for a best-of list. But “I Really Want to Know You” is a beautiful Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil ballad, and offers the best glimpse into what the band’s sound would have been had someone else been cast as Keith Partridge. 

#15: Only a Moment Ago

From our current perspective of 40-some years after the series debuted, “Only a Moment Ago” takes on added resonance. It’s a song about longing for happier, simpler times, which is something that many of us do every time we hear Partridge Family music. “Why has the music stopped,” indeed. 

#14: Point Me in the Direction of Albuquerque

No songwriter complimented the Partridge sound more than Tony Romeo. This classic, familiar to even casual Partridge fans, is the first of his songs in our top 20 but it won’t be the last. The evocative lyric about a “lonely little runaway with teardrops in her eyes” tells such a vivid story it’s not surprising it would be dramatized in a series episode (season 1’s “Road Song”). 

#13: I Woke Up in Love This Morning

The first single from the group’s third album, Sound Magazine, stayed on the hot 100 for ten weeks, peaking at #13. Even though I’m making the picks, it surprises me that we had to wait this long for a song featuring the harpsichord, given how the Renaissance-era instrument was a staple of the group’s sound. 

#12: My Christmas Card to You

The only Partridge LP to reach #1 on the charts was their Christmas album. “My Christmas Card to You,” another classic Tony Romeo composition, was the sole original song on the record. It has been a holiday tradition in my home ever since. The album also features the only duet between David Cassidy and Shirley Jones (on “Winter Wonderland”). It’s a shame they didn’t pair their voices more often. 

#11: Bandala

This was the song Keith described as “sort of an afro thing” to Richard Pryor in the memorable season one episode “Soul Club.” At the risk of designating any Partridge Family song that way, there is a street quality to “Bandala” that is about as gritty as this wholesome family band could get. It also features some unique instruments for a Partridge record, including a full brass section, congas and enough cowbell to satisfy Christopher Walken.

#10: “I Can Feel Your Heartbeat”

We kick off the top 10 with the hardest-rocking Partridge song, one that should have been a second single off their debut album. The heavy reverb and Hammond organ accentuate Hal Blaine’s pounding drumbeat and one of David Cassidy’s most impassioned vocals. “I Can Feel Your Heartbeat” found a new audience after being featured in an episode of American Horror Story. 

#9: Echo Valley 2-6809

Long before Tommy Tutone tried to reach Jenny at 867-5309, the Partridge Family debuted the first classic phone number song. It’s about a boy and a girl who grew up together “with ferris wheels and sunshine laughter,” but who parted on bad terms. Should he call her again? The lush orchestral arrangement on this Rupert Holmes song demonstrates once again the remarkable behind-the-scenes talent that made these records so delightful then and now. 

#8: I’ll Leave Myself a Little Time

This gentle track appears on the group’s second album, Up To Date, which is surprising since it was featured in episode two of the show's first season. There isn’t one particular aspect of the recording to which I need call your attention – it’s just a really lovely song that I’m sure I’ve heard more than 500 times, and it still always makes me smile. 

#7: It’s One of Those Nights (Yes Love)

From the underrated Shopping Bag album (which also includes “Every Song is You” and “If You Ever Go”) this is another great Tony Romeo track that benefits from Phil Spector-levels of orchestration. It was also the band’s fifth and final top 20 song. 

#6: I’m On My Way Back Home

Slow to fast, soft to loud, soaring chord and tempo changes, and one of David Cassidy’s most self-assured vocals help make this track even more memorable than some of the group’s hit singles. 

#5: Every Little Bit O’ You

Bubblegum pop rarely gets sweeter than this blissful tune, written by the team that also contributed “I Woke Up in Love This Morning” to the Partridge catalog (L. Russell Brown and Irwin Levine). It was covered in one of the more eye-catching on-screen performances – from the roof of the Partridge bus under a beautiful blue sky – in the episode “I Can Get It For You Retail.” 

#4:  I Think I Love You

Surprised? Obviously this was the biggest Partridge Family hit, the one song that is probably familiar even to someone who never watched the show. “I Think I Love You” went to #1 in 1970 and stayed there for three weeks. It has everything fans love – memorable words and music from Tony Romeo, that ever-present harpsichord, and another great Cassidy vocal, double-tracked for added impact. It’s just that there are three other songs I like even more. 

#3: Together We’re Better

The best song on the Notebook album was immortalized in the episode where the family visits the King’s Island amusement park and hangs out with Mary Ann Mobley. The playful opening notes of the organ sound like a circus calliope, setting the perfect mood for one of the most ambitious Partridge records. Yes, Tony Romeo wrote this one too. But from that foundation a lot of gifted people crafted an intricate musical arrangement and vocal backing tracks that complement Cassidy’s lead. There’s a lot going on here in just 2 minutes and 30 seconds, and it’s all pretty wonderful. 

#2: I’ll Meet You Halfway

After lavishing praise on 18 other Partridge songs, it might seem strange to commend “I’ll Meet You Halfway” by saying it doesn’t sound like a typical Partridge Family record. But if you’re familiar with the song you know what I mean. There’s sophistication to it, an almost classical quality to the strings and piano arpeggio that set the mood before the singing starts. Wes Farrell wrote it with Carole King’s songwriting partner Gerry Goffin. 

#1: Summer Days

The fifth Tony Romeo song on our top 20 is irresistible from start to finish. From the explosive opening riff to Cassidy’s exuberant vocal to a buoyant chorus that bounds and rolls out of your speakers with unbridled joy. Why “Summer Days” was never released as a single remains a classic TV music mystery. It’s not just my favorite PF song – it’s one of my favorite records from any group and any musical era. The 1970s may not have been as carefree and innocent as the song suggests, but for those three minutes you can close your eyes and pretend they really were that wonderful. 

Top TV Moments: Sid Haig

I confess that when I see an actor from the Comfort TV universe in a project well outside its safe borders, I find it disconcerting.

That doesn’t happen often because I’m not someone who seeks out horror movies with sadistic violence or exploitation films with other graphic content. But sometimes flipping channels you never know what you’ll see. A few months ago I accidentally stopped on a showing of Hostel: Part III, because I spotted Ernie Douglas from My Three Sons about to torture someone with power tools. If I saw that 20 years ago I’d still be in therapy.   

Sid Haig is a more interesting example because he’s achieved his greatest fame as a psychotic murderer in two films I wouldn’t walk across the street to see for free (House of 1,000 Corpses and The Devil’s Rejects). I concede that Haig makes an effective villain with his imposing 6’4” frame, swarthy beard and pockmarked visage. I’m just partial to his work as an evildoer who was still family hour friendly. 

Here are some memorable TV moments from Sid before he got really vicious.

The Untouchables (1962)

Sid Haig’s television debut came in “The Case Against Eliot Ness,” a typically violent episode set amidst preparations for Chicago’s Century of Progress celebration. He appears about 25 minutes into the show as Augie, one of Frank Nitti’s hoods. You’ll probably recognize the voice before the face. He’s not around long but the episode (which is on YouTube) is worth a look for Pat Hingle’s fiery performance as a corrupt city councilman. Was there any other kind in Chicago back then?

The Lucy Show (1965) and Here’s Lucy (1969)

Haig appeared twice with TV’s first lady, and coincidentally it was in two of the most bizarre episodes of her respective series. “Lucy and the Monsters” may be the worst offering in six seasons of The Lucy Show, but it’s one of those rare examples of an episode that is so awful it actually becomes rather fascinating. I watch it every Halloween. Haig plays a mummy in the episode’s extended dream sequence that finds Lucy and Viv in a haunted castle.  Only his eyes are visible beneath the bandages.

From Here’s Lucy, “Lucy and the Great Airport Chase” was filmed entirely on location, a rarity for any Lucy episode. The plot here is one long, silly chase sequence around Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), where Lucy is given a secret formula by a spy, and is then pursued through terminals, tarmacs and baggage conveyer belts. Haig plays an enemy agent who vows, “Formula 14 will never reach the so-called free world.” If you ever wanted to see scary Sid Haig take a pie in the face, this is the show for you.

Star Trek (1967)

“The Return of the Archons” is the first of several Trek episodes in which Captain Kirk outsmarts a computer, as well as one of Gene Roddenberry’s more heavy-handed condemnations of socialism. Haig plays the First Lawgiver, one of the hooded figures charged with keeping a brainwashed society in check for its mechanical master. Not much of a part, but over the years I’ll bet he signed plenty of photos from the episode at conventions. 

Get Smart (1967)

Max infiltrates a gang of thieves in London that includes The Turk (Haig) a master of weapons. “That Old Gang of Mine” gave Haig one of his meatier sitcom guest spots, as he works alongside Don Adams in an extended (and very funny) heist sequence played without dialogue. Haig’s reactions to Smart’s bumbling reveal a largely untapped talent for comedy. 

Mission: Impossible (1968)

Given the number of episodes set in fictional foreign lands, it’s not surprising that Haig, with his flexibly ethnic features, would be utilized often (nine times!) on Mission: Impossible as various henchmen and heavies in Arabian, Latin or Eastern European locales. “The Diplomat” didn’t offer much of a challenge beyond the menacing look he had already mastered, but it’s the best episode in which he appears. He plays Grigor, one of three enemy agents in possession of vital U.S. defense secrets. The IM Force must convince them that the authentic information is inaccurate.

Electra Woman and Dyna Girl (1976)

A superhero series always rich in over-acting serves up a Golden Corral Buffet of scenery chewing in “Ali Baba.” Haig plays a nasty genie opposite veteran screen baddie Malachi Throne. He delivers lines like “Soon you will be the most powerful man in the world!” with diabolical gusto, while Judy Strangis (as an evil Dyna Girl) sets a new and yet to be equaled benchmark in maniacal villain laughter. 

Jason of Star Command (1978)

Before his cult movie status kicked in, Sid Haig’s most prominent claim to fame was this serialized Saturday morning sci-fi series. It was ambitious for its time, as were all of the 1970s Filmation live action shows, which is one reason why it’s still so fondly remembered. Haig played Dragos, “master of the cosmos” whose plots to conquer the galaxy were thwarted by Jason and his pocket robot WIKI. There’s a Flash Gordon vs. Ming vibe to these adventures, and Haig impressively maintains an optimal level of villainy – intimidating enough to frighten younger viewers without traumatizing them. 

Charlie’s Angels (1978)

“Diamond in the Rough” is a fun caper episode set in the Caribbean (but shot in the Hollywood Hills) in which the Angels are hired to steal a priceless diamond protected by a high-tech security system and a poisonous snake. Haig plays Reza, who is supposed to be protecting the gem but loses focus when confronted with the seductive charms of Kelly Garrett. Who could blame him?

Fantasy Island (1978)

In “The Sheikh” Arte Johnson plays a meek teacher who dreams of having his own harem. Sid Haig plays Hakeem, palace bodyguard and conspirator in a plot to assassinate the new sheikh. Once again Mr. Roarke nearly gets one of his guests killed without being sued, in a story that offers a perfect blend of ‘70s jiggle TV and dated Middle Eastern stereotypes. 

Sledge Hammer! (1987)

Now more than 20 years into his acting career, Sid Haig still received scripts from shows like The A-Team, The Fall Guy, MacGyver and Scarecrow and Mrs. King, offering the parts of outlaw bikers, scary foreigners and other ne’er do wells that by now he could play in his sleep. He’s a bad guy again here in the funny Robocop parody “Hammeroid,” but at least he gets some laughs as military traitor General Skull Fracture. 

Battle of the Network Stars: Leave it Alone!

Earlier this week I read a piece on the TV Line website about the ABC network looking into a revival of Battle of the Network Stars. I immediately ceased work on my next blog so I could instead talk about why this will never, never work.

My misgivings should not be taken as disparagement of the original 19 Battles, which aired between 1976 and 1988. On the contrary – I consider them one of television’s crowning achievements, right alongside Roots and Walter Cronkite’s coverage of the first moon landing. 

Where else could you watch Billy Crystal throw touchdown passes to Penny Marshall? Or hear Howard Cosell describe the athletic grace of Cathy Lee Crosby by quoting the John Keats poem “On First Looking Into Chapman’s Homer?” Or Leif Garrett mock Robert Conrad’s then advanced age of 44, only to have Conrad (who treated these competitions like they were Thunderdome) fire a fastball that dropped Leif’s punk ass into the baseball dunk tank, and stalk away with sublime satisfaction?

These specials were not an early equivalent of Dancing With the Stars, which (much as I love that show) tends to attract a lesser pedigree of celebrity. Back in the day the most popular television stars in the highest-rated television series spent a weekend on the glorious campus of Malibu’s Pepperdine University to compete in swimming contests and kayak races, to sprint and ride bicycles around an oval track, and to represent their networks with pride. 

I could give you 100 reasons of why the original Battle of the Network Stars was awesome. But that still doesn’t mean the concept will work now. Here’s why.

1. Too Many Networks, Not Enough Stars

When the Battles began there were only three noteworthy sources for new television programs – ABC, CBS and NBC. Even if the FOX Network were now included the shows on their current schedules draw about 20% of the audience they earned in the ‘70s and ‘80s.

Today’s TV stars are just as likely to emerge from the CW or HBO or Netflix. And even these series attract a tiny fraction of the viewers that watched a first-run episode of B.J. and the Bear. Part of what made the original Battles special was that viewers knew all 24 participants (8 from each network). There is not a single television actor now with the name and face recognition of an actor on a 1970s show that finished last in its time slot. 

2. The Originals Were Unapologetically Sexy

There is no escaping the fact that part of the Battles’ appeal was seeing TV’s most attractive stars in tight-fitting athletic tops, shorts, and lycra swimsuits that became fairly transparent when wet. The feminine pulchritude on display was almost dizzying – Farrah Fawcett, Erin Gray, Suzanne Somers, Catherine Bach, Cheryl Ladd, Victoria Principal, Cheryl Tiegs, Randi Oakes, Donna Dixon, Shawn Weatherly. 

And yes, there were also some appreciative squeals when Tom Selleck and Gregory Harrison stripped down to speedos, so it was equal opportunity ogling. 

None of which is acceptable today, of course. To avoid accusations of objectifying actresses, and prevent Emma Watson from picketing by the swimming pool, participants would have to wear swimwear from the 1920s. Or burqas.  

3. Our Relationship to Celebrities Has Changed

From the earliest days of motion pictures through the era in television when the Battles debuted, celebrities held an otherworldly fascination for much of the American public. We wanted to know what they were really like. We wanted to see the actor behind the character, and the person behind the actor. The Battle of the Network Stars offered a way to do that. Now we get this insight direct from the sources, on their Facebook and Instagram pages. There is no longer any curtain to peek behind.

4. Once, Winning Actually Mattered

Perhaps the most amazing aspect of the original Battles was that the stars competed for real financial stakes: $20,000 for members of the winning team, $15,000 for second, $10,000 for third. That was pretty good cheddar 35 years ago. I remember after one ABC victory Heather Thomas jubilantly exclaiming, “Gonna buy a fur coat!” Something else someone can’t say anymore. I’m sure money wasn’t the only reason the stars went all out – there was personal pride and network pride at stake as well. But it didn’t hurt. 

5. It’s Been Tried Before

Remember the 2003 revival featuring only NBC stars? How about the Battle of the Network Reality Stars, with contestants from Survivor, The Apprentice and American Idol? Me neither. I rest my case. Nothing will ever top the original, one and only, never-to-be-forgotten, Howard Cosell hosted Battle of the Network Stars.