Yowza

Urban Dictionary has five definitions for the expression "bedroom eyes". I say scrap them all and replace them with this picture. Anyone still unclear on the concept? Didn't think so ;-)

David Cassidy Favorites

Tell me, what's your favorite David Cassidy song and why do you like it so?

Mine is "Some Old Woman" from the "Dreams..." album. The song is wonderfully bluesy and his clear, warm voice has just the right mix of velvet and rawness for it. Just love the way he says "whoa" and how he makes me want to believe he's "as pure as a newborn child". The first time I heard this song, it didn't register. I heard it properly the second time and then I was hooked. Does he ever do it in concerts? Would be a nice alternate to "Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone".

"Dreams..." is by far my favorite album of his. It's mixed to perfection with nothing to detract from his fabulous voice and the songs are timeless.

My close second is "If I didn't care" which was released as a single in the mid-seventies. On CD, it can be found on "Then and Now", "A Touch of Blue" and "David Cassidy & the Partridge Family: The Definitive Collection". I think he's only recorded one version, but I'm not 100% certain. Did he re-record it for "Then and Now"?

This melodious song has to be one of the most romantic songs ever written. Not an ounce of sap or cheesiness to it, just sincere, evocative lyrics.

If I didn't care, more than words can say
If I didn't care, would I feel this way?
If this isn't love, then why do I thrill?
And what makes my head go round an' round
While my heart stands still?

I think David Cassidy's version is the most timeless. The original recorded by the Ink Spots in 1939 sounds almost comical today and Connie Francis' version bears the unmistakable background vocals of the fifties. The most recent version might be the one sung by Amy Adams and Lee Pace in the 2008 film "Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day" - quite nice, serves the scene perfectly. One recorded performance by Frank Sinatra on YouTube supposedly dates from 1939 and is, as is pretty much every song the man has done, vocally perfect. It just doesn't thrill me ;)

Cassidy's version thrills me. First, there is that sexy intro with the piano/snare drum combo and his "ummmm". Take me now (oops, did I type that out loud?). Second, his breathy vocals. An absolute perfect match for the lyrics, they make the words almost tentative, as if he were discovering these truths while singing the song, which, to my mind, is a much more romantic interpretation than the overly confident declarations sung by the other artists. Finally, I love how he sings "you" at the very end.

Here's a portion of David Cassidy's "If I didn't care". Recent live versions from concerts abound on YT and it's interesting to hear how differently he sings it now. His voice has more power, he holds the notes longer and there's no tentativeness in his interpretation. The problem with the live versions is that the audience sings along, drowning him out. At least UK audiences always sing on key as Mr. Cassidy has noted.



And here's "Some Old Woman" because it's criminally under-appreciated.



Looking forward to hearing your choices.

Voice Change?

Released in 1990, David Cassidy's self-titled album includes the hit "Lyin' To Myself". The album was seen as a comeback to the recording scene, at least here in North America where his previous release dated to 1976 with "Gettin' it in the Street".

Is it me or is his voice different on this album? Granted, his vocals take a backseat to the drum machine as they did on "Romance", but he sounds different here. His phrasing, if this is the right term for what I mean, is different, no? For example, in the song "Labor of Love", he emphasizes and stretches out the "uh" sound in "love" whereas he used to stress the last syllable in words. In "You Remember Me", the vocals are halting and abrupt. I think his voice sounds good on "Stranger in your Heart" but again, unexpected syllables are accentuated ("giv-En", "l-uh-ver" at 1:06) and the effect isn't as pleasing to the ear. Same thing on "Boulevard of Broken Dreams": his voice tumbles down on vowels (e.g. hero that w-s, walk a-l-ne) and the effect is anything but natural.

His vocals seem to lack the instinctive expression that made them so previously warm and alluring. Was this vocal style change prompted by the harder rock on this album or something else? Voice lessons perhaps?

Would love to read from those who have the vocabulary to express what I'm sure I'm not imagining.

"I Write the Songs"

David Cassidy, as his devoted fans will be the first to tell you, recorded this Bruce Johnston-penned song before Barry Manilow did. From what I've read, DC's version got limited promotion and airplay in North America and Manilow's version, released shortly after and backed by Clive Davis, head of the Arista record label, won the public's heart.

I've never been a Barry Manilow fan (I do like "Copacabana") so this song was just another one among his sappy repertoire, but I was quite pleasantly surprised to discover David's recording a few months ago. I like it now. To my ears, David Cassidy's rendition overflows with bluesy emotion while Barry Manilow's perfect vocals are duller than a butter knife. While I agree with one YouTuber's assessment that Manilow's version is "more organized and symphonic", I have to say that's what makes the song so trite for me.

What say you?

Here's Mr. Manilow's version which Mr. Johnston apparently considers "the definitive version". High praise from a Beach Boy.




And here's David Cassidy's recording. I prefer DC's live performance that was posted by Soxman2004 on YouTube but thought the visual a bit distracting and the sound too "scratchy" for comparison. Search for it though if you haven't come across it yet: it's worth a listen!

Look what I found!

Thanks to one of Clodyne's cool links on her amazing fansite (have I mentioned it's amazing?), I found a picture of something I never thought I'd like: David with a mustache. But with those eyes and that mouth? Many, many sins can be forgiven, including facial hair.




You gotta love the descriptions these sites give to the pinup poses. For this one below, they put "trying to look sexy". Are you effing kidding me? The man defines sexy. And to paraphrase Tom Hanks in that baseball movie, there's no trying in sexy. Check out the question on the left. I certainly don't remember such brazen language in my Tiger Beats (late 70s)! Those fan mag editors sure knew how to torture young girls.




You'll find more of David on pages 32 to 36 here. By the way, Adam Rich was a pinup? Wasn't he like six or something? Who knew. Oh, and if anyone can tell me who ALAN ORDON JORDON is/was, I'd be much obliged. Google kept telling me I was looking for Alan Gordon Jordan. Nope, I don't think I was, thank you very much. Here's Mr. Jordon flaunting his right to go shirtless.



Enjoy!

Ruby: Second to Last Episode

Ok, was there anything to dislike in this episode? Besides the improbability that a guest's life-threatening allergy wouldn't be communicated to the cook? Not much. I'd practically have to retype the whole script to share all the good lines.

"It has a Starbucks." - Jordan explaining why Dandelion State Park isn't so wild.
"Yeah. I hear they run around without pants." - Ben on the wild squirrels to be found in Dandelion State Park. Perfect delivery from both actors. Incidentally, Jordan's "nerd loops" and "cool straps" had me in stitches in a previous show. Very good timing. Does Austin Butler remind anyone else of Leif Garrett, looks-wise?

Could Shirley Jones have been any better?
"My friends call me Shirley."
"Your school must be under a mushroom. Mushroom. MushROOM. MUSHROOOOM."
"I would never hurt myself. I'm my favorite person."

And David Cassidy's character is getting to be likable. David Gallagher thinks of himself first (as he should, being such a "superstar" and all :)), but he also thought of other people's feelings in this episode. A welcome change. He reminded me of Ted Baxter from "The Mary Tyler Moore Show". Was DC channeling his father for whom the character of Ted Baxter was created?

Patrick Cassidy shined once again: "I doubt it. She's as healthy as horse." "Every mouthful is like a hug." There's now chemistry between Katie Amanda Keane and Patrick Cassidy and Audie had a warmer presence in this episode.

Ruby's awkwardness was real and I must tip my hat to the writers: trust issues with Rachael Ray? Who would have thought? Question for the writers: is the ability to incorporate unexpected words such as defiled and dilation in a family show script a resume must-have these days or just a scriptwriters' in-joke?

Of course, the whole plot wraps up neatly with a "hug-makes-everything-better" at the end. So what. It's a sitcom and hugs do make a lot of things better, especially in a family. It would have been nice if DC had sung the "C'mon get happy" line instead of just blurting it out as he did at the end. It kind of fell flat this way (no pun intended). That's my only quibble with the second-to-last-ever Ruby.

I watched the episode a second time with a non-DC fan (to be clear: not a DC hater, just not a fan). His opinion? The show was amateurish with stilted acting and a very annoying laugh track. It never would have been produced had it not been for the Cassidy name, according to him. I really don't think it's that bad (there is so much worse) and it's not because I have a blind spot when it comes to David Cassidy because I certainly don't.

And your take is? Did this episode make you go, "Yes! They're hitting their stride." or "Bah, more of the same. Whatever."?

I love YouTube.

I love how easily I can discover musical gems and talent and learn about performers and their careers. Every time I read a thoughtful comment about an artist's talent, something that expresses more than "that was awesome, man, thx 4 uploading it!11!", it reminds me of how I wish I had had a proper music education. I envy those who can read music, sing on key, play an instrument, write lyrics or songs.

All I know is what I like, what moves me, what stays with me, what I want to hear in replay mode all day. I do my best to express the reasons but I lack the technical knowledge of what makes great talent great and as such, my vocabulary is limited. I can tell a verse from a chorus in a song, identify a hook and recognize a great lick but is that an A, C or E note? No effing clue. Mind you, once, when I was young (yeah, that'd be in the previous century), I was crossing a busy downtown street with my friend, a singer and jazz music fan, and realizing a car was fast approaching (okay, we were jaywalking), let out and held for a few seconds some type of cry that my friend proclaimed a "perfect C!" My proudest music moment. That friend is now a vocal coach and professional singer, so I hold her opinion dear.

That very friend used to come over to my house and discuss big band music with my father. She was fourteen. We were in our second year of high school. Big band and jazz. This is what the girl listened to at fourteen. You know what I listened to at fourteen? What all my other friends were listening to. My father called it "noise" but now it's called "classic rock".

My mom sold my father's stacks of LPs (long playing vinyl records for any youngin's reading this) at a garage sale when she sold the house. I can still picture the lucky buyer's face, all bug-eyed and drooling, as he was looking through the jazz and easy listening titles: multiples of Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Jimmy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Herb Alpert, Perry Como, Frank Sinatra, Connie Francis, Doris Day, Engelbert Humperdinck, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby...sold the whole lot for about five bucks. I cry thinking about it now. That's also when I parted with my "The World of the Partridge Family" double album and DC's "Rock Me Baby". A different buyer for my little collection though.

So, it's thanks to David Cassidy that I find myself on YouTube these days clicking from one related video to another searching for velvet voices and sweet melodies. My father used to say that a song wasn't a song if it didn't have a melody. One day, I had enough courage to ask him what a melody was. Something you can whistle, he said.

Thanks for the melodies, Dad.

Where's the Hendrix influence?

Ok, this is why I don't like the blond David. He railed against the bubblegum pop he was forced to sing in the early 70s, repeating to anyone who would listen that his greatest musical influences were Hendrix, Cream, Clapton, The Beatles, etc. yet, after an almost ten year absence from recording, he comes back with "The Last Kiss", a ballad I can't imagine any of his music heroes ever recording. Not only that, the song wasn't even original: it's the same melody as Cliff Richard's "Young Love" but with a slower tempo and different lyrics (Alan Tarney co-wrote the song and produced both Richard and Cassidy.) One redeeming feature of the song: George Michael's sighing background vocals.

"The Last Kiss" can be found on his album "Romance" released in 1985. I still have not managed to listen to the whole album in one sitting. Trying to do so as I type this entry. The lyrics to the first track, "Romance", make me wince. Granted, I'm not big on modern ballads and romantic songs but this one (and its video, especially) is particularly cheesy. David Cassidy dissed the Partridge Family's "bubblegum pop" for this? The sappiest PF song's lyrics are world's better than the "Romance" lyrics. Or is it the music that's rubbing me the wrong way? The PF discography has peppier tunes. "The Last Kiss" just wasn't my style back in the day (mind you, it was easy to overlook as it wasn't even released in North America) and I guess it still isn't. His earlier work has aged better.

Tell me, "The Last Kiss", yay or nay?

I Will Please You

The 1974 Cassidy Live! album features a lot of covers that David did in concerts. One of them is "Please Please Me". I always loved this Beatles hit but never paid much attention to the lyrics' meaning until I heard David growl "C'mon, c'mon". His urgent plea strips away any pretense to innocence this song has, doesn't it? ;)

What other reply could there be besides "Oh, yes, David..."?

Never in my wildest nightmares...

could have I imagined this. It was very difficult not to laugh out loud. The background singers don't help any. He doesn't have a bad voice, but...omg, this is bad, phenomenally bad. What a craptastic arrangement for this classic song.

Apparently, Don Johnson was a buddy of David's when they were starting out in the acting biz and he later snubbed a post-heyday David at a party. Did that false encounter later spark the idea for this song? (I'm not clear on the dates.) But good dog, who green-lighted this project? I wonder if David knows about it. If he does, he certainly had the last laugh.

No worries, to rinse out your ears, you'll be able to click on David's brilliant rendition of The Young Rascals' hit right under Sonny Crockett's.

Ruby & The Rockits: No Season 2

Well, it seems that the show won't be picked up for a second season. Granted, I wasn't its greatest fan but I'm still disappointed. I was enjoying the music and the one-liners and by episode six, when David Gallagher started to act more like an actual person rather than a cartoon, the show was growing on me.

While the pilot boasted the highest ratings of a new comedy on ABC Family, the ratings apparently dropped soon after. I can see why. The show was massively hyped beforehand and I think the 40+ crowd was eager to welcome David Cassidy back into their living room but when David Gallagher showed up, they tuned out. Let's face it, what's likable about David Gallagher? I'm pretty sure that David Cassidy's former fans are now sophisticated enough not to expect Keith Partridge again but I think they wanted to like David Gallagher as much as they did Keith. I know I did. But David Gallagher turned out to be a pompous ass who felt contempt for his fans and was so wrapped up in himself that he couldn't properly care for his own daughter. How can I like him, much less root for him?

Oh, I'm supposed to root for Ruby. Yes, yes, I know. She's the star of the show. But I'm a soon-to-be middle-aged woman tuning in to see David Cassidy work his magic and all I see if a former teen idol nightmare. Sorry, Ruby's cute and all but nothing is must-see about this show for me. I wouldn't turn off the TV if it's on (there's plenty of eye candy and the music's fun) but I wouldn't seek it out either. I was watching the show on YouTube as I don't even get ABC Family. If the YouTube links weren't posted on the fan forums, I'm not sure I would have searched for the show myself.

I can also see that former fans rediscovering David Cassidy on Ruby could have trouble reconciling David's look now with the way he looked 35 years ago. Who wants to mar the souvenir of a godly beauty with reality? After all, if he's aging, so are we all.

The other reason the show might not have been picked up for a second season is that it doesn't belong on ABC Family. As David Cassidy has said, some of the writing pushes the envelope. Also, one of the story arcs might make the average ABC Family viewer uncomfortable (Jordan having a crush on his cousin Ruby).

Still, ten episodes doesn't give a show much time to build a good fan base. I started liking the show by episode six and by episode eight, ABC Family announces it won't renew it. Give it a chance!

I'm planning on writing to the network to express that last thought. If you'd like to express your opinion about their decision, you can email them using this form on their website. Please note that the drop down menu listing their shows does not include Ruby & the Rockits, so you'll have to use "other" in the subject line. There's also a "Save Ruby" video on YouTube with suggestions on how to save the show from cancellation.

Here's my favorite song so far from the show:



I'd love to read your thoughts!

David in a bubble bath

I was sure I didn't like the blond David. Hmm. If anything could change my mind, this interview is it.

How he opens a bottle of bubbly oh so distractedly, almost nonchalantly. His most charming laugh at 1:30. His made-up eyes. How he says "The Last Kiss" is the best work he's ever done to date (as much as I disagree with that statement). His definition of romance. And how, oh yes, he admits to being a romantic.

Sexy as all get out.

(He's right about Brits being aware of the music business. I had the pleasure of traveling on business a couple of times to England and had very stimulating conversations with co-workers about music. Didn't matter which colleague I was with, the person could always identify the song and artist playing in the background wherever we were.)

So, it wasn't worth it?

One of the highest prices David paid for his fame in the 70s was his total loss of privacy. This was mentioned in practically every article about him at the time, followed by a quote from him saying that it was worth it because he loved what he did, loved his fans and knew that one day the fame would subside. He was grateful that The Partridge Family was the springboard for a lifelong entertainment career.

But then, his autobiography "Could it be Forever" comes out in 2007 in the UK and he makes the round of TV interviews bemoaning how he lost five years of his life during that time. (I calculate four years because I'm pretty sure his star had dimmed quite a lot by 1975, especially with him being very reclusive after he quit touring, but whatever.)

So, the price wasn't worth it, Mr. Cassidy?

He admits he never would have had a recording career had it not been for the show. If he could go back in time, what would he change, I wonder? Would he turn down that pilot for The Partridge Family? I know he didn't set out to be a heartthrob, but would he have had the same impact otherwise? Maybe he just didn't want to have that impact on a generation. Then why write a book about the journey?

Now, that's a screen capture!

Never mind that he looks like a totally different person as a blond, but that look with that caption? Priceless.



Thank you to the deft Clodyne for this screen capture, taken from David's appearance on Win, Lose or Draw in the late 80s. More can be found on her amazing fansite, under television appearances. You need to register to view the site.

Hoping for a misquote here

Cuz, seriously, the exchange between David Cassidy and his daughter Katie, printed in the September 7 issue of People magazine, gives me the willies. Firstly, what kind of father responds with "I like that. Why not?" to his actress daughter when she says she makes out with a woman in one of her scenes? You like what, exactly? Watching two women kiss or knowing that your daughter is stepping outside her comfort zone as an actress? The second I understand. You're an actor yourself; you know what it's like to have to do something that's unlike yourself for a role. I have no problem with the first except it shouldn't apply to your daughter, know what I mean?

And secondly, why the heck would a father want to know if she had to kiss each prospective co-star? Seriously?! Would he have asked that question had the scene been with a man?

Thirdly and totally unrelated to the first two, David seems happy that he was an absentee father and didn't have to parent Katie because, now, he's always there and non-judgmental. (Hmm. Is that a preview to David Gallagher's relationship with his new-found daughter Ruby on Ruby & the Rockits? Would explain why DG would encourage Ruby to disobey her custodians' orders.) Was that your goal, David? Abdicate your parenting duties so that you wouldn't have to judge your daughter when she became an adult?

If you didn't parent your child, what are you to that child? Buddy? BFF? Just half of her DNA (there must be an acronym for that: how about "DNA half"?)? Honestly, I bristle at the word father in this case because a father parents his child. Parenting includes judging your child's actions.

Incidentally, I linked to this blog page below because I'm too lazy to retype the text from People magazine and couldn't find it online on their site. I don't know this blog nor its writer. Her views are her own.

One astute reader left a comment on that blog about how interviews can be edited in ways to glean the most sensationalistic quotes. I'm hoping this is the case here. Someone else claiming to be Katie's mother, Sherry, chimes in to set some of the record straight.

David Cassidy, sleazy Hollywood father?