Song #248 - "I Think I Love You" - The Partridge Family

Recorded - May 11, 1970

Released - August 1970

#1 for weeks of November 21 and 28 & December 5, 1970. 

     "What is this garbage you're watching on TV? Back in my day, we had good shows, not this nonsense!". Sound familiar? Just about every generation starting with kids from the 1980's, or so, deals with this comment from their parents. Generation gaps have become so pronounced that something enjoyed by one generation might be scoffed at by a later one. So to anyone born in the 1980's-90's, if you ever want to retort back to your parents, remind them that they gave The Partridge Family a number one hit in 1970. 

     The Partridge Family were inspired by real-life family band, The Cowsills. The latter's music ranges from pure bubblegum to surprisingly good. Just like how The Monkees was launched to capitalize on 1964-era Beatlemania, The Partridge Family were launched to make dough on the happy-go-lucky family aspect that The Cowsills portrayed on the surface. If you thought The Cowsills were too sweet, The Partridge Family are going to loan you extra cups of sugar. 

     Much of the earliest Partridge Family songs pre-date the show's debut in September of 1970. As expected, all of the music and even much of the backing vocals were done by session musicians/singers. I give David Cassidy credit for standing up for himself and asking to legitimately sing his own lead vocals. Thus, "I Think I Love You" could almost be looked at as a David Cassidy solo number. 

     I say almost because cast member, and respected actress Shirley Jones also sings on "I Think I Love You". Yet, I'd be hard pressed to figure out which of the countless session-singers is her. There are a number of these singers on the recording, and they don't exactly give the most electrifying performance. As for David Cassidy, his performance is not bad, it even has some rock-grit. Although I feel his voice is better suited for a different genre than kiddie-pop. 

     At least I can say the song's music track is interesting. There's quite an assortment of instruments such as harpsichord and bouzouki-style guitar parts. Too bad the lyrics are so pedestrian and sugary. Still, this was a song aimed at a family market, and especially pre-teens of the early '70's. So someone who's around fifty years old and reading this blog might think the exact opposite of how I feel. 

Final Verdict - If you grew up watching The Partridge Family, perhaps you hold this song in a sentimental regard. However, from a total outsider's perspective, "I Think I Love You" isn't even remotely among the best of 1970. It features cloyingly sweet lyrics, below-average backing vocals, and the song was almost entirely a studio-creation ala The Archies. There were other, far superior songs from 1970 that should have topped the charts during these three weeks instead. 

Coming Up Next - "The Tears Of A Clown" by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles. 

Until Next Time, I'm Dr. Rock and a whole lot of smaltz-pop is what the '70's will be bringin'...and I'm not happy -