The Sleeve:
The Liner/Sleeve Notes:
None.
Personal Review:
I always liked the Partridge Family on the show, and I’ve loved their music too. So, when the time came around and it went down to a Christmas record by them comes up, I don’t really want to pass that up.
The album opens with “My Christmas Card to You” and it’s delivered wonderfully by David, I didn’t think I would like this song because it’s not one I’ve heard before, but it’s really not bad. Then comes “White Christmas” and I find it’s a bit too slow for me, but it’s still good. It does however pick up some, and it does get really good. Then comes the song “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” and besides the female vocals, this song is pretty good. David is a wonderfully gifted singer, but the song is quickly ruined by the whistling part, why on Earth did they think it would be good to put whistling in a Partridge Family song? Then they go on to do “Blue Christmas” and you know, David is no Elvis, and you know I also can’t lead that into a compliment, because Elvis does it better. “Jingle Bells” comes next, and once again the backing vocals, not Shirley’s (or Susan Dey’s) thought, maybe they are Shirley, nevertheless, they’re not that good. David’s amazing vocals seem to save most of the songs on this album. Maybe it’s because I don’t like Christmas music. “The Christmas Song” ends the A-Side, and here we go with Shirley singing, I don’t really remember having many vocal parts in the actual show, but hey, it’s not a bad version of the song.
“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” comes next, and you know, it’s not like the original at all, but it’s not that bad. I do however, unfortunately prefer the original, nothing can compare to that. Then comes “Walking in a Winter Wonderland” and well, it’s a duet by David and Shirley, and well they do a great duet together. There is no doubt about it. Though, I do find this song is bad for a mother and son to duet. The backing vocals really bother me. Then comes “Frosty the Snowman” which utterly slow, and it’s pretty blah. Definitely not a good version. “Sleigh Ride” comes next, and well, it’s performed at first as a group act, but if you ever watched the show and know the history of the recordings, no one besides Shirley Jones and David Cassidy actually sang their parts. Brian Forster, Susan Dey, Suzanne Crough and Danny Bonaduce (despite having a record of his own) never sang in any of their vocal parts, nor did they play their own instruments. It’s kind of sad when you think about it. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” comes next, and we start with some female vocals, and you know, they’re no David Cassidy and it’s disappointing.
Interesting Facts:
None.
Track Listing:
A1 – My Christmas Card to You
A2 – White Christmas
A3 – Santa Claus is Coming to Town
A4 – Blue Christmas
A5 – Jingle Bells
A6 – The Christmas Song
B1 – Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree
B2 – Winter Wonderland
B3 – Frosty the Snowman
B4 – Sleigh Ride
B5 – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Label:
Bell
Catalog Number:
BELL 6066(E)
Studio Musicians & Other Album Credits:
Produced by Wes Farrell for Coral Rock Productions, Inc.
Rhythm Tracks arranged by Wes Farrell
Vocal Background Arranged by John Bahler
Drums – Hal Blaine
Piano – Mike Melvoin
Bass – Max Bennett
Guitar – Dennis Bdimir & Louie Shelton
Background Voices – John Bahler, Tom Bahler, Jackie Ward & Ron Hicklin
Partridge Family Vocals by Shirley Jones & David Cassidy
Recorded at Western Recorders (Studio 2), Los Angeles
Engineer – Bob Kovach
Cover Design – The Music Agency
Card Photo – Gene Trindel
Art Direction – Beverely Weinstein
Other Albums I Own by the Partridge Family:
“The Partridge Family Album”
“The Partridge Family Sound Magazine”
“Up to Date”
Released:
1971
