Up to Date
Up to Date | ||||
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Pop | ||||
Length | 31:34 | |||
Label | Bell | |||
Producer | Wes Farrell | |||
The Partridge Family chronology | ||||
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Singles from Up to Date | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
Up to Date is the second studio album by The Partridge Family. Released in February 1971, just four months after the group's debut LP, the album entered Billboard's Top LP's chart in early April, having been certified gold on 25 March 1971. In its fourth week on the Top 200, the album improved on its predecessor (a no. 4 peak), reaching no. 3 (behind Janis Joplin's Pearl and Jesus Christ Superstar).
Up to Date yielded the two big pop hits "Doesn't Somebody Want to Be Wanted" (Billboard no. 6/Cash Box number one) and "I'll Meet You Halfway" (Billboard no. 9), which respectively reached the Top Ten of Billboard's Hot 100 in March and June.
In Canada, both "Doesn't Somebody Want to Be Wanted" and its parent album reached number one on the RPM charts.[2]
As with all Partridge Family albums (with the exception of Bulletin Board), Up to Date was produced by Wes Farrell at United Western Recorders, Studio 2 in Los Angeles. And as with the group's first album, it was engineered by Bob Kovach, with arrangements by Mike Melvoin.
Consistent with all of the Partridge Family's studio output, the album features musicians associated with iconic Los Angeles–based session players "
The album features three songs written by "I Think I Love You" songwriter Tony Romeo, who contributed material to all eight of the Partridge Family's studio albums. The LP also includes five songs co-written by Wes Farrell, including three with prolific lyricist Gerry Goffin (former songwriting partner of Carole King). And two of the songs – including the hit "Doesn't Somebody Want to Be Wanted" – were co-written by Wes Farrell, Mike Appel and Jim Cretecos, whose five Partridge Family songs as a songwriting trio include "I Can Feel Your Heartbeat". Between 1972 and 1975 Appel worked as manager and producer for Bruce Springsteen.
Up to Date features David Cassidy's first contribution as a songwriter. With Wes Farrell he co-wrote the song "Lay It on the Line". The recording introduced a distorted guitar sound to the group's repertoire.
Cassidy publicly despised one of the LP's hits, "Doesn't Somebody Want to Be Wanted", and making it proved to be a very hard task. It was horrible, I was embarrassed by it. I still can't listen to that record.[3]
The album's distinctive cover (overseen by Bell Records art director Beverly Weinstein) was designed in the form of a calendar indicating the birth dates of the family (including dog Simone), which were the actual birth dates of the cast members. The album also included a book cover. This was the last album to feature Jeremy Gelbwaks as Chris Partridge on the cover, as he left the show soon after the album's release.
Track listing
All tracks from the album, except "Lay It on the Line" and "Morning Rider on the Road", were featured in the first season of the TV show.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "I'll Meet You Halfway" | 3:47 | |
2. | "You Are Always on My Mind" | Tony Romeo | 2:53 |
3. | "Doesn't Somebody Want to Be Wanted" |
| 2:46 |
4. | "I'm Here, You're Here" |
| 2:51 |
5. | "Umbrella Man" |
| 2:44 |
6. | "Lay It on the Line" |
| 2:34 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Morning Rider on the Road" | Tony Romeo | 3:01 |
2. | "That'll Be the Day" | Tony Romeo | 2:45 |
3. | "There's No Doubt in My Mind" |
| 2:29 |
4. | "She'd Rather Have the Rain" |
| 3:17 |
5. | "I'll Leave Myself a Little Time" | Steve Dossick | 2:27 |
Total length: | 31:34 |
Charts
Chart (1971–72) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report)[4] | 10 |
UK Albums (OCC)[5] | 46 |
US Billboard 200[6] | 3 |
Personnel
- David Cassidy – vocals
- Louie Shelton– guitar
- Joe Osborn – bass
- Mike Melvoin – keyboards
- Hal Blaine – drums
- Bahler Brothers (tracks: A6 to B5), Ron Hicklin, Shirley Jones – background vocals
- John Bahler (tracks: A1 to A5), Stan Farber (tracks: A1 to A5) – uncredited background vocals
Recording dates
May 16, 1970
- "That'll Be the Day"
- "She'd Rather Have the Rain"
- "I'll Leave Myself a Little Time"
November 12, 1970
- "I'll Meet You Halfway"
- "You Are Always on My Mind"
- "Doesn't Somebody Want to Be Wanted"
- "I'm Here, You're Here"
- "Umbrella Man"
November 13, 1970
- "Lay It on the Line"
- "Morning Rider on the Road"
- "There's No Doubt in My Mind"
See recording dates for this and other Partridge Family albums at The Partridge Family Recording Sessions[7]
References
- ^ https://www.allmusic.com/album/r14927
- ^ Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada
- ^ ISBN 0-446-39531-5
- ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Partridge Family | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart.
- ^ "The Partridge Family Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
- ^ "The Partridge Family Recording Sessions". cmongethappy. Retrieved 18 March 2020.