I’ve been trying to get a copy of The Partridge Family’s first album since last summer, around the time that I bought the first season of the show on DVD. It took me a long time to track it down but I finally got it this week. It’s already one of my most prized possessions. I haven’t listened to anything else since it arrived so this is definitely the soundtrack of my week. If you don’t appreciate ridiculous 70s pop, you’re just too cool for me and I can’t do anything about that.
It was painful picking just one song from The Partridge Family Album but I finally settled on “Bandala”. This song is the main reason that I had to have that specific album rather than one of the greatest hits collections available. When you hear it, you’ll understand.
“Bandala” is featured in the season one episode, “Soul Club”, guest starring none other than Lou Gossett, Jr. and the late, great Richard Pryor. There’s some wacky mix-up and The Partridge Family is accidentally booked at a club in the Detroit ghetto! Richard Pryor and Lou Gossett play the club owners who were expecting The Temptations, not some goofy white family. But if they don’t make some money, they’ll be forced to hand their club over to a badass loanshark and that’s just not cool, man. Of course The Partridge Family saves the day by organizing a block party to raise the money that’ll save the club. Shirley gets the permits, Laurie helps gather food donations from local shop owners, and Danny recruits members of the “Afro-American Cultural Society” (who are sort of like a non-violent Black Panthers who really like white people, suitable for prime-time family television) to help out with the music.
Meanwhile, Keith has got this new song brewing in his head and “it’s sort of an Afro thing”. (Yes, he really says that, I swear.) I guess he’s inspired by the environment, so he and Richard Pryor get down with some musical partnership.
I don’t want to ruin the end for anyone but it ends up pretty well all around. There’s some dancing in the streets - because that’s just what it’s like in the ghetto - and everyone gets happy.
It’s really easy to make fun of shows like The Partridge Family, but I was oddly impressed by the first season. I used to watch it when I was younger on Nickelodeon or something, but I didn’t remember much about it. I’ve always been more of a Brady Bunch kind of girl. I’ve heard that the later seasons cut out the political commentary of the first season, which is a shame. In the first season, Laurie sees herself as very politically concious and is constantly protesting something or other - but her family also pokes fun at her willingness to protest just for protest’s sake, which is bizarrely realistic for such a goofy show. “Soul Club” actually touches on racism and “My Son, The Feminist” points out hypocrisies of militant feminism. The way they deal with issues is shallow and simplistic, of course, but you never saw any of the Bradys in a ghetto, did you?
Anyway, my point is: I think we should all just take a moment and appreciate The Partridge Family. Yes, I know that most of them didn’t even sing or play an instrument and I know they’re corny. But the songs are some of the most perfect pop songs ever and, besides, David Cassidy is just too adorable.
The Partridge Family - Bandala
No comments
Comments feed for this article