The Partridge Family was based somewhat on a real-life Mother and family act known as The Cowsills. But really, the Partridge Family came about because of the Brady Bunch. That fictional TV family was finding some success adding the singing bit to their show and ABC wanted a piece of that pie.
The Partridge Family only had two real singers on the show. Shirley Jones, who played the Mom, was a noted Broadway singer. But the real star of the show was David Cassidy. The teen heartthrob sang lead vocals and became a star in his own right, not just as Keith Partridge.
In the 1971, during the show's second season, the execs decided it was time for a Christmas album. Quickly a 30 minute long two-sider was released. Of course, the Partridge's did a Christmas episode to tie-in with the album.
Titled A Partridge Family Christmas Card, the album and marketing campaign around it was a smash hit. It was the #1 Christmas recording all four weeks of Billboard's holiday top charts that year. For the most part of the recording, the songs are all holidays standards such as Winter Wonderland, Frosty The Snowman and Jingle Bells. But the title track was an all-new song called My Christmas Card to You.
For the early 70s, Christmas and the Partridges were a match made in heaven. But by the mid-70s, the shows popularity faded and so did it's connection to the holidays. Plus, unlike the Brady Bunch, despite a nostalgic resurgence in the series, the connection to December 25th never really returned. Maybe the Brady's horrid 1980s Christmas Special has something to do with it. But still, you just don't equate Kieth and Laurie to Christmas as you do Greg and Marcia.
So without further to-do, here's The Partridge Family with My Christmas Card to You. Enjoy...
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