The 20th of February 1972
Official U.K. Singles Chart results from Sunday the 20th to Saturday the 26th of February 1972
Cut-off for sales figures was up to the end of Saturday the 19th of February
Results counted from Sunday the 20th,
announced on Tuesday the 22nd,
and broadcast on B.B.C. Radio 1 on Sunday the 27th of February 1972.
The Partridge Family
It’s One Of Those Nights (Yes Love)
At No.47, on the the U.K. Top 50 Singles Chart the day I am born, is The Partridge Family with “It’s One Of Those Nights (Yes Love)”.
This single was the 2nd new entry on the day I was born,..
…and also the 2nd single of theirs to hit the U.K. Charts.
The Partridge Family were an immensely popular outfit,..
…helped of course by a certain David Cassidy in their ranks, who my eldest sister adored.
The idea for the programme was based heavily on the real American family group of the late 1960’s ‘The Cowsills’, who were a popular act at the time, releasing music of their own, and appearing on TV shows such as ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’.
The fictional ‘Partridge Family’ TV show…
…that sprang forward had been on the air in the U.S. for just under a year and a half, and now it was proving to be just as popular over here in the U.K. too.
The mother character ‘Shirley’,..
…who was played by singer and actress Shirley Jones (after turning down the role of ‘Carol’ in the similar family orientated TV series ‘The Brady Bunch’), had, back in the 1950’s, become the only actress who had impressed the world renowned theatre writing partnership of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein so much, that Shirley would become the only singer they would put under a special personal contract.
After having a small part in their film adaptation of ‘South Pacific’, Shirley would be cast in much bigger roles for their future film productions, such as ‘Oklahoma!’, and my Mum’s favourite, ‘Carousel’, when she was cast as ‘Julie Jordan’.
Shirley would go on…
…to have a very accomplished film and television acting career, ultimately surpassing other Academy Award nominees including Janet Leigh’s outstanding performance in ‘Psycho’, by winning the ‘Best Supporting Actress’ Oscar for her portrayal of ‘Lulu Bains’. A woman corrupted by the film’s namesake ‘Elmer Gantry’, and who turns to prostitution.
It was a credit to Shirley who, up to that point, had been known for her wholesome roles.
Being cast as the maternal character…
…in the Partridge Family 10 years later, really wasn’t much of a stretch for her, especially with the character of ‘Keith’ in the show, as Shirley had become David Cassidy’s real life step mother, when David was only 6.
David had also previously acted before,..
…mainly in television shows at the time, including ‘Bonanza’.
Another actor…
…who already had previous experience acting for TV was 13 year old Danny Bonaduce (‘Danny Partridge’), who had starred in the programme Mayberry RFD, amongst others, when he was aged about 10.
The last of the cast of characters…
…who’d had any significant TV acting work up to this point, was the family’s manager ‘Reuben Kincaid’, played by Dave Madden.
Dave, initially a cabaret entertainer, got his break after his move to Los Angeles, and was recommended to Ed Sullivan by none other than Frank Sinatra.
It wasn’t long before TV work became available, and he got a part in the lighthearted comedy American kids TV show ‘Camp Runamuck’.
Out of the other children in the show…
- Susan Dey, who played ‘Laurie’, had a successful career at the time as a model.
- Suzanne Crough, who played ‘Tracy’, had not acted on TV before this show.
- Brian Forster, who would be the second actor to play ‘Chris’ in the show, had previously had some bit parts in previous TV productions, including playing an elf in ‘The Brady Bunch’.
With the show proving such a hit on both sides of the Atlantic,..
…it was no surprise that the music they released to tie in with the programme had become just as popular.
This current track was composed by songwriter Tony Romeo, who had also written their previous entry in the U.K. Charts, and the one most identified with the family from San Pueblo, “I Think I Love You”.
Surprisingly, that song never went higher than No.18 in the U.K., when it had been released the year before.
The new single, “It’s One Of Those Nights (Yes Love)”,..
…would gradually climb up the charts in the next few weeks, entering the Top 20 on the 12th March, surpass its predecessor, but narrowly miss out on the Top 10, reaching its peak of No. 11 on 26th March through to 1st April 1972 before falling back and eventually completing 11 weeks in the chart.
The “A” Side
The “B” Side
The Partridge Family – It’s One Of Those Nights (Yes Love) (“The Partridge Family” TV clip)
The Partridge Family – One Night Stand (“The Partridge Family” TV clip)
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