Doesn't Somebody Want to Be Wanted

"Doesn't Somebody Want to Be Wanted" is a song written by Mike Appel, Jim Cretecos, and Wes Farrell and was recorded by The Partridge Family for their 1971 album, Up to Date.[1]

"Doesn't Somebody Want to Be Wanted"
Single by The Partridge Family
from the album Up to Date
B-side	"You Are Always on My Mind"
Released	February 1971
Recorded	1970
Genre	Pop
Length	2:49
Label	Bell Records
Songwriter(s)	Mike Appel, Jim Cretecos, Wes Farrell
Producer(s)	Wes Farrell
The Partridge Family singles chronology
"I Think I Love You" (1970) "Doesn't Somebody Want to Be Wanted" (1971) "I'll Meet You Halfway" (1971)

Background

Lead singer David Cassidy hated the song. He didn't think it was a good song at all and hated the idea he had to talk in the middle of it so much so he refused to do it.[2]

This caused consternation with the studio and the record company, where the heads of both Bell Records and Screen Gems, both owned by Columbia Pictures, got involved.[2] Shooting of The Partridge Family was stopped so his manager and agent could talk to him over the issue.[2] It was suggested to Cassidy that the song would achieve greater commercial success with the spoken interlude included.[2]

They put pressure on him until he caved in and did the record as requested. When it was finished, he begged them not to release it.[2] "It was horrible, I was embarrassed by it. I still can't listen to that record."[2]

Chart performance

The song went to #6 on The Billboard Hot 100 in 1971 and was on the charts for 12 weeks.[3] The song went to #1 in Canada.[4] The song also reached #6 in France and #9 in Australia. It was named the #13 song of 1971 on the Cashbox charts.[5] The song was certified as a gold disc in March 1971.[6] Weekly charts Chart (1971) Peak position Australia KMR 7 Canada RPM Top Singles[7] 1 Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[8] 13 France 6 New Zealand[9] 20 U.S. Billboard Hot 100[10] 6 U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary 6 U.S. Cash Box Top 100[11] 1

Year-end charts Chart (1971) Rank Australia[12] 70 Canada[13] 23 U.S. Billboard Hot 100[14] 53 U.S. Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[15] 49 U.S. Cash Box Top 100[5] 13

Popular culture

• This was also the song that was playing before the Emergency Broadcast System False Alarm of 1971 on WOWO Radio.

References

1. Lindsay Planer (1970-09-25). "Up to Date - The Partridge Family | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-10-03.
2. C'Mon Get Happy - Fear and Loathing on the Partridge Family bus by David Cassidy and Chip Deffaa, Warner Books Inc, 1994. pp 70–71 ISBN 0-446-39531-5
3. "Artist Search for "the partridge family"". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-10-03.
4. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-10-03.
5. "Top 100 Year End Charts: 1971". Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved 2016-05-30.
6. "Song artist 754 - The Partridge Family". Tsort.info. 2007-10-08. Retrieved 2016-10-03.
7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-10-01. Retrieved 2016-10-03.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
8. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-09-21. Retrieved 2016-06-04.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
9. "flavour of new zealand - search listener". Flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved 2016-10-03.
10. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
11. "Top 100 1971-04-03". Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
12. "Australian Chart Book". Austchartbook.com.au. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2016-10-03.
13. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-03.
14. "Top 100 Hits of 1971/Top 100 Songs of 1971". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-10-03.
15. Billboard. 1971-12-25. p. 15. Retrieved 2016-10-03.

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics