When I'm a Rock 'N' Roll Star - David Cassidy, Cassidy, David
Be-Bop-A-Lula - David Cassidy, Davis, Tex
I Write the Songs - David Cassidy, Johnston, Bruce
This Could Be the Night - David Cassidy, Cassidy, David
Darlin' - David Cassidy, Love, Mike [Beach B
Get It Up for Love - David Cassidy, Doheny, Ned
Fix of Your Love - David Cassidy, Cassidy, David
Massacre at Park Bench (Dialogue) - David Cassidy, Austin, Patti
Common Thief - David Cassidy, House, Bill
Love in Bloom - David Cassidy, Cassidy, David
When I'm a Rock 'N' Roll Star (Reprise) - David Cassidy, Cassidy, David
Full title - The Higher They Climb The Harder They Fall. First time on CD, Japanese 24-bit remastered reissue of the former teen idol's 1975 album, features 11 tracks including a cover of Gene Vincent's 'Be-Bop-A-Lula' &a... more »mp; the Beach Boys' 'Darlin'', as well as 1 co-written with Harry Nilsson, 'This Could Be The Night'. RCA. 2003.« less
Full title - The Higher They Climb The Harder They Fall. First time on CD, Japanese 24-bit remastered reissue of the former teen idol's 1975 album, features 11 tracks including a cover of Gene Vincent's 'Be-Bop-A-Lula' & the Beach Boys' 'Darlin'', as well as 1 co-written with Harry Nilsson, 'This Could Be The Night'. RCA. 2003.
CD Reviews
The First of Cassidy's Brilliant 70s RCA Trilogy
P. N. Clark | Sydney, Australia | 12/13/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
""The Higher They Climb..." was a concept album (semi autobiographical) that launched a "new", post teen idol and mature Cassidy on the world market in 1975. The album was stunning release, co-produced by David Cassidy and Beach Boy Bruce Johnston. While it didn't sell extremely well in the USA it was hit in the UK, Europe and South Africa. The album contains some wonderful songs including the hit singles "I Write The Songs" (penned by Bruce Johnston), "Get It Up For Love" and "Darlin'". Other notable tracks include "This Could Be The Night", "Love In Bloom" (penned by Cassidy) and the very funky "Common Thief". In truth, there isn't one bum track on this album. When first released, the album achieved Gold status in several countries, earned Cassidy Male Vocalist of the Year in Germany and 6th best-selling single of the year in South Africa for "Darlin'". Cassidy's was the original hit version of "I Write The Songs", charting in 11 countries before Barry Manilow's commercialised and far less sensitive version hit in the USA. This is a fabulous album. The recordings stand the test of time and demonstrate the calibre of artist that David Cassidy could have become at the time if (a) he had agreed to tour to promote his RCA recordings and (b) the self-proclaimed rock pundits had given him the respect and status he deserved. I thoroughly welcome the release of this album on CD and hope that David's subsequent RCA albums also see the light of day!"
Essential Cassidy
J. Collins | 03/19/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"My copy of this release came with a 20 page booklet (including the cover art), track listings, lyrics for all the songs (in English and Japanese), original production notes and 'thank yoos'. The album art is nicely repro'd as well. Apart from a small Japanese obi strip, the rest of the package is pretty plain. As the track listings here show, there are no bonus tracks, just the original ten tunes and reprise."The Higher..." itself isn't the best digital reissue I've ever heard, but considering how lousy the original RCA Records pressings were, this CD's sound is phenomenal. I purchased four or five of those vinyl lps, and every one suffered from distortion, particularly in tracks where Cassidy's vocals were mixed high. If you listen closely to this CD, you can hear the occasional sound drop-out, but they're all minor. The overall sound is excellent, considering the age of the source tapes.Musically, this is one of Cassidy's strongest lps, and features him in prime voice as well. Though I know "The Higher..." charted well abroad, here in the U.S. it was no great shakes. Maybe it was the teenybop backlash, maybe it was shoddy promotion stateside...whatever the reason, it didn't get a fraction of the play Cassidy's earlier albums received. And, of course, THAT'S a shame, 'cause this album comes together beautifully, on a number of counts.For a concept lp, this one does a great job of working classic material alongside 'modern' originals. Who'd have thought 'Keith Partridge' could do a convincing "Be Bop A Lula" ? Better yet...that he could perform dreck like "I Write The Songs" and make it listenable ? Cassidy scores on both counts, but he's most impressive on the original tracks. "This Could Be The Night" and "Darlin'" evoke the same 50's nostalgia as "Be Bop...", but with more emphasis on vocal harmony. Interestingly, the 70's light rock production incorporates the retro elements without making them sound hokey.The original side B starts with the killer "Get It Up For Love," and is immediately followed by another rocker, "Fix Of Your Love." Both are danceable, even in this bass-lite recording. After the spoken interlude ("Massacre...") there's another lite-rock gem in "Common Thief." The sad-sweet "Love In Bloom" is perfectly poised before the closing reprise. Fans are left to wonder how much of the drama they've just listened to comes from Cassidy's own life, and how much is for the sake of his art.I have one small-sized quibble about this recording. That is, the version of "Darlin'" included is NOT the same version that appeared on the U.S. album release...not entirely any way. The basic backing track is the same (backup vocals, arrangment), but the lead vocal by Cassidy is an alternate take. A minor point to some fans, but this vocal track contains none of the intensity found in the original, and sounds like it came from much later in his career. To make matters worse, the substitute vocal is mixed low, so the original background vocals tend to drown Cassidy out.Otherwise, this disc is a must-have for this David Cassidy fan. Though I initially balked at the price tag, I think it's worth it. I hope the same company re-releases another Cassidy gem, "Home Is Where The Heart Is.""
This album is definitly a new begining
beaugraham@hotmail.com | lantzville, bc Canada | 03/30/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"First off i wanna say to the person who wrote that long review. you are pretty sharp you noticed that the version of darlin on this cd is not the same as the one on the lp. The lp version is much better something about david's vocals. This cd version lacks a little. The 4 albums he released on bell were good no doubt but the 3 rca albums are better there is a growth in the song writing and in davids voice it doesent sound as young as previous albums. I hope and i know that all you other fans out there do as well that dreams are nuthin, more than wishes cassidy live and home is where the heart is is released on cd. And im sure they will in the future. They released cherish, rock me baby and the higher they climb. And if you wanna hear even better music from david pick up his very rare (if you can find it) 1990 self titled cd with labor of love song writing wise its the best album he has done."
Classic 70s Retro
Jim Salamanis | Melbourne, Australia | 03/15/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"1975 was a watershed year for David Cassidy. Keen to move away from his manufactured "Partridge Family" sound to something more adult contemporary, "The Higher They Climb, The Harder They Fall" was the culmination of his first solo effort with new record label RCA. This much under-rated record is arguably one of Cassidy's finest efforts in his post-PF career. The album has a 70s funky feel but the production, musicianship and singing are all first rate. A little known fact is that Cassidy recorded the original version of "I Write the Songs" which the record company refused to release in the US; on returning from the UK, company President Clive Davis showed the song to Barry Manilow who soon had a number one hit by default. Had they had the foresight to let Cassidy release his version it would have no doubt gone gold as it already had in Britain. A brilliant sketch piece, "Dialogue on a Parkbench" pokes fun at Cassidy's teeny bopper status and makes the album a real gem of a listen. This is a great addition to any fan's collection. It is with hope and anticipation that Cassidy's full RCA catalogue is eventually released along with "Bulletin Board", the remaining Partridge Family album plus all the other rare unreleased material that is the holy grail to his adoring fans. It's about time this artist was given his due by those with the power to release great music on the shiny irridescent disc we call a CD."
Cassidy's Biggest RCA Triumph:Partridge To Peacock
Music Fan-atic | Hogwarts | 03/10/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"After trying to trash his Partridge image publicly on television on Geraldo Rivera and trying to beat his teenybopper audience by playing an emmy nominated role as an undercover cop, this theme carried over into Cassidy's post Partridge RCA contract's first release in 1975 "The Higher They Climb-The Harder They Fall". This semi-autobiographical release done blatantly tongue-in-cheek by Cassidy is probably a standout as far as his career which has successfully outlasted all the negative press by his detractors. In this great installment, Cassidy fuses the then 70s rock fervor with the story of the fall of a teen idol reflecting backwards to the time of idols like Fabian and Gene Vincent (noting the tip-of-the-hat to Gene's "Be Bop A Lula" which Cassidy has a way of outdoing his predicessors with his own fired up versions). The LP/CD's cover, beautifully reproduced here in the Japanese import, shows the front as the rise of a pristine, virginal pop star (in his glaringly white, studded suit, clutching a white guitar in one hand and a "quickly rising star" in the other that is skyrocketing him to fame in the other then to the back side where he has "fallen" or "crashed and burned". This truly symbolized David's feelings on his Partridge fame and image. His urge to escape Teenybopper Land is definitely reflected here in clever jabs such as the skit "Massacre At Park Bench" which is really funny which leads into the equally fitting and bitter "Common Thief" a great tune. The symbolism of using his image as far behind him by overlaying the 50s idol image using musical imagary of the dream...."When I'm a Rock and Roll Star", his flawless rendition of Gene Vincent's "Be Bop A Lula" which eerily sounds remarkably like Vincent's version, the "I Write The Songs" which was stolen away from their former teen idol by Bell/Arista and given to their up-and rising Barry Manilow further promotes this imagery. Next the Fifties infused original tune "This Could Be The Night" croons into another awesome original "Darlin" penned by Beach Boys alumni Brian Wilson and Mike Love for this Cassidy tome. Following through with the fallen idol story comes the beginning of his resurrection with the one ironically "banned-for-sexual-innuendo" self-penned tune "Get It Up For Love" just proving critics have a dirty mind because the lyrics had nothing to do with what they imagined the title meant.....one great line...."Sold for his smile, another fallen star shatters by the wayside...." that about sums it up. The actual tune "Love In Bloom comes right before the end of the opus showing hope in the future and then the tome ends with a reprise of "When I'm A Rock And Roll Star". I must say this is one of David's BEST efforts, well constructed, yet not well received in the US but wildly successful overseas where Cassidy's run lasted longer than here. One could wonder if that is why Cassidy allows his stuff to be released overseas where his fan's did not turn his back on him as opposed to here in the States where his library remains harder to obtain. This is hands-down one of David's greatest achievements and will always be one of my favorite Lps of all time. Maybe it meant more to me because even in 1975, I knew what he was trying to say. I have been a Cassidy fan forever and will continue to be. This CD is definitely worth the high import price and is his finest autobiographical opus to date!"
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1