.... i'll meet you half-way

The first album I ever bought with my own money was
Up To Date by The Patridge Family. That was the first song on the album.
nice!
do you remember "The Partidge Family Album"? i believe it were the first release, and had "I Think I Love You" and "Doesn't Somebody Wanna Be Loved" (Freddie bit that with Queen

) ... anyways, the iniitial go 'round batch had a crushed red felt front cover - i remember my dad (who knew industry folk) scored me one, and i ran Laurie's initials (and a heart) into it with me fingernail - quite the romantic, eh?
fast forward a few years, and i were asking dad to score me "Billion Dollar Babies" by the Coop - he got it home for me, and was shaking it in me face "what is this garbage? 'RAPED N' FREEZING'??!? what kinda title is that? MARRONE! (pronounced 'mah-doan) WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY???!?"
ps - first platter with me own coin were "Through the Past Darkly" ... a Stones comp that came in an octagon shape cutout cover ... started my love for Jonesy ... inside the sleeve were a poem dedicated to him:
when this you see
remember me
and bear me in your mind
let all the world say what they may
speak of me as you find