That bittersweet ache of first love, wrapped in a classic pop melody.
Oh, to be transported back to 1977! The airwaves were crackling with the sweet, clean sound of Shaun Cassidy, the ultimate heartthrob of the late seventies. With his golden-boy looks, feathered hair, and a pedigree straight out of Hollywood royalty—son of the legendary Shirley Jones and Jack Cassidy, and half-brother to the reigning teen idol, David Cassidy—Shaun took the country by storm. His debut self-titled album, Shaun Cassidy, released in the U.S. in June 1977, was an instant smash, riding the wave of his smash single, the cover of The Crystals’ classic, “Da Doo Ron Ron,” which rocketed all the way to Number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Nestled on that debut platinum-selling album, among other cleverly chosen ’60s covers and originals, was a song that perfectly captured the wistful, aching sweetness of youthful separation: “Take Good Care Of My Baby.” Although Shaun Cassidy’s version was not released as a single in the U.S. at the time, it became an iconic album track that was central to his identity as a purveyor of polished, nostalgia-infused pop. While it never claimed a spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. for Cassidy, its inclusion underscored his connection to the classic sounds of the ’60s, a deliberate choice that separated him slightly from the prevailing sounds of disco.
The story behind this song is steeped in pop history, and understanding it only adds layers to Cassidy’s rendition. “Take Good Care Of My Baby” was a bona fide classic years before Shaun sang it. It was penned by the legendary Brill Building songwriting duo, Carole King and Gerry Goffin, a pair responsible for shaping the sound of early rock and roll. The original, a 1961 chart-topper for Bobby Vee, embodies the very definition of a pop masterpiece. The lyrics, written from the perspective of a heartbroken former lover, aren’t bitter or angry. Instead, they’re a poignant plea to the new beau: “Take good care of my baby / Please don’t ever make her blue / Just tell her that you love her / Make sure you’re thinkin’ of her / In everything you say and do.”
It’s this selfless, mournful sentiment that makes the song so timeless and, in Shaun Cassidy’s hands, so affecting for his audience of young romantics. His 1977 version is a slick, energetic update, produced by Michael Lloyd, but it retains the core meaning. The song is a beautiful lesson in letting go with grace, recognizing that the happiness of the beloved is more important than one’s own possession of them. It speaks to the complexity of young love, where the line between ownership and affection is still being drawn.
For those of us who came of age with this song, it’s a time machine in three minutes—a reminder of those first, intense heartbreaks that felt like the end of the world. Shaun Cassidy channeled the innocence and earnestness of his teen idol persona into this track, giving it a vibrant energy that simultaneously respected its Doo-Wop roots while making it sound fresh and current for the late seventies. Listening to it now, it’s not just a song; it’s a sweet, melodic echo of a time when life, like the lyrics, seemed simpler, more dramatic, and infinitely more romantic.