A Plea for the Comfort of Familiar Love: “Treat Me Like You Used To” by David Cassidy and Sue Shifrin
Ah, the echoes of yesteryear, when melodies held a certain earnestness, a directness that resonated deeply within the heart. Let us turn our gaze back to a moment in time when David Cassidy, the teen idol whose face adorned countless bedroom walls, joined voices with the talented Sue Shifrin for a poignant duet, “Treat Me Like You Used To”. Released in the autumn of 1980, this tender ballad gently climbed the Billboard Hot 100 charts, peaking just outside the Top 50 at number 57. While it might not be etched in the annals of chart-topping history, the song found a special place in the hearts of those who understood the bittersweet ache of a love that had perhaps lost some of its initial spark.
The story behind this collaboration is rather interesting, a meeting of two distinct musical paths. David Cassidy, having soared to fame as the heartthrob Keith Partridge in the wildly popular television show The Partridge Family, was by this time navigating a more mature phase of his career, seeking to shed the bubblegum pop image and explore deeper musical territories. Sue Shifrin, on the other hand, was a respected singer and songwriter in her own right, known for her soulful voice and insightful lyrics. Their pairing for “Treat Me Like You Used To” felt like a natural progression for Cassidy, allowing him to showcase a vulnerability and emotional depth that might have been overshadowed by his earlier pop anthems. Shifrin’s presence added a layer of sophisticated harmony, their voices intertwining with a gentle melancholy that perfectly suited the song’s theme.
The very essence of “Treat Me Like You Used To” lies in its yearning for the comfort and familiarity of a love that has seemingly cooled. The lyrics paint a picture of a relationship where the initial warmth and affection have faded, replaced by a distance that leaves one partner longing for the way things once were. It’s a sentiment that many who have journeyed through the ebb and flow of long-term relationships can readily identify with – the quiet desperation of wanting to rekindle the flame, to recapture the tenderness that time and circumstance can sometimes erode. Cassidy’s earnest delivery, coupled with Shifrin’s empathetic harmonies, imbues the song with a palpable sense of longing, making it more than just a simple ballad; it becomes a heartfelt plea for emotional reconnection.
The production of the song, typical of the era, features a soft rock sensibility with gentle instrumentation – perhaps a subtle piano melody, a muted guitar strum, and a delicate rhythm section – all serving to underscore the lyrical content without overpowering the vocal performances. This understated approach allows the emotional weight of the lyrics and the sincerity in their voices to take center stage. Listening to it now, one can almost picture a dimly lit room, the soft glow of a record player casting shadows as the melody fills the air, evoking a sense of quiet contemplation and perhaps a touch of wistful reflection on loves past or present.
“Treat Me Like You Used To” appeared on Cassidy’s album Romance, released in the same year. While the album itself explored various facets of romantic relationships, this particular duet stood out for its raw emotional honesty and the believable chemistry between the two singers. It served as a reminder that even amidst the glitz and glamour of the pop world, there lay a capacity for genuine sentiment and a recognition of the universal experiences of love, loss, and the desire for enduring connection. This song, though perhaps not a chart-topper of epic proportions, remains a touching testament to the enduring power of a heartfelt melody and a relatable message, a gentle whisper from a time when music often spoke directly to the soul.