20 rows AllMusic Review by William Ruhlmann [+] The set contains the original LP version of. The upper list of songs by Melanie Safka may be not complete. Songstube is against piracy and promotes safe and legal music downloading on Amazon. Music and lyrics on this site are for the sole use of educational reference and are the property of respective authors, artists and labels.
This section needs additional citations for. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: – ( May 2017) Melanie was born and raised in the neighborhood of, New York City. Her father, Frederick M. Safka (1924-2009), was of ethnic background and her jazz singer mother, Pauline 'Polly' Altomare (1926-2003), was of Italian heritage.
Melanie made her first public singing appearance at age four on the radio show Live Like A Millionaire, performing the song 'Gimme a Little Kiss'. She attended Red Bank High School in, after transferring from Long Branch High School, graduating in 1966. In the 1960s, when she was starting out, Melanie performed at The Inkwell, a coffee house in the West End section of. After school, her parents insisted that she go to college, so she studied acting at the in New York, where she began singing in the folk clubs of, such as, and signed her first recording contract. Initially signed to in the United States, Melanie released two singles on the label.
Subsequently, she signed with and first found chart success in Europe in 1969 with 'Bobo's Party' which reached Number 1 in France. Melanie's popularity in Europe resulted in performances on European television programs, such as in West Germany.
Her debut album received positive reviews from which heralded her voice as 'wise beyond her years. Her non-conformist approach to the selections on this LP make her a new talent to be reckoned with.' Later in 1969, Melanie had a hit in the Netherlands with 'Beautiful People'. She was one of only three solo women who performed at the in 1969 and the inspiration for her first hit song, ', apparently arose from the Woodstock audience lighting candles during her set (although most of the 'candles' were actually matches or lighters). The recording became a hit in Europe, Australia, Canada, and the United States in 1970.
The of the single featured Melanie's spoken-word track 'Candles in the Rain'. 'Lay Down' became Melanie's first Top Ten hit in America, peaking at Number 6 on the Billboard and achieving worldwide success. Later hits included 'Peace Will Come (According To Plan)' and a cover of the ' '.
Melanie on the 'Mr Softee' free stage In 1970, Melanie was the only artist to ignore the court injunction banning the scheduled to be held on July 31, August 1 and August 2, 1970. She played for the crowd on a homemade stage powered by trucks. Shortly following this performance, she played at the held from August 7 to 9, 1970, at, Ontario. She also performed at the held between August 26 and 30, 1970, at, where she was introduced by and received four standing ovations (she also appeared at the 2010 Isle of Wight festival). She was also the artist who sang to herald in the summer solstice at (later the Glastonbury Festival) in England in June 1971. She performed again at Glastonbury in 2011, the 40th anniversary of the original festival.
![Safka Safka](https://cbschicago.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/melanie_0726.jpg?w=420)
Melanie left Buddah Records when they insisted that she produce albums on demand. In 1971 she formed her own label, with Peter Schekeryk, who was also her producer and husband. She had her biggest American hit on the Neighborhood label, the novelty-sounding 1972 number one ' (often referred to as 'The Roller Skate Song'). 'Brand New Key' sold over three million copies worldwide and was featured in the 1997 movie. When first released, 'Brand New Key' was banned by some radio stations because some heard sexual innuendo in the lyrics.
Melanie has acknowledged the possibility of reading an unintended sexual innuendo in the song, stating, 'I wrote Brand New Key in about fifteen minutes one night. I thought it was cute; a kind of old thirties tune. I guess a key and a lock have always been symbols, and pretty obvious ones at that. There was no deep serious expression behind the song, but people read things into it. They made up incredible stories as to what the lyrics said and what the song meant.
In some places, it was even banned from the radio. My idea about songs is that once you write them, you have very little say in their life afterward.
People will take it any way they want to take it.' In a 2013 interview with music journalist Ray Shasho, Melanie revealed the true origin of 'Brand New Key': Of course I can see it symbolically with the key, but I just thought of roller skating. I was fasting with a twenty seven day fast on water. I broke the fast and went back to my life living in New Jersey and we were going to a flea market around six in the morning. On the way back.and I had just broken the fast, from the flea market, we passed a McDonalds and the aroma hit me, and I had been a vegetarian before the fast. So we pulled into the McDonalds and I got the whole works.
The burger, the shake and the fries. And no sooner after I finished that last bite of my burger.that song was in my head. The aroma brought back memories of roller skating and learning to ride a bike and the vision of my dad holding the back fender of the tire. And me saying to my dad.' You're holding, you're holding, you’re holding, right?
Then I'd look back and he wasn't holding and I'd fall. So that whole thing came back to me and came out in this song. So it was not a deliberate or intentional sexual innuendo. The follow-up single to 'Brand New Key' was 'Ring the Living Bell'. To compete with this release, Melanie's former record company released 'The Nickel Song', which she had recorded while still signed to Buddah Records. Both songs were simultaneous Top 40 hits while 'Brand New Key' was still on the charts – setting a record for the first female performer to have three Top 40 hits concurrently. She was awarded Billboard 's No.
1 Top Female Vocalist award for 1972. She has been awarded two gold albums (and a gold single for 'Brand New Key') and three of her compositions were hits for. She is also well known for her musical adaptations of children's songs, including 'Alexander Beetle' and 'Christopher Robin'. When she became an official ambassador in 1972, she agreed to forego a world tour in favor of raising money for the organization.
Melanie had another Top 40 hit single in 1973 with 'Bitter Bad', a song that marked a slight departure from the hippie sentiments of earlier hits (with lyrics such as 'If you do me wrong I'll put your first and last name in my rock n' roll song'). Other chart hits during this period were the self-penned 'Together Alone' and a cover of '. In 1973, Melanie started to retreat from the spotlight to begin a family. Later career In 1976, Melanie released one album on, which was overseen. The album was praised by as one of the year's best, although it was largely ignored by the public.
It was re-issued on CD in 2005 with an additional disc of unreleased material. In 1983, Melanie wrote the music and lyrics for a, Ace of Diamonds, with a book by Ed Kelleher and Seymour Vall, based on a series of letters written. Though never fully produced, several staged readings were performed at Lincoln Center starring Melanie as the narrator and pop singer and actress as Oakley. In 1989, Melanie won an for writing the lyrics to 'The First Time I Loved Forever', the for the TV series. With one exception her albums were produced by her husband, Peter Schekeryk, who died suddenly in 2010. Her three children – Leilah, Jeordie and Beau-Jarred – are also musicians. Beau-Jarred is a guitarist and accompanies his mother on tour.
In concert, February 2005 One of Melanie's most recent albums, Paled By Dimmer Light (2004), was co-produced by Peter and Beau-Jarred Schekeryk and includes the songs 'To Be The One', 'Extraordinary', 'Make It Work' and 'I Tried To Die Young'. In early 2005 most of Melanie's back-catalogue was re-released on the internet-only music label ItsAboutMusic.com. After a series of disagreements the relationship between the artist and the label was severed. In 2007, Melanie was invited by to perform at the at the in London. Her sold-out performance received critical acclaim, with saying 'it was hard to disagree that Melanie has earned her place alongside Joan Baez, Judy Collins, Joni Mitchell and Marianne Faithfull in the pantheon of iconic female singers. Meltdown was all the better for her presence.' The concert was filmed for a DVD titled Melanie: For One Night Only which was released in October 2007.
She recorded 'Psychotherapy', sung to the tune of the ', which parodies aspects of Freudian psychoanalysis. It has been played on The Show. In 2012, Melanie headlined at the 15th annual, along with Arlo Guthrie and Judy Collins. The festival is held annually in mid-July to celebrate the life and music of legendary singer-songwriter and folk musician, Woody Guthrie. In October 2012, Melanie collaborated with John Haldoupis, the artistic and managing director of Blackfriars Theatre in Rochester, New York, to create an original musical about her love story with her late husband, Peter.
Melanie and the Record Man made its world premiere on October 19 with performances scheduled until October 28. The musical, conceived and designed by Haldoupis, features the music of Melanie and tells the story of her meeting Peter, falling in love, and working together to produce her music. Melanie performed during the musical and was also the narrator.
In June 2014, she toured Australia for the first time since 1977. In April 2015, Melanie was inducted into Red Bank Regional's 'Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame'. Melanie received the Sandy Hosey Lifetime Achievement Award at the 's 2015 AMG Heritage Awards on November 14, 2015, in, North Carolina. Personal life Melanie married record producer Peter Schekeryk in 1968. They had three children: daughter Leilah was born on October 3, 1973; daughter Jeordie on March 27, 1975; and son Beau Jarred on September 11, 1980.
Leilah and Jeordie, when aged 7 and 6, released a cover of ' that charted in Canada. Melanie's husband died in 2010.
Melanie identifies herself politically as a, stating: 'I'm a total Libertarian, and I am not a, a, or a.' For a time, at the beginning of her career, Melanie was a follower of and this influenced some of her songs (such as 'Love to Lose Again' and 'Candles in the Rain'). She has stated that, in 2006, she underwent a life-altering experience with or Amma ('Mother') as she is also known, or as the 'hugging saint' from India, which inspired Melanie to write 'Motherhood of Love', one of her more recent songs.
Melanie resides in. Cover versions Many notable artists have covered Melanie's compositions: 'Lay Down' In 1971, released a version of this song on their album. Recorded a Greek version in 1972. In 1994, indie rock band recorded a three-track ' version of the song (as well as a reprise that closes the album) for the 'In The Pineys'. Australian singer 's 1995 recording reached the on the Australian singles charts.
Included a cover of the song on his 1996 debut album, I Am. In 1999, ' release included backing vocals. In 2010, recorded a rendition on the compilation album Stone Free. Plays a cover of the song during their live shows. 'Brand New Key' In 1976, band covered 'Brand New Key' with substantially rewritten lyrics as 'The Combine Harvester'. It reached number one on the and stayed there for two weeks., and have all performed 'Brand New Key' in concert (the last on ).
Country singer covered the song on her 1999 Top 10 album. The cellist band had a version on the album. Played a cover of 'Brand New Key' on his 2018 tour. On August 1, 2018, at in, Melanie joined Rundgren onstage to sing 'Brand New Key'. A female-fronted punk trio, included a version on their album.
The 2006 runner-up, covered the song as the bonus track on her 2010 album. Covered the song on the soundtrack album for the film in 2012. Covered the song on her 2012 Reality album. The New York-based singer covered the song in 2013. In 2013, the cover of the song by contestant Kaity Dunstan hit No. 40 on the Australian.
& The Singers did a cover version on their album I'd Like To Teach The World (In Perfect Harmony) album in 1971. Covered 'Brand New Key' in the Top 24 stage of American Idol Season 1 on ABC and later went on to win.
'What Have They Done to My Song Ma' recorded a successful German version of the song in 1971 and released a cover (as 'Look What They've Done to My Song, Ma') in 1972. The song has also been covered by many other artists, including,. Singer recorded it in 1971 as 'Kam zmizel ten starý song' with lyrics by Zdeněk Borovec. Rock band released a cover of it with lyrics in, called ' Vidi šta sam ti uradio od pesme, mama', in 1985. It was used in the 1970s as a commercial for Lifebuoy soap ('Look what they've done to my Lifebuoy'), and in the 1980s as a commercial jingle for (as 'Look what they've done to Ramada') and for cereal (as 'Look what they've done to my oatmeal'). In October 2012, released a video of her own acoustic version of the song as part of her series.
In 2015, Melanie joined her to duet on the song in addition to 'Peace Will Come (According to Plan)'. 'Beautiful People' The Dutch singer had a gold record and the first Top 10 hit version of 'Beautiful People' in 1997. Covered the song on their 2009 album Die Entstehung der Nacht. Covered the song on her I Love Being Me, Don't You? 'I Really Loved Harold' covered 'I Really Loved Harold' on her 1996 album. She has also recorded a version of 'Lay Down'.
Other songs covered several Melanie songs, and also charted in the United States with 'Beautiful People' (No. 67), 'Look What They've Done to My Song Ma' (No. 14) and 'Nickel Song' (No. Covered 'Close To It All' on his 1971 You're Not Alone album. Covered 'Centre of the Circle' on the 1972 album of the same name. An 11-year-old sang 'Christopher Robin' in on her debut album,. The 2003 Australian track ' by the 'People in the Front Row'; another hip-hop track, an instrumental titled opened their concert with 'Close To It All' (available on CD as Kiki & Herb Will Die For You).
And covered '(Some Say) I Got Devil' on their 2006 covers album. Has recorded Melanie's 'Any Guy'. Has also covered '(Some Say) I Got Devil' on his May 2019 cover album,.
Performed 'Momma, Momma' on her live DVD One Blue Voice and as the to her 2007 single 'One More Time'. 'The Nickel Song' was covered by, in English, released on her live at the Albert Hall double album in the early 1970s. There is also a German version of this by called 'Ob es so oder so oder anders kommt' which was released in 1971. Hip-hop producer and co-owner of Don't Sleep Records, Phoniks sampled Melanie's 'Do You Believe?' On his remix 'Back in the Game' amassing almost twenty five million views on proving more popular than both of the original tracks. Discography Albums.
(a.k.a. My First Album), November 1968. (aka Melanie), December 1969 (US # 196). with, September 1970 (US #17 – Gold record, #5, Australia #2, Canada #5, Norway #20, Germany #16)., November 1970 (US #33, UK #22, Australia #8, Canada #22, Germany #31). R.P.M. ^ Strong, Martin C. The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.).
Edinburgh: Mojo Books. Retrieved 2012-04-16.
Retrieved 2012-04-16. Retrieved 2015-08-25. Spelling, Ian., North Jersey Entertainment Newspaper, October 12, 2007; accessed December 20, 2007. Voger, Mark (27 July 2014). New Jersey On-Line LLC. NJ Advance Media. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
^ on. Shedden, Iain (5 June 2014). The Australian. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
Retrieved 2017-02-19. Retrieved 2017-02-19. Whiteside, Jonny. Glendale News-Press. Retrieved 2017-02-19. Beviglia, Jim.
American Songwriter: The Craft of Music. ForASong Media, LLC. Retrieved 11 December 2017. Rhodes, Mick (1 September 2016). Claremont Courier.
![Lyrics Lyrics](/uploads/1/2/5/5/125511667/771238691.jpg)
Retrieved 12 December 2017. Aquarius Rising - The Rock Festival Years. Dell Publishing Co., Inc. (Aug 22, 1970). 'Brower Promotes Strawberry Field Pop Festival Into Winner'. Vol. 82 no. 34.
New York, NY: Billboard Publications, Inc. Uncut, July 2011. Woodbury, Jason P (9 January 2012). Phoenix News Times. Phoenix New Times, LLC. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
Retrieved 2015-08-25. Classic Rock Music Reporter.
Retrieved February 3, 2019., 26 February 1972. Freeman, Paul. Pop Culture Classics.
Retrieved 11 December 2017. Rockwell, John (1976-11-14). The New York Times. Retrieved 2017-02-19. Retrieved 2015-08-25.
Melanie, quoted in Uncut, July 2011. Retrieved 2015-08-25. Archived from on September 23, 2004. Retrieved February 3, 2019. Red Bank Green.
Retrieved 2015-08-25. Awards, 2015 AMG Heritage. Artists Music Guild. Artists Music Guild.
Retrieved 21 December 2015. Billboard: 15. October 19, 2002. Billboard: 23. September 23, 1995.
November 27, 2010. Advocates for Self-Government. Retrieved January 10, 2012. October 10, 2014. March 20, 2012. Retrieved 2012-04-16.
YouTube (January 18, 2013). YouTube (May 12, 2015)., YouTube (May 12, 2015). Retrieved February 3, 2019 – via YouTube. Retrieved 2015-08-25. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.).
London: Guinness World Records Limited. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to.
Melanie Ann Safka-Schekeryk (b. 1947; known professionally as Melanie) is a U.S. Born on the 3rd February 1947 in Astoria, New York, Melanie made her first recording, 'Gimme a Little Kiss', when she was five. She first found chart success in Europe. Her 1969 song 'Bobo's Party' reached number one in France.
Later that year she had a hit in the Netherlands with 'Beautiful People' before performing at Woodstock. Apparently, she was inspired to write 'Lay Down (Candles Last 7 days. Last 7 days. Last 30 days. Last 90 days. Last 365 days. All time.