Melanie Safka
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Melanie | ||
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| Background information | ||
| Birth name | Melanie Anne Safka | |
| Also known as | Melanie | |
| Born | February 3, 1947 (age 60) | |
| Origin | United States | |
| Genre(s) | Folk, Pop | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, Songwriter, Musician | |
| Instrument(s) | Singing, Guitar | |
| Years active | 1967 - present | |
| Website | http://www.melaniesmusic.com// | |
Melanie Anne Safka-Schekeryk (born February 3, 1947 in Astoria, New York City is an American singer-songwriter. She is usually known professionally simply as Melanie and is best known for her hits, 'Brand New Key', 'Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)', and 'Look What They've Done To My Song, Ma' - selling over 25 million records over the course of her career.
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[edit] Early career
Melanie made her first public appearance at the age of four on the radio show 'Live Like A Millionaire' and subsequently recorded the song "Gimme a Little Kiss" when she was five. She was a student at New York's American Academy of Dramatic Arts when she began singing in the folk clubs of Greenwich Village and signed her first recording contract.
Initially signed to Columbia Records in the United States, Melanie released two singles on the label. Subsequently she signed with Buddah Records and first found chart success in Europe when her 1969 song "Bobo's Party" reached number 1 in France. Her debut album received rave reviews from Billboard Magazine who 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 that year she had a hit in the Netherlands with "Beautiful People" before performing at Woodstock. The inspiration for her signature classic "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)" apparently arose from the Woodstock audience lighting candles during her set. A gospel-boosted genuine one-off, that combined high drama with Melanie's trademark hippy sincerity, the recording became a hit in both Europe and the USA in the spring and summer of 1970. The B-side of the 45 single featured Melanie's spoken-word track "Candles in the Rain". The song became Melanie's first U.S. Top Ten hit and a massive worldwide success. Later hits included "Peace Will Come (According To Plan)" and a cover of the Rolling Stones' "Ruby Tuesday".
In 1970 Melanie was the only artist to brave the court injunction banning the Powder Ridge Rock Festival, playing for the crowd on a homemade stage powered by Mister Softee trucks. She also performed at the Isle of Wight Festival in England in 1970 where she was introduced by Keith Moon and received four standing ovations.
Melanie was also the artist who sang to herald in the summer solstice at Glastonbury Fayre (later the world famous Festival) in England in June 1971. Look carefully at the photo on the cover of Gather Me - it is thought that this was taken at that performance.
After leaving Buddah Records because they insisted that she produce albums on demand, Melanie formed her own label, Neighborhood Records with her producer-husband Peter Schekeryk in 1971.
It was on her own label that she scored her biggest US hit with the novelty-sounding 1972 number one, "Brand New Key" (also known as "The Roller Skate Song"). "Brand New Key" was featured in the 1997 movie Boogie Nights and sold over three million copies worldwide. The song was banned by some radio stations because they misinterpreted the innocent lyrics as sexual innuendo. In 1976 Scrumpy and Western band The Wurzels covered "Brand New Key" with substantially rewritten lyrics as The Combine Harvester. It reached number 1 on the UK singles charts and stayed there for a fortnight (two weeks).
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" (a song she had recorded whilst still signed to Buddah). Both songs were simultaneous Top 40 hits whilst 'Brand New Key' was still on the charts - setting a record for the first female performer to have three Top 40 hits concurrently. Melanie was awarded Billboard's #1 Top Female Vocalist for 1972.
Melanie has been awarded two gold albums (and a gold single for Brand New Key) and three of Melanie's compositions were hits for The New Seekers. She is also well-known for her musical adaptations of children's songs, including "Alexander Beetle" and "Christopher Robin".
Melanie had another Top 40 hit single in 1973 with "Bitter Bad" - a song that marked a slight departure from the hippy 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').
In 1973 Melanie started to retreat from the spotlight to begin a family; one of many sacrifices she made for her career. When she became an official UNICEF ambassador in 1972 she agreed to forgo a world tour in favour of raising money for the organisation.
[edit] Later career
In 1976, Melanie released one album on Atlantic Records, Photograph which was overseen by Ahmet Ertegun. The album was praised by the New York Times as one of the years best, although it was largely ignored by the public. It was re-issued in 2005 with an additional disc of unreleased material.
In the 1980s the Quaker Oats Company used a version of "Look What They've Done to My Song Ma" in their commercials for Instant Oatmeal, with the revised lyrics "...look what they've done to my oatmeal".
In 1989, Melanie won an Emmy Award for writing the theme song to Beauty and the Beast (TV series)
Since 1969 Melanie has released almost one album a year. With one exception, her albums have been produced by her husband, Peter Schekeryk. Her three children -- Leilah, Jeordie and Beau-Jarred -- are also musicians. Beau-Jarred is an extremely talented and gifted guitarist who accompanies his mother on tour.
In 2004 Melanie released Paled by Dimmer Light, co-produced by Peter and Beau-Jarred Schekeryk, which included "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.
[edit] Personal
Melanie identifies herself politically as a Libertarian rather than anything else, stating: "I'm a total Libertarian, and I am not a Democrat, a Socialist, or a Republican." [1]
For a short while, in the beginning of her career, Melanie was a follower of Meher Baba and this influenced many of her songs (i.e. "Love to Lose Again" and "Candles in the Rain"). Over time she became disenchanted with other followers and then disassociated herself from Meher Baba.
Recently she had a life altering experience with Amma, the hugging saint from India.
Melanie currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee.
[edit] Cover versions
Many notable artists have covered Melanie's compositions; among them:
Ray Charles released a cover of Melanie's "Look What They've Done to My Song, Ma" in 1972. The song has also been covered by Billie Jo Spears.
The New Seekers covered several of Melanie's songs; "Look What They've Done to My Song Ma", "Beautiful People" and "The Nickel Song" among them.
In 1999, American artist Meredith Brooks covered "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)" with backing vocals by Queen Latifah. The song was also covered by Max Sharam in 1995 and became a Top 40 hit in Australia.
Emiliana Torrini covered Safka's "I Really Loved Harold" on her 1996 album Merman. She has also recorded a version of "Lay Down".
The 2003 Australian hip-hop track "The Nosebleed Section" by The Hilltop Hoods sampled Melanie's "People In The Front Row".
Will Oldham (a.k.a Bonnie 'Prince' Billy) covered Melanie's "(Some Say) I Got Devil" on his 2006 album The Brave and the Bold.
Cissy Houston has covered Melanie's "Any Guy".
Macy Gray, Dolly Parton and Cher have all performed "Brand New Key" in concert (the latter on The Sonny And Cher Show).
Country singer Deana Carter covered "Brand New Key" on her 1999 Top 10 album Everything's Gonna Be Alright.
Popular Yugoslav rock band Bajaga i Instruktori released a cover of Melanie's "Look What They've Done to My Song, Ma", with lyrics in Serbian, named 'Vidi šta sam ti uradio od pesme, mama'. The song was released on their second album, in 1985.
The cellist band Rasputina covered "Brand New Key" on their album Thanks for the Ether.
[edit] Album discography
- Born to Be (aka My First Album), November 1968
- Melanie (aka Affectionately Melanie), December 1969 (US # 196)
- Candles in the Rain, September 1970 (US #17 - Gold record, U.K #5)
- Leftover Wine, November 1970 (US #33, U.K #22)
- R.P.M. (Revolutions per Minute) (film soundtrack), 1970 (US #148)
- The Good Book, May 1971 (US #80, U.K #9)
- All the Right Noises (film soundtrack), August 1971
- Gather Me, December 1971 (US #15 - Gold record), U.K #14)
- Stoneground Words, November 1972 (US #70)
- The Four Sides of Melanie,1972 (US #103, U.K #23)
- Garden In The City, 1972 (US #115, U.K #19)
- Melanie at Carnegie Hall, 1973 (US #109)
- Please Love Me, 1973 (US)
- Madrugada, May 1974 (US #192)
- As I See It Now, February 1975
- Sunset and Other Beginnings, October 1975
- Photograph, 1976 (re-issued as Photograph (Double Exposure) in 2005)
- Phonogenic - Not Just Another Pretty Face, September 1978
- Ballroom Streets, August 1979
- Arabesque, August 1982
- Seventh Wave, September 1983
- Am I Real or What, 1985
- Cowabonga - Never Turn Your Back on a Wave, April 1988
- Silence Is King, February 1993
- Freedom Knows My Name 1993 (US)
- Old Bitch Warrior, February 1996
- Shine On - The Latest and Greatest, 2000
- These Nights, 2001
- Crazy Love, 2002
- Triple Treasures, 2002
- Moments from My Life, 2003
- Paled By Dimmer Light, 2004
[edit] Singles
- 1969 - "God's Only Daughter"
- 1969 - "Garden in the City"
- 1970 - "Bobo's Party" (#1 France)
- 1970 - "Beautiful People"
- 1970 - "Baby Guitar"
- 1970 - "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)" (#6 U.S. #5 Canada, # 4 Australia; #1 Denmark) (with the Edwin Hawkins Singers)
- 1970 - "Peace Will Come (According To Plan)" (#32 U.S.) / "Stop! I Don't Wanna Hear It Anymore" (#112 U.S.*)
- 1971 - "What Have They Done To My Song, Ma?" (#39 U.K.)
- 1971 - "Ruby Tuesday" (#52 U.S, #9 U.K., #12 Ireland; #6 Denmark; #16 South Africa)
- 1971 - "Brand New Key" (#1, U.S, #1 Canada; #1 Australia; #4 U.K.; #8 Ireland, #23 Denmark; #1 South Africa)
- 1971 - "The Good Book"
- 1972 - "Ring the Living Bell" (#31 U.S., #41 Denmark)
- 1972 - "Together Alone" (#86 U.S.)
- 1972 - "The Nickel Song" (#35 U.S., #43 Denmark)
- 1972 - "Someday I'll Be A Farmer" (#106 U.S.)
- 1972 - "I'm Back in Town"
- 1973 - "Bitter Bad" (#36 U.S.) / "Do You Believe" (#115*)
- 1973 - "Seeds"
- 1974 - "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" (#82 U.S, #37 U.K.)
- 1974 - "Lover's Cross" (#109 U.S)
- 1974 - "Love to Lose Again"
- 1975 - "You're Not a Bad Ghost, Just An Old Song"
- 1975 - "Record Machine"
- 1977 - "Cyclone"
- 1978 - "I'd Rather Leave While I'm in Love"
- 1978 - "Running After Love"
- 1978 - "Oh Boy"
- 1979 - "Knock on Wood"
- 1981 - "One More Try" (#110 U.S.)
- 1982 - "Detroit or Buffalo"
- 1983 - "Every Breath Of The Way" (#70 U.K.)
- 1985 - "Maybe I'm Lonely"
(Titles with an asterix are b-sides that gained enough radio play to chart on their own accord.)
The New Seekers also charted in the U.S. with their covers of Melanie's songs; "Beautiful People" hit #67, 'Look What They've Done To My Song Ma' hit #14 and 'Nickel Song' #81. Ray Charles' cover of 'Look What They've Done To My Song Ma' hit #65 in 1972 (and #25 on the R&B Charts).
The above U.S. chart placings are from Billboard Magazine; Melanie fared slightly better on the rival Cash Box charts:
- Lay Down - # 3
- Peace Will Come - # 20
- Ruby Tuesday - # 34
- The Good Book - # 78
- Brand New Key # 1
- Ring the Living Bell # 21
- The Nickel Song # 25
- Some Day I’ll Be A Farmer # 79
- Together Alone # 57
- Bitter Bad # 30
- Will You Love Me Tomorrow? #54
- Lover’s Cross # 70
[edit] Other credits
- Music for the television series Beauty and the Beast
- Recorded "I've Got New York" on The 6ths' Hyacinths and Thistles, 2000
