Melanie songs

Melanie Safka wrote her best songs during the early to middle seventies. I discovered her when I was about 12 around 1975. It's funny how some music stays with you, mixed into your soul and blood. Other music I listened to at that time was by people like Abba, and this hasn't stayed with me.

Melanie is a beautiful singer who uses her voice in dramatic, imaginative and courageous ways. Her work was usually produced by her husband, Peter Schekeryk. The arrangements were varied and interesting. Melanie herself played acoustic guitar in the best folk tradition, but it was the use of percussion in her music that I enjoyed the most. She gained confidence as she went along, and the albums of around 1972, '73 were the best and the most mature. I say this with the full knowledge that I don't know Melanie at all well after 1974 (post 'As I See It Now') . I don't know why this is the case.

I saw her live once- the only time she has been to Melbourne perhaps? and that was at the Dallas Brooks Hall circa 1979. I don't remember a lot of the evening, except her performances of 'Ruby Tuesday' (finale) and 'Ring The Living Bell, Shine The Living Light.' I do remember one other thing. She offered us an enchanting, typical-Melanie strory of how she visited 'the fairy tree' in the local city parklands. Her beautiful soul comes out tregularly enough in her lyrics- see songs like 'Beautiful People' as an example- naive, yes, but still touching. She lacks the sophistication of Joni Mitchell but is still a unique and enthralling artist.

Oddly enough, my favourite Melanie songs- the ones that I think are the most accomplished, or at least move me the most, are written by other artists. This is not a blight on her ability. these versiuons and arrangements are uniquely hers, and she has been able to improve the already impressive original versions. No mean feat.

These songs, in no particular order, are:

'Lady, Lady Lay' (Bob Dylan)
'Don't Think Twice, It's Alright' (Bob Dylan)
'My Rainbow Race' (Pete Seeger)
'Carolina On My Mind' (James Taylor)

You could throw into the mix a few others, like 'My Father' (Judy Collins) and 'Ruby Tuesday' (Jagger/ Richards)

Having said this, there are countless songs Melanie wrote that are top notch as well, and these are my personal favorites of those:

'A Little Bit Of Me'
'I Am Not A Poet'
'Do You Believe'
'In The Hour'
'Any Guy'
'Candles In The Rain'
'Leftover Wine'
'Babe Rainbow'
'Steppin'
'Chart Song'
'As I See It Now'

'Well your chart says you're restless
With a long way to go
If your last life was easy
We may never know
How I wish you a life without the fear of pain
And welcome to the world
You have been born again
Don't fear the change

Well I've looked for the meaning
And I've looked through clear light
And I pray you find the grace to stay asleep at night
How I wish you a life without the fear of pain
And life is so much harder
When you fear the change
Don't fear the change

Well your chart says you're restless
With a long way to go
If your last life was easy
We may never know
How I wish you a life without the fear of pain
And life is so much harder
When you fear the change
Don't fear the change.'

This is a beautiful song to sing to your new baby son or daughter, if you have one. The Melanie song I find myself singing to the most, and often it is around the corner to buy 'The Age', is 'A Little Bit Of Me.'