Andrew Ferguson
11 Harcourt Close
Henley-on-Thames
Oxon, RG9 1UZ.
UK.
(no Internet address).
My contribution was made in Dec. 1995.
May I (before divulging my thoughts on Melanie Safka to anyone who may feel
inclined to read them) introduce myself as a 58 year old, retired, airline
pilot. Melanie's music is one of many interests.
I was given the LP `Candles In The Rain' for Christmas; it was probably in
1970. I immediately noticed that there was, for me, something uniquely
attractive in the music and in Melanie's voice. From then on I frequented
record shops to search for new Melanie LPs. However the last record I managed
to collect was `Sunset and Other Beginnings' in 1975. I did my best to get
hold of another LP (which I heard on the radio to have been released), but my
attempts were unsuccessful. Thus the 12 LPs I collected were:
Affectionately 1968 Buddah Records (203 028)
Candles In The Rain 1970 Buddah Records (2318 009)
Gather Me 1971 Buddah Records (2322 002)
The Good Book 1971 Buddah Records (2322 001)
Garden in the City 1972 Buddah Records (2318 054)
The Four Sides of Melanie (2LP) 1972 Buddah Records (2659 013)
Stoneground Words 1972 Neighborhood (NHTC 251)
Please Love Me 1973 Buddah Records (2318 090)
As I See it Now 1974 Neighborhood (NBH 80636)
Madrugada 1974 Neighborhood (NH 3003)
Sunset and Other Beginnings 1975 Neighborhood (NBH 69168)
On each disc I find some tracks that I like enormously. In fact enough so
that over the last three years I have certainly averaged more than an hour a
week listening to Melanie. But there are some songs that I do not like at all.
I can't help wondering whether some of the songs which have been released
haven't done serious damage to Melanies's reputation. For My Father, and her
interpretation of Dylan's Lay, Lady Lay, are two such; however perhaps some
people like best those very tracks which I don't like at all. I look forward
to finding out via WWW.
Over the years I've tried to analyse why I like Melanie so much, and why she
does not appear to have received the recognition that her music deserves.
I've come to estimate that I should probably allocate 60% of my pleasure in
Melanie to the timbre of her voice, her personality, the songs she sings, and
the infinitely varied way she sings them. However 40% must go to the superb
orchestral accompaniment and the recording quality. The balance between voice
and orchestra is nearly always just right, and the instrumentation is
imaginative, subtle, varied and supremely sympathetic to the mood of the song
and to Melanie's singing.
Regarding the question of popularity and recognition, I believe the problem is
that the music lies just beyond the realm of popular music. Most popular
music ( and some light Classical music like Mozart's Divertimento in D ) can
easily be enjoyed as background music, but Melanie is much closer to, say
Elgar's Cello Concerto: Such music needs hi-fi sound reproduction, so as to
be able to revel in the nuances of timbre, and, equally important, it must be
listened to without any other distraction. It cannot be used as background
music.
But it's hard to separate things out, because apart from the sound of Melanie's
music, there is a very attractive personality which shines through and
illuminates many of the songs. She seems to be radiantly honest about her
experiences of life (even though sometimes her words are less than crystal
clear!). Also she manages to express those feelings with haunting lines of
poetry (some of which I quote under the individual song titles).
Perhaps another reason that I listen to about ten times as much Melanie as
Classical music is that my Classical recordings are rarely up to the same
technical quality as Melanie's LP recordings. I wonder how other Melanie fans
feel about all this.
There are some songs, namely `Christopher Robin', `Animal Crackers', `I Don't
Eat Animals', `Psychotherapy', `I Really Loved Harold', `Nickel Song', and
`What Have They Done To My Song Ma', which I really enjoy hearing
occasionally, but I have not included them in my list, as they are not ideal
for repeat listening, and that is the `rule' for Members when preparing their
list.
It's probably a pipe-dream, but isn't it time to make a series of recordings,
which ( produced under the general title `20 years on') might be called The
Melanie Classics 1968-75. It would serve to preserve, and to offer to a new
generation, the best of Melanie's early work. The perspective of 20 years
justifies the term `Classic' in popular music terms, and the quality of the
music is such that it should never be allowed to disappear, and is thus truly
classic.
So let me indulge in a pipe-dream on those lines, which hopefully other fans
will wish to join. We need to decide a number of things. What is the best
order to choose for Melanie's infinitely varied style? Should the volumes be
compiled with the aim of making each equally attractive (by repeating some of
the best songs)? Is it acceptable to exclude the songs which do not bear too
frequent repetition (as I do)? My answers to those questions are evident from
the following list of how I would compile three volumes of such recordings.
But perhaps the list is mainly useful to start a discussion, for others may
feel differently.
My choices would be:
BORN TO BE
1. Close To It All. Superb use of microphone and recording technique, so
Melanie seems to be right in the room with the loudspeakers. The words are
enunciated with perfect clarity, as is Melanie's wont. The amusing and
charming lyric is equally clear in meaning, catching the atmosphere of the
70s perfectly.
2. I'm Back In Town. A good example of Melanie's uncanny knack of finding the
right words, and putting the right expression into her voice, to play on
one's heartstrings as she evokes the complexities of human relationships.
3. Mr. Tambourine Man. One of the greatest things Melanie has ever done. A
wonderful example of how Melanie's sings with such perfect pitch that the
orchestra can be allowed to weave an independent, but complementary, pattern
around her voice. She sings Dylan's magical words with perfect timing, tone,
and emphasis. Their enigmatic meaning ("I want to dance beneath the diamond
sky, with one hand waving free, silouetted by the sea") is perfectly suited
to Melanie's enigmatic personality! Dylan should be truely grateful to have
such an interpreter!
AFFECTIONATELY
4. Again. A clear, bell-like, background sound is a well chosen accompaniment
to this charming song which has Melanie singing with a sweet vulnerable voice
well chosen for the lyric:" Nothing for me to do, but be alone tonight.
Maybe I'll sit and write, cause if I don't, the ones I met won't be my friends
for life."
5. Any Guy. While the main theme is straightforward, the accompanying
instrumentation weaves a complex and interesting pattern which suits the song
perfectly; the words and the music catch those contradictory feelings, which
are part of growing up, and of experiencing relationships.
6. Beautiful People. A song with a pleasing melody which catches well the
optimistic idealism of the seventies. Melanie's interesting interpretation
being given an ideal warm background instrumental.
7. Deep Down Low. A rich accompaniment well suits this song, in which Melanie
sings in her warmest, mellowest tones. The lyric contains some of Melanie's
typically charming notions: "Can you keep me from drowning in my down pillow?
Please, I need help, caus' my deep down is low."
8. I'm Back in Town. It's a rare treat to be able to enjoy Melanie's voice
totally unaccompanied. This is a thirteen second treasure! (the instrumental
version is also excellent).
9. Take Me Home. One of Melanie's charming autobiographical songs ("Make sure
that I'm back at home on the dot. Caus' no one will get to see me if I'm
not."), for which the simple guitar accompaniment is a perfect setting.
10. Tuning My Guitar. This starts off as one of the best things that Melanie
has ever done: great sensitivity in the singing, and beautiful
instrumentation, with a lucid, revealing, moving, lyric. It's perfection can
be crystallized by starting a fade at 2:50 finishing at 2:55. The less said
about the rest of the song the better!
11. Uptown Down. A rich, warm accompaniment is well chosen for this delightul
autobiographical song, which expresses so well the contradictory feelings
which assault young people as they leave the nest.
CANDLES IN THE RAIN
12./13. Candles In The Rain. A superb artistic and technical achievement:
Melanie's voice seems to come from a great open space, clear, pure,
unaccompanied (though hitting such perfect pitch that this could pass
unnoticed). The quality of the voice, and guitar, which later joins in, is
caught so precisely that they seem to be in the very room where the
loudspeakers are.
In Lay Down (Candles In The Rain), which follows after a short pause, Melanie
is joined by the Edwin Hawkins singers. This is a super bit of atmospheric
mood-music, but to my mind it does go on too long if you're not actually
attending a Woodstock style festival! `Candles' is 1:42 and `Lay Down' 7:40
(the record mistakenly gives a timing of 3:49 which happens to agree with how
long I think it should be!); I prefer to use an excerpt which starts a 30
second fade out at the point 3:30 from the start of Lay Down. I don't think
that `Lay Down (Candles In The Rain)' should be played without `Candles in
the Rain' preceding it, though oddly it is (all 7:40 of it) on The Four Sides
of Melanie
14. Citiest People. A fascinating, beautifully controlled tempo pervades this
song, which (as always) is sung with perfect enunciation of the words.
A reflective, but lyrical song.
15. The Good Guys. Starts with a delightful, unusual, intrumental passage. It
has a good tune, beautifully sung, the lyric containing some delightful
phrases, like: "I know your mirrored mornings in rehearsal of your look";
and, "We just may move the Universe; we'll learn to really care." The
inventiveness of the lyric never falters, and its meaning is (unusually!)
perfectly clear; it catches the atmosphere of the times to perfection, and
illuminates Melanie's experience of them. In summary a superbly perceptive
song, gloriously sung, sympathetically and imaginatively arranged.
16. Carolina In My Mind. A magical blending of orchestration, words, and
Melanie's voice. Though the words are not hers, they seem to have been
written for her they are in her enigmatic style!. And some are very
poetic: "Hey, Babe, the world's on fire. I'm dying ain't I". Surely no one
could sing such words more poignantly. This track is also on the LP Candles
In The Rain.
17. Ruby Tuesday. As usual the orchestration is superbly sympathetic and
interesting. This song shows Melanie's astonishing dynamic range: sometimes
she belts it out at full volume and sometimes uses her voice to caress the
microphone. Perhaps one could wish for more of the latter and less of the
former, but the song has a curiously haunting quality that lingers in the
memory. The interesting words of this Jagger/Richard song sit well with
Melanie's character! This track is also on the LP Candles In The Rain.
LEFTOVER WINE
18. Peace Will Come. Few things can be more moving, surely, than to hear
Melanie sing, "There's a chance peace will come, in my time. Please buy
one." The song contains a variety of mood in a short space of time. Great!.
THE GOOD BOOK
19. Good Book. This version, in the album The Good Book, is to be preferred to
that from The Four Sides of Melanie. It takes 2:40 (as compared to 2:27) to
cover the main song, using a slightly warmer, more relaxed tone. Also this
version (in The Good Book album), after a short pause, contains a refrain,
with an interesting instrumental finish (to give a total time of 4:02). Both
the start and finish are very quiet and gentle a good example of how one
just must sit down and listen attentively to Melanie's music. After the slow
piano introduction, Melanie sings in harmony with a vocal group, with good
supporting orchestration to effect a nice swinging melody. It's a 70s song
with much charm in the lyric: "They've fallen in love with all human kind, so
tell them you love them, so they don't change their mind. It's sad that we
weren't born like horses and sheep, to know where we're going, to know what
we need. You've written the music, so we'll sing along. Tell us you love
us, so we don't feel alone." .
20. Babe Rainbow. I suppose it's Melanie who is playing the introductory
guitar: anyhow the guitar is played with the same sensitivity with which she
sings. And the sensitivity of her singing is especially noticeable in this
song which is about the angst of performing: the changing quality of her voice
constantly moulds itself to the ideas contained in the lyric. This is not
just a fascinating autobiographical piece, but also a marvellous display of
Melanie's varied singing styles, with instrumental arrangements that blend to
the varying style in perfect harmony.
21. Babe Rainbow (Reprise). Babe Rainbow is a great song, but it's nice to
have this reprise which gives us a chance to savour the quality of Melanie's
voice when it sounds as warm and smooth as a Stradivarius cello.
22. Isn't It a Pity. How can `Melanie lovers' ever be adequately grateful to
those responsible for having chosen to put this little gem into the Melanie
oeuvre: Melanie singing to herself solo, for fun, and then laughing
nervously at her performance. But surely you know, Melanie, that whether you
"kick up your heels in the sun", or not, you are indeed, sometimes, "the
prettiest girl in the world"! How about that face which looks out of the
back of The Good Book album, or Melanie by candlelight in the front of the
Candles In The Rain album? And who is there who cannot fall in love with the
reflective Melanie who looks out of the centre of Gather Me. Talking of the
LP albums, a substantial measure of gratitude is owed to whoever was
responsible for them: for they seem to perfectly reflect Melanie's quirky
imaginative character, as it reveals itself from her songs and singing style.
GATHER ME
23. Baby Day. There's much to enjoy in the pleasing lilt of this song, and in
the delightul tinkling accompaniment. Not to worry that Melanie's lyrics are
somewhat more obscure than usual!
24. Brand New Key. A song with a pleasing tune and, as in Wild Horses, the
music evokes a clear sensation this time of speeding along on roller
skates. Melanie's superb singing captures this exactly, as well as conveying
brilliantly the feelings of adolescent angst.
25. Center of the Circle. This song starts very well with good melody and
lyric, but I prefer to start a fade at 1:40 to finish at 1:55.
26. A Little Bit of Me. Superbly sympathetic and pleasing orchestration, with
Melanie displaying her perfect vocal control to accompany meaningful and
evocatively poetic words, such as: "They'll plant me in the universe, Where
the balance has got to be."
27. Some Day I'll Be a Farmer. This song has a very pleasing rhythm and `fun
atmosphere', with superb, clear, precise, orchestration. The song contains
some of Melanie's typically eliptical lyrics, where you know what she means
even though you don't understand what she says!
28. Some Say (I Got Devil). One of Melanie's charming autobiographical songs.
"Some say I got Devil. Some say I got Angel. But I'm just a girl in
trouble"; all beautifully sung with a superb accompaniment. The lyric is
rich, mysterious yet revealing.
29. Steppin'. Delightfully quirky and well chosen instrumentation, perfectly
suited to the song, though this is actually one of the songs where one can
understand the words in addition to understanding the emotion they contain!
They comment amusingly, as so often with Melanie, on the complexity of
relationships.
30. Tell me Why. A little gem, with Melanie matching her voice to the theme of
the song, which is equally well reflected in the orchestration.
31. What Wondrous Love is This. The song contains a hugh range of tempo and
singing style. What a great song for Melanie, containing as it does the
haunting words, "What Wondrous Love is this, that caused the Lord of Bliss,
to send this perfect peace, upon my Soul. Upon my Soul." Melanie starts the
song with a hard edge to her voice, but finishes in soothing mellifluous
peace.
GARDEN IN THE CITY
32. Garden In The City. Almost a catchy tune to this one. It is much
enriched by Melanie's poetic phrases: "He led me far away when he told me I
was pretty; how strange to go so far and never touch the sky"; and, "When I
was young I lived in the country. The clouds were my friends; I cannot
answer why."
33. Love On My Mind. This song has a pleasing lilt but some parts of the lyric
are a particular delight: "So I hugged on my pillow; and I think it hugged
me." There is much other golden imagery in Melanie's words: her desire to,
"Change the pain in the world for the love in my mind", is a desire that most
of us must share!
34. We Don't Know Where We're Going. An easy-going, pleasing tune, with a
skilful blend of various guitars and Melanie singing in mellow voice. As so
often, with Melanie's lyrics, there's a deep undercurrent of meaning, which
rings true though it's hard to pin it down; very poetic too.
STONEGROUND WORDS
35. Between the Road Signs. An amusing and delightful autobiographical song of
some of the feelings associated with Melanie's singing/travelling career.
Displays Melanie's ability to write good lyrics about simple experiences and
then to adopt a singing style ideally suited to the subject matter. As usual
the orchestration complements the style perfectly.
36. Do You Believe. The lyric contains some of Melanie's lovely but enigmatic
poetry: "I still believe in magic. It comes from seeing with the heart.
I do believe it, I do believe my eyes. I do believe it, the magic's in our
eyes." A considerable part of the song consists of repeats of, "I do
believe, I do believe your eyes, I do. The light is in your eyes." The
whole song is a wonderful illustration of the way in which Melanie's songs
transmute simple material into gold, by the intensity of her feelings, her
subtlety of phrasing and timing, and the brilliant complementary
orchestration.
37. I Am Not a Poet (Night Song). Nothing could be further from the truth than
Melanie's assertion, "I am not a poet", but her "I am not a singer, I am in
the song" has a poetic truth; and, perhaps, "I found a tearful language that
translates what I am" is nothing but the plain truth! The first 2:20 of this
song (fade out over 5 seconds) is very pleasing, full of autobiographical
insights. For the rest, once again I have to say, the less said the better.
38. Maybe I Was (a Golfball). Some delightfully whimsical poetry sung and
orchestrated in a perfectly matched style.
39. My Rainbow Race. It is impossible to imagine Pete Seeger's superb lyric
being interpreted better. Melanie uses perfectly judged pitch changes to add
interest to the song, and in a bravura display of musical sensitivity repeats
the phrase, "It's too soon to die", six times, with such supremely well
judged variations that each seems just what was needed to follow what came
before. She finishes in tones of sweet mellowness very appropriate to the
compassionate lyric. A brilliant performance, brilliantly orchestrated.
40. Song of the South. Don't ask me to tell you what this song is about, all I
can say is that it contains some very interesting sonorities.
41. Stoneground Words. Don't expect to grasp the exact meaning of the lyric; I
can only say I think that, "Sand me down to the nerve, made to live on
stoneground words", is Melanie complaining about those who put too much
pressure on her to give an explicit meaning to the poetry she writes. But
this is a good example of a song with a pleasing atmosphere containing a
clear emotion, though one which it is hard to put a finger on.
42. Summer weaving. Full of Melanie's magical poetry: "Weave me a summer night
into a winter fire, for I'm very far from warm." Melanie's singing style
(varying from the mellow to the slightly `cracked') and the simple
accompaniment is perfectly suited to the mood of the song.
43. Together Alone. A song which starts well, and finishes with great charm
and subtlety. Unfortunately the ambience of the mid-section is (unusually for
Melanie) completely unsuited to the song. A good edit isn't easy, but the
best I can suggest is a rapid fade at the end of the first 1:34. with a rapid
`swell in' at 3:22 (from the start) to catch the last 1:22 (giving a total of
2:56 of the full 4:44).
PLEASE LOVE ME
44. Getting Out. A pleasing autobiographical song, superbly recorded, with a
simple clear melody and a guitar accompaniment.
45. God's Only Daughter. This song is a wonderful example of how Melanie
adjusts the tone of her voice to suit the lyric which is utterly charming.
It magically captures the experience of childhood. Delightful.
46. In the Hour. A warm, mellow, spacious version, and another good example of
Melanie using her perfect pitch to pick her way through the song as the
instrumentation weaves a complementary pattern around her. An example of
Melanie at her best. However that is only true of this version of In the
Hour, in the album Please Love Me, which takes 3:58. The totally different
version from Born To Be, takes 3:04, and is, in my opinion, inferior
artistically and technically.
47. Please Love Me. Melanie produces a beautifully clear bell-like sound,
full of vibrant emotion to accompany a pleasing melody.
48. Please Love Me. It was a great idea to write an orchestral version of this
song. The imaginative arrangement captures every nuance of feeling. I find
it hard to know if I like the vocal or instrumental version best.
49. Save the Night. Perhaps the words are somewhat enigmatic, but it is a
great song for testing the quality of your hi-fi! Every nuance of Melanie's
voice is present, as is the quality of the fine accompaniment. You need a
high quality pick up to avoid distortion on the sibilants. The sheer quality
of the overall sound makes this song rewarding to listen to.
MADRUGADA
50. Holding Out. I'm not sure that I fully catch the emotion of this song, let
alone the precise meaning of the words, but it is a song to greatly enjoy for
the sounds of Melanie's voice interacting with imaginative orchestration.
51. I Think It's Going To Rain Today. A reverberant acoustic sound is
employed; it is well suited to the song, and in no way detracts from the
superb clarity of the instrumentation, and Melanie's voice. I like Randy
Newman's quirky lyric - just made for Melanie!
52. Lover's Cross. Rarely has Melanie's voice sounded so mellow and round.
She introduces some interesting surprises by singing slightly off-beat (which
you may or may not like!). The lyric of Jim Croce's song contains some nice
words, "She would have to be a super girl, or may be a Joan of Arc", which
are particularly appealing when sung by Melanie.
53. Love to Lose Again. A song with an easy swinging rhythm, a few nice turns
of phrase in the lyric, and an unusual, pleasing, ending.
54. Pine and Feather. The gorgeously reverberant acoustic suits this song very
well. Melanie uses her mellow singing style, which is cleverly complemented
by a brilliant arrangement which includes natural sounds, such as gulls,
woven into the orchestration. Brilliant.
55. The Actress. This autobiographical song starts brilliantly, and is
particularly memorable to me for the words, "All the young men told her they
liked the songs they heard; they loved the melodies, but they didn't
understand the words". That goes for us old men too Melanie! This song is
itself quite a good illustration of the situation, though some phrases are
pregnant with `fleeting meaning'. Delightfully sung and orchestrated, but I
prefer to start a fade at 2:57 to finish at 3:15 (or later not too
important).
56. Wild Horses. The fascinating combination of orchestration with Melanie's
voice produces a musical sensation which is evokative of wild horses
galloping through open country. However there are to my mind weaknesses in
this track. Melanie's lyrics are sometimes opaque, but one usually gets the
emotion behind them, or enjoys the silvery or whimsical imagery of the words;
this Richard/Jagger lyric merely confuses. Though it's not an ideal option,
what I've done is use a 20 second swell up to full volume, starting at 3:15
from the start. Also I prefer a 3 second fade out at 6:15 as I don't like
the sudden, rather loud, end. Great, but flawed, must be my verdict.
57. Will You Love Me Tomorrow?. I've always liked Carole King's version of
this Goffin & King song, but equally I enjoy this rounded, warm, swinging,
happy version which Melanie gives us.
AS I SEE IT NOW
58. As I See It Now. The lyric contains the words, "My visions in sound". It
is a concept which seems to encapsulate a great deal of Melanie's work, and
this song is a good example of it: the orchestra, accompanying voices, and
Melanie, produce a `landscape in sound'. Her `landscape' in this, as in many
other songs, is unique and deeply pleasing. One wonders just how she, the
orchestra, and the backing singers, managed to work together to produce those
`visions'; but they certainly did time and time again. How much credit, one
wonders, must go to the sound engineer for the brilliant balance and blending
of the sound.
I like to think her words (also in this song) that: "I sing, sometimes out of
my range, reaching for notes in my dreams", is an acknowledgement that she
has not always been wise in the choice of songs which she has allowed to be
released; but that's only my interpretation! Perhaps another reason I like
the song is because it shows that Melanie was sensitive to the plight of the
world: "As I see it now, the world's got to change. Keeping it whole is the
main thing." That wasn't obvious to everyone in 1974 as, hopefully, it is in
1995!
59. Autumn Lady. A beautiful lyric that has one hanging on every word, though
it's easier to catch the emotion than the exact meaning of the words.
60. Don't Think Twice. An inspired arrangement of this Dylan song. It starts
very delicately with piano music; this is soon joined by Melanie melting
seamlessly into the atmosphere created by the piano. The brilliance
continues with, at times, vocal harmonies as background: recording, singing,
arrangement, all dazzlingly perfect. This, and Mr. Tambourine Man are at the
very top of Melanie's achievements. Let's hope Dylan is suitably grateful!
61. Eyes of Man. The first 1:55 of this song has a pleasing rhythm and plenty
of things to commend it. At this point there is a natural break, and in my
opinion it is best to cut it there.
62. Record Machine. A delightful lyric ("Some day they'll laugh at our hair
and the clothes that we wore, like we've all laughed before"). Once again
Melanie shows a magical ability to create an atmosphere which exactly
conjures up what the song is about in this case an `old record machine'.
Charming. As so often it's hard to know whether to give more credit to
Melanie or to the orchestration, for getting the atmosphere so exactly right.
63. Ring Around the Moon. A little gem. Charming, with Melanie producing her
most mellow sounds.
64. Stars Up There. Simple and charming.
65. Sweet Misery. This starts with a pleasing swinging tune and is enjoyable,
but I prefer to cut off the end of the song, using a 20 second fade out
starting at 1:25.
66. Yankee Man. The words are Jesse Winchester's,not Melanie's, but surely no
one else can have sung them so sympathetically. She has a way of taking a
phrase, such as, "And I smile like the sun to think of the loving that we
did", and varying it, so that each variation seems as necessary as the
changes in a Bach fugue. (She does the same thing with equal effect in Pete
Seeger's My Rainbow Race). As usual the orchestration is sympathetic,
faultless, and beautiful. A fine song perfectly performed. One of my
favourites. Incidentally the timing shown on the record is wrong; it should
be 4:07 not 3:49.
67. Yes, Sir, That's My Baby. One of those songs with a nice swing that
makes you want to sing along with it, but at the same time this is a good
example of the superb way in which Melanie and the orchestral arrangement
work together. Yet another Melanie song with a memorable atmosphere.
68. Your Not a Bad Ghost. A song with a nice beat which is fun both for its
words and its interesting orchestration.
SUNSET AND OTHER BEGINNINGS
69. Afraid of The Dark. The piano, with other carefully chosen
instrumentation to accompany it, makes this haunting, atmospheric piece
something to marvel at.
70. Almost Like Being In Love. An excellent example of how Melanie,
brilliantly supported by the orchestra as always, can capture an emotional
atmosphere by perfectly matching the overall sound to the words. Hearing
this song really is Almost Like Being In Love!
71. Dream Seller. Melanie at her most warm and mellow, in a song with a nice
swing to it.
72. People Are Just Getting Ready. Another of Melanie's `visions in sound'?
The beautiful, clear, instrumentation, together with Melanie's voice, weaves a
baroque pattern to produce something memorable. Not to worry if you don't
know exactly what Melanie is saying when her lyric contains such gems as:
"Filling their nights with dark passion. And their days with a burning glow."
73. Sandman. Starts with guitar and Melanie singing in honeyed tones with a
slightly off-beat rhythm to add fascination. Gradually the orchestral and
vocal tone builds up. A satisfying song with delighful quirky lyrics: "Your
falling star soon in my telescopic sights.... The Furies are in Heaven
tonight and the Sandman's in the sea."
74. The Sun and The Moon . There's lots of lovely word imagery in this song,
even if you don't know quite what it all means. Who can resist: "I'll weave
my reflection in the tears that I cry."