Melanie singer songwriter who top charts with brand new key dies aged 76 children pay tribute to musician who went from folk clubs to Woodstock festival and mainstream success as one of the most talented strong and passionate women of the era Melanie safka the American singer songwriter
Known as Melanie who had a global hit with Brand New Key has died aged 76 her children Lila Jordy and Bo Jared announced her death on social media describing her as one of the most talented strong and passionate women of the era in every word she wrote every
Note she sang reflected that no cause of death has been given born and raised in Queens New York Melanie broke through in the late 1960s after a grounding in the folk clubs of New York’s Greenwich Village chiming with the Boom in singer songwriters her bright but husky voice
Appealed to pop fans and the counterculture alike and she was signed to the buty label which released her debut album Born to be in 1968 she first found success in Europe with the album going top 10 in France and the Netherlands along with Janice Joplin and
Joan bayas she was one of only three solo women appearing at the Woodstock festival in 1969 an unbelievably frightening day she later said I never even felt like I was a hippie I didn’t like the term if anything I was the beat generation people in the village expressing themselves in so many ways
Not being pigeonholed she showed off her vocal range with the gospel tinged single Lay Down Candles in the rain a US top 10 hit it was inspired by the sight of the Woodstock crowd lighting candles and the accompanying 1970 album candles in the rain brought her to wider attention
Reaching number five in the UK her version of The Rolling Stones Ruby Tuesday was also a UK hit that year and a concert at New York’s Carnegie Hall was recorded for a successful live album but 1971 would be her biggest year yet with the album gather me and its lead
Single brand new key with its blly and juny Rhythm twinkling backing and Melanie’s malifu nursery rhyme Melodies it had huge cross-generational appeal although its lyrics about roller skating seemed to be a metaphor for sexual experimentation I guess a key and a lock have always been Freudian symbols she
Said and pretty obvious ones at that there was no deep serious expression behind the song but people read things into it it reached number one in the US Canada and Australia and reached the UK top five a cover version with different agriculture focused lyrics by comedy group The wles the combined Harvester
Reached number one in the UK in 1976 Brand New Key would be her last major hit although she returned to the UK Top 40 with her take on 60s pop standard will you love of me tomorrow in 1973 Melanie continued to release a steady stream of albums eventually
Totaling 28 with the most recent ever since you never heard of me in 2010 she developed a cult following including notable musicians such as morisy who covered her gather me songs some say I got devil and Jarvis Cocker who introduced her on stage in London in
2007 in 1968 she married Peter skrik who was is also the producer of all her major releases they had three children together and their marriage lasted until his death in 2010 subscribe for more news Updates
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