Procrastinator
04-10-2009, 08:50 PM
I love music, but unfortunately, have absolutely no talent for playing - none whatsoever. So I listen. I don’t have to say what a treasure trove of music Youtube is. I find myself surfing Youtube much more than I should. I can’t remember half of the incredible stuff that I’ve discovered there: From Chet Atkins, to Peter Green era Fleetwood Mac, to current stuff like the Bastard Fairies.
My latest ‘favorites’ were discovered when I went looking to see if there was anything new by the Bastard Fairies. There was. I found a cool rendition of Melanie’s Brand New Key where they were backed up by a Hawaiian ukulele group. That got me looking for stuff by Melanie. I found two incredible clips.
The first is this one from 1970. I remember hearing Lay Down (Candles in the Rain) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOExGVgQzRg) when I was a kid, but it’s been years since I’ve heard it and didn’t know anything about I, so I went looking. Here’s what Thomas Ryan, American Hit Radio, wrote about the song:
Melanie Safka was one of the more obscure performers to appear at Woodstock and apparently even had some difficulty in getting backstage. To walk onstage alone in front of a city of people who don't know you but are paying rapt attention while you perform can be a harrowing and humbling experience. Melanie, who had shown up unexpectedly at Woodstock and consented to perform, must have felt grateful for the nonjudgmental nature of the assemblage, who were relaxed and responsive despite the torrential downpours that continually plagued them. She came onstage as evening fell, just after a particularly horrendous squall, and watched amazed as the hills slowly lit up with thousands upon thousands of candles. From her vantage point, it must have been one sight to see, particularly from the perspective of an amateur folk artist who happened to be the focal point of their attention.
Moved by the experience, Melanie authored "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)" in which she attempted to capture the spirituality and magic of that moment. To convey a sense of the warm crowd, she envisioned hundreds of voices joining her on the chorus. The Edwin Hawkins Singers had recently hit the charts with "Oh Happy Day" so she asked the gospel group if they would be interested in accompanying her. She "auditioned" the song before the congregation, and once they decided that it was sufficiently spiritual in content, they agreed.
Melanie's vocal style combined flaky camaraderie with captivating passion and acted as a catalyst for the Edwin Hawkins Singers, who sing with all the controlled abandon that you would expect from a first-rate gospel group. Controlled abandon is also an apt description for what took place on that wet August weekend in 1969. By capturing the optimistic ideology and the powerful sense of love that was pervasive at Woodstock, Melanie's first hit record became a moving homage to a once-in-a-lifetime event.
What an incredible performance by this 23 year old hippy-girl – not to mention that of the Edwin Hawkins Singers! The staid audience, seemingly transported directly from a taping of the Lawrence Welke Show is groovin’ right along to it. If you listen to the clip, I hope you have good speakers and a sub woofer. If so, turn it up!
The second clip is Melanie later in life, probably from a few years ago. I could use all kinds of hackneyed clichés to describe her performance, and they would all be valid. It’s the most moving thing I’ve ever seen on Youtube. I Tried to Die Young (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NhsTqXROxM)
What are your favorite clips?
Joe
My latest ‘favorites’ were discovered when I went looking to see if there was anything new by the Bastard Fairies. There was. I found a cool rendition of Melanie’s Brand New Key where they were backed up by a Hawaiian ukulele group. That got me looking for stuff by Melanie. I found two incredible clips.
The first is this one from 1970. I remember hearing Lay Down (Candles in the Rain) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOExGVgQzRg) when I was a kid, but it’s been years since I’ve heard it and didn’t know anything about I, so I went looking. Here’s what Thomas Ryan, American Hit Radio, wrote about the song:
Melanie Safka was one of the more obscure performers to appear at Woodstock and apparently even had some difficulty in getting backstage. To walk onstage alone in front of a city of people who don't know you but are paying rapt attention while you perform can be a harrowing and humbling experience. Melanie, who had shown up unexpectedly at Woodstock and consented to perform, must have felt grateful for the nonjudgmental nature of the assemblage, who were relaxed and responsive despite the torrential downpours that continually plagued them. She came onstage as evening fell, just after a particularly horrendous squall, and watched amazed as the hills slowly lit up with thousands upon thousands of candles. From her vantage point, it must have been one sight to see, particularly from the perspective of an amateur folk artist who happened to be the focal point of their attention.
Moved by the experience, Melanie authored "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)" in which she attempted to capture the spirituality and magic of that moment. To convey a sense of the warm crowd, she envisioned hundreds of voices joining her on the chorus. The Edwin Hawkins Singers had recently hit the charts with "Oh Happy Day" so she asked the gospel group if they would be interested in accompanying her. She "auditioned" the song before the congregation, and once they decided that it was sufficiently spiritual in content, they agreed.
Melanie's vocal style combined flaky camaraderie with captivating passion and acted as a catalyst for the Edwin Hawkins Singers, who sing with all the controlled abandon that you would expect from a first-rate gospel group. Controlled abandon is also an apt description for what took place on that wet August weekend in 1969. By capturing the optimistic ideology and the powerful sense of love that was pervasive at Woodstock, Melanie's first hit record became a moving homage to a once-in-a-lifetime event.
What an incredible performance by this 23 year old hippy-girl – not to mention that of the Edwin Hawkins Singers! The staid audience, seemingly transported directly from a taping of the Lawrence Welke Show is groovin’ right along to it. If you listen to the clip, I hope you have good speakers and a sub woofer. If so, turn it up!
The second clip is Melanie later in life, probably from a few years ago. I could use all kinds of hackneyed clichés to describe her performance, and they would all be valid. It’s the most moving thing I’ve ever seen on Youtube. I Tried to Die Young (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NhsTqXROxM)
What are your favorite clips?
Joe