2. Melanie: Midwest Auckland emo four piece Melanie released their full length album 42 Losers in May 2020 and have been playing a fine selection of gigs and house parties since
1. Born on the 3rd February 1947 in Astoria, New York deceased 23rd January 2024, Melanie made her first recording, "Gimme a Little Kiss", when she was five.
She first found chart success in Europe. Her 1969 song "Bobo's Party" reached number one in France. Later that year she had a hit in the Netherlands with "Beautiful People" before performing at Woodstock. Apparently, she was inspired to write "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)" by the audience lighting candles during her set; the song became a hit in both Europe and the USA. Her biggest hit in the USA was "Brand New Key", also known as "The Roller Skate Song". She has been awarded three gold albums.
Three of Melanie's compositions were hits for The New Seekers: "Look What They've Done to My Song Ma", "Beautiful People", and "The Nickel Song".
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 a guitarist and accompanies his mother on The 2003 Australian hip-hop track "The Nosebleed Section" by The Hilltop Hoods sampled Melanie's "People in the Front Row".
In 2004 Melanie released Paled by Dimmer Light, which is co-produced by Peter and Beau-Jarred Schekeryk.
In 2010 the last album co- produced by her now late husband Peter Schekeryj and their son Beau Jarred Schekeryk was released: Ever Since You Never Heard Of Me
Melanie, who became the voice of an era in one magical instant onstage at Woodstock, has been putting the pieces in order.
Pieces of a career, scattered by the winds of experience and assembled again by the force of love into the most personal and brilliant moments of her musical journey.
Melanie is poised to enlighten new generations about what it means to sing with both passion and eloquence, to write at once with intelligence and emotion, and to inspire through song… and nobody does this better than Melanie.
Others learned this that night at Woodstock, where as a New York kid barely known outside of the coffeehouse circuit in Greenwich Village, she sang her song "Beautiful People" and inspired the first panorama of candles and cigarette lighters ever raised at a concert event. That, in turn, moved the young singer to write "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain"), which sold more than one million copies in 1970 and
prompted Billboard, Cashbox, Melody Maker, Record World, and Bravo to anoint her
as female vocalist of the year. Her single "Brand New Key," an infectious romp about
freedom and roller skates, topped the charts in 1971.
And so her story began.
With guitar in hand and a talent that combined amazing vocal equipment, disarming
humor, and a vibrant engagement with life, she was booked as the first solo pop/rock
artist ever to appear from the Royal Albert Hall to Carnegie Hall, the Metropolitan
Opera House, and later opened the New Metropolitan Opera House in New York, the
Sydney Opera House, and in the General Assembly of the United Nations, where she
was invited to perform on many occasions as delegates greeted her performances
with standing ovations.
The top television hosts of all time -- Ed Sullivan, Johnny Carson, and Dick Cavett --
battled to book her. (After her stunning performance on his show, Sullivan goggled
that he had not seen such a "dedicated and responsive audience since ElvisPresley.")
Accolades rolled in, from critics ("Melanie's cult has long been famous, but it's a cult
that's responding to something genuine and powerful -- which is maybe another way
of saying that this writer counts himself as part of the cult too," wrote John Rockwell
in The New York Times) as well as peers ("Melanie," insisted jazz piano virtuoso
Roger Kellaway, "is extraordinary to the point that she could be sitting in front of us in
this room and sing something like 'Momma Momma' right to us, and it would just go
right through your entire being.")
In the years that followed Melanie continued to record, continued to tour.
UNICEF made her its spokesperson; Jimi Hendrix's father introduced her to the
multitude assembled for the twentieth anniversary of Woodstock. Her records
continued to sell -- more than eighty million to date. She's had her songs covered by
singers as diverse as Cher, Dolly Parton, and Macy Gray. She's raised a family, won
an Emmy, opened a restaurant, written a musical about Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity
Jane…
She has, in short, lived a rare life. But all of it was just a prelude to what's about to
come.
"For the first time, I'm not afraid to voice exactly what I feel. I used to feel that I didn't
want to say too much, but now I can say anything. I feel like a person who's never
been heard. Maybe people think they've heard me, but they never really have. I'm a
new artist who is having so much fun with my voice -- a person shouldn't be allowed
to have so much fun. I'm the woman I wanted to be when I was sixteen and going for
Edith Piaf. It's me -- I'm back."
(Written by Robert L. Doerschuk)
Holding Out
Melanie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Holding out for a better way
Holding out that's the way I've played it
And playing is no fun when you've got to play alone
Oh love, holding out, holding out
Gather round the flying lady
Weathering a storm off the ground and off the bone
And holding on, holding on, holding on
Telephone, please don't ring for nothing
Call me home to a dream that lasts till morning
I never sleep alone without a light on, come and turn it down
So love, hold me down
Oh love, it don't come easy
It brings you down to a bed of roots and reasons
But I don't do well alone, off the ground and off the bone
And holding on, so love hold me down
Hold me down, hold me down
Well it isn't easy breathing, hold me down, no, no
Do you think it's easy singing, hold me down
And it's isn't easy living, hold me down, hold me down
Hold me down, hold me down
It's never easy
Melanie's song "Holding Out" is a powerful and personal expression of her desire for love and companionship. The lyrics offer an unflinching look at the struggles that come with being alone and her determination to hold out for something better. Throughout the song, Melanie's voice is emotive and raw, reflecting the depth of her emotions and the urgency of her desire.
The opening line, "Holding out for a better way," sets the tone for the entire song. Melanie is not content with settling for less than what she wants and deserves. She refuses to compromise and is willing to wait as long as it takes to find love on her own terms. The repetition of "holding out" emphasizes her steadfast commitment to this goal and the determination that sustains her.
The following lines express the loneliness and isolation that can accompany this kind of dedication. Playing alone is no fun, and weathering a storm off the ground and off the bone is a daunting task. These are powerful images that conjure up feelings of vulnerability and fear, but Melanie is resolute in her conviction. She knows that love is worth the risk, and she will not be deterred.
The chorus is a plea for someone to hold her down, to anchor her and provide the stability she craves. It's a poignant reminder that even the strongest among us need support and affection. The final lines, "It's never easy," reinforce this message and serve as a reminder that we all need help and connection to thrive.
Overall, "Holding Out" is a beautiful and compelling song that showcases Melanie's powerful voice and raw emotion. It's a powerful reminder of the importance of holding out for what you want and refusing to compromise your values.
Line by Line Meaning
Holding out for a better way
Waiting and hoping for a better path to follow
Holding out that's the way I've played it
Been stubborn and not settling for less than what is deserved
And playing is no fun when you've got to play alone
Not enjoying oneself when there is no one to share it with
Oh love, holding out, holding out
Referring to the idea of staying patient when looking for love
Gather round the flying lady
Coming together around something magical or hope-inspiring
Feather down to nothing better than
Opting for something that may seem insignificant compared to other options
Weathering a storm off the ground and off the bone
Enduring the hardships of life that can affect not just physical but emotional parts of oneself
And holding on, holding on, holding on
Persisting even when things get tough and seem unbearable
Telephone, please don't ring for nothing
Not wanting to experience disappointment when hearing from someone or something one has been waiting on
Call me home to a dream that lasts till morning
Wanting something that brings comfort and security
I never sleep alone without a light on, come and turn it down
Not being able to easily handle fear and uncertainty
So love, hold me down
Using love as an anchor to ground oneself
Oh love, it don't come easy
Acknowledging that love is difficult to find and maintain
It brings you down to a bed of roots and reasons
Making one face realities they may have been avoiding
But I don't do well alone, off the ground and off the bone
Not being able to function well without meaningful connections or purpose
And holding on, so love hold me down
Persisting even when things get tough and relying on love for security
Hold me down, hold me down
Repeating the idea of needing to be grounded and secure
Well it isn't easy breathing, hold me down, no, no
Having difficulty remaining calm and relaxed
Do you think it's easy singing, hold me down
Implying that even something that may appear easy requires support and grounding
And it's isn't easy living, hold me down, hold me down
Emphasizing how challenging everyday life can be
Hold me down, hold me down
Repeating the idea of needing to be grounded and secure
It's never easy
Summing up the message of the song about the struggles of life and love
Contributed by Sarah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.