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)
In My Rock and Roll Heart
Melanie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And what makes that true?
Who do I speak to when I speak to you?
Are you my love or are you my friend?
Trust your own perception
It's a loaded question
You've given me love
I am a woman
Could've done better as a man
Ah look at me now
Too many one love stands
They come to play
On my rock and roll heart
They come to play
On my rock and roll heart
Oo ooo, rock and roll heart
Ooo ooo, rock and roll heart
I'm shrouded in mystery
And I'm covered in light
Standing like stone
Even though we're together
I'll always be alone
And caught in these lines
That catch the tears on my face
Aging with grace
In my rock and roll heart
Aging with grace
In my rock and roll heart
Oo ooo, rock and roll heart
Ooo ooo, rock and roll heart
You take your children to school
And you go down the grocery store
You pass as a grown up
In this left (right) brain grown up world
And if they ask you for proof
They're gonna find out right away
You just came to play
With your rock and roll heart
You're just here to play
With your rock and roll heart
Oo ooo, rock and roll heart
Ooo ooo, rock and roll heart
Well I'm taking the stage
Reflecting the light
Inventing the role
My body's dancing out
A storm in my soul
And there is no rest
But I can't put it on hold
Cause time's just a beat
In my rock and roll heart
Time's just a - uh
In my rock and roll heart
Time's just a - uh
In my rock and roll heart
Ooo oo, rock and roll heart
Ooo ooo, rock and roll heart
Rock and roll heart
Melanie Safka’s song “In My Rock and Roll Heart” is a deep and emotional song that asks a lot of questions about love and what it means. The first verse features complex questions about love, questioning who one loves and what makes it true. The song goes on to explore the dynamics of love and friendship, with another question asking if the person being addressed is the singer's love or friend. Melanie encourages the person to trust their own perception as this is a loaded question.
The second verse features imagery of the singer being shrouded in mystery and covered in light, standing like stone, but always feeling alone. There is a tone of acceptance, with the singer acknowledging her aging but also her ability to age with grace, thanks to her rock and roll heart, which keeps her youthful. The final verse talks about taking the stage and inventing the role, with the body dancing out a storm in the soul. Time is just a beat in the rock and roll heart and it’s impossible to put it on hold.
Overall, “In My Rock and Roll Heart” is a thought-provoking and insightful song that explores the intricacies of love, friendship, and the power of music.
Line by Line Meaning
Who do I Love?
I question who I love.
And what makes that true?
I question how I know if my love is real or not.
Who do I speak to when I speak to you?
I'm uncertain if I should speak to you as a friend or as my lover.
Are you my love or are you my friend?
I'm unsure about the nature of our relationship.
Trust your own perception
I tell myself to rely on my own understanding of the situation.
It's a loaded question
The question of whether you are my lover or friend is complicated.
You've given me love
You have loved me.
Give me a reason to be your friend
Give me a reason to believe that you want a platonic relationship.
I am a woman
I identify as a woman.
Could've done better as a man
I feel that things would have been easier if I were a man.
Ah look at me now
I am reflecting on my current situation.
Too many one love stands
I have had too many short-lived romantic experiences.
They come to play
These short-lived partners did not take things seriously.
On my rock and roll heart
They took advantage of my love for rock and roll music.
Oo ooo, rock and roll heart
My heart is heavily influenced by rock and roll music.
I'm shrouded in mystery
I am enigmatic and mysterious.
And I'm covered in light
But I am also illuminated somehow.
Standing like stone
I am steadfast in my beliefs and convictions.
Even though we're together
Despite being with someone, I still feel alone.
I'll always be alone
I am resigned to the fact that I will always be alone.
And caught in these lines
I am trapped in these emotional situations.
That catch the tears on my face
These situations often bring me to tears.
Aging with grace
I am aging gracefully.
In my rock and roll heart
My love of rock and roll music is getting me through this difficult time.
You take your children to school
You have parental responsibilities.
And you go down the grocery store
You are a responsible adult who does mundane tasks such as grocery shopping.
You pass as a grown up
You give the appearance of being a responsible adult.
In this left (right) brain grown up world
In a world that values logical thinking and adult responsibilities.
And if they ask you for proof
If someone asks you to prove your adulthood.
They're gonna find out right away
They will find out that you are not as grown up as you seem.
With your rock and roll heart
But you cling to your love of rock and roll music.
You're just here to play
You are not necessarily here to fulfill societal expectations.
Well I'm taking the stage
I am ready to take on the world.
Reflecting the light
I am shining and drawing attention to myself.
Inventing the role
I am creating my own path and identity.
My body's dancing out
I am expressing myself through my physical movements.
A storm in my soul
I am overwhelmed with emotions and feelings.
And there is no rest
I am constantly active and working towards my goals.
But I can't put it on hold
I can't stop pursuing my passions.
Cause time's just a beat
Time feels fleeting and insignificant.
In my rock and roll heart
So I hold onto my love of rock and roll music to help me get through it all.
Time's just a - uh
Time feels like it doesn't matter.
Contributed by Harper Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Babaziba
I've always loved that about Melanie...such a mix of powerful and playfulness.
Lucas
Wow!! Floored by that performance! 50,000 Watts of Melanie energy. So good
ChanelNo19
I had the VHS tape of this concert about a hundred years ago, Melanie’s performance was always my favorite on the whole show. I’m so glad to find it again on YouTube. Just as beautiful and powerful as I’d remembered!
Joe Blow
I saw Melanie perform at Folk City right around that same time. She was in excellent voice. Did a rendition of "Like a Rolling Stone" that was simply amazing.
Ron C
I just love this video.
Babaziba
Excellent. (And bonus points for the Roches snippet!)
Derek Danowski
I was at that show~it was {Excellent}
Dia Huizinga
Just Wow!
Stephen Fox
I know the real Melanie and it's not all that flattering. Like the time she and her husband left a recording studio in the early hours of the morning without paying for the tracks she recorded.