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)
Peace Train
Melanie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Thinking about the good things to come
And I believe it could be
Something good has begun
Oh, I've been smiling lately
Dreaming about the world as one
And I believe it could be
'Cause out on the edge of darkness
There rides a Peace Train
Peace Train take this country, yeah
Come take me home again
Now, I've been smiling lately
Thinking about the good things to come
And I believe it could be
Something good has begun
Peace Train sounding louder
Glide on the Peace Train
Come on the Peace Train
Peace Train, holy roller
Everyone jump on the Peace Train
Come on now, Peace Train
Get your bags together,
Go bring your good friends, too
'Cause it's getting nearer
It soon will be with you
Now, come and join the living
It's not so far from you
And it's getting nearer
Soon it will all be true
Peace Train sounding louder
Glide on the Peace Train
Come on the Peace Train
Now, I've been crying lately
Thinking about the world as it is
Why must we go on hating?
Why can't we live in bliss?
'Cause out on the edge of darkness
There rides a Peace Train
Peace Train take this country
Come take me home again
The iconic lyrics of Melanie's song Peace Train express the artist's hopes for a world devoid of war, hate and negativity. The song begins on a positive note with the singer expressing happiness and belief that good things are about to happen. She dreams about a world where all nations are united and thoughts of peace reign supreme. The song takes a spiritual turn as Peace Train is described as a ‘holy roller’ and individuals of all backgrounds are called upon to join this train towards peace.
The chorus repeats this call for everyone to jump on the Peace Train and glide on it towards a peaceful and united world. In the third verse, the singer shifts from her optimistic standpoint and admits to crying and feeling sad due to the current state of the world. She questions why we continue to hate each other and reminds everyone that the Peace Train is still available to take us to a better place. The song ends with a renewed call to all to hop on the train and join in the journey towards a peaceful world.
Line by Line Meaning
Now, I've been happy lately
Melanie is currently feeling happy and content
Thinking about the good things to come
She is focusing on future positive events
And I believe it could be
Melanie has faith that something wonderful is about to happen
Something good has begun
She believes that the beginning of a positive turn has started
Oh, I've been smiling lately
She's been happier and more joyful lately
Dreaming about the world as one
Melanie is imagining a world where everyone is united and living peacefully
And I believe it could be
She has faith in the possibility of a world without conflict
Someday it's going to come
Melanie hopes that one day a peaceful world will be a reality
'Cause out on the edge of darkness
Despite the dark state of the world, there is hope
There rides a Peace Train
The hope is embodied in a train symbolizing peace
Peace Train take this country, yeah
Melanie is calling out to the Peace Train to take her country on this journey of peace
Come take me home again
Melanie is ready to be taken away from the darkness of conflict and home to a peaceful world
Peace Train sounding louder
The hope and possibility of peace is getting louder and becoming more present
Glide on the Peace Train
Melanie is calling everyone to join the peaceful journey by jumping on the 'Peace train'
Come on the Peace Train
She is encouraging everyone to join this peaceful journey
Peace Train, holy roller
The Peace Train carries those who believe in the possibility and power of peace
Everyone jump on the Peace Train
Melanie believes that everyone should join this journey towards peace
Come on now, Peace Train
The call for people to join the Peace Train is more urgent now
Get your bags together
Melanie urges people to pack their bags
Go bring your good friends, too
She encourages people to bring their good friends onboard the Peace Train
'Cause it's getting nearer
The possibility of a peaceful world is closer
It soon will be with you
Melanie firmly believes that peace is within reach for everyone
Now, come and join the living
Melanie invites people to join the living in peace and harmony
It's not so far from you
She assures everyone that peace is attainable and not far away
And it's getting nearer
The possibility of peace is getting nearer and closer to reality
Soon it will all be true
Melanie has faith that soon peace will be a reality for everyone
Now, I've been crying lately
Melanie is sad and crying about the state of the world
Thinking about the world as it is
She is focusing on the present state of the world with all of its conflicts and struggles
Why must we go on hating?
Melanie questions why we continue to hate and engage in conflict
Why can't we live in bliss?
She believes we should all be living in a state of bliss and harmony
'Cause out on the edge of darkness
Despite the darkness of the world, there is still hope out there
There rides a Peace Train
The hope of the world is embodied in the Peace Train
Peace Train take this country
Melanie is calling out to the Peace Train to take her country and lead it towards peace
Come take me home again
Melanie wants to go back to a place of peace and leave conflict behind
Contributed by Anthony L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.