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)
People Got To Be Free
Melanie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
People everywhere just wanna be free
Listen, please listen, that's the way it should be
Peace in the valley, people got to be free
You should see, what a lovely, lovely world this would be
If everyone learned to live together
It seems to me such an easy, easy thing this would be
All the world over, so easy to see
People everywhere just wanna be free
I can't understand it, so simple to me
People everywhere just got to be free
Ah, ah, yeah . . . ah, ah, yeah
If there's a man who is down and needs a helping hand
All it takes is you to understand and to see him through
Seems to me, we got to solve it individually
And I'll do unto you what you do to me
There'll be shoutin' from the mountains on out to sea
(out to the sea)
No two ways about it, people have to be free
(they got to be free)
Ask me my opinion, my opinion will be
(ah-ha)
It's a natural situation for a man to be free
Oh, what a feelin's just come over me
Enough to move a mountain, make a blind man see
Everybody's dancin', come on, let's go see
Peace in the valley, now they want to be free
The lyrics of Melanie's song "People Got to Be Free" convey a message of unity and peace. The song emphasizes the idea that people, regardless of their nationality or ethnicity, want to be free, and that freedom is a natural state that every human being should strive for. The song pleads for people to listen to each other and love one another in order to achieve peace in the world. Melanie encourages individuals to help each other, see things from different perspectives, and make the world a better place for everyone.
Moreover, the lyrics urge individuals to be proactive and take responsibility for solving problems. By solving problems individually, Melanie believes that it can lead to a more peaceful world for all. The song encourages listeners to be empathetic, compassionate, and understanding to others, and recognize that everyone has the right to be free.
Overall, Melanie's "People Got to Be Free" is a timeless song that conveys universal values of love and unity. The words still resonate with listeners today, and the message is a reminder of the importance of treating every individual with respect and dignity.
Line by Line Meaning
All the world over, so easy to see
It's clear to see that all around the globe, people desire freedom.
People everywhere just wanna be free
People in all parts of the world simply want the freedom to live and be themselves.
Listen, please listen, that's the way it should be
We need to pay attention and understand that freedom is a fundamental right.
Peace in the valley, people got to be free
True peace can only be achieved when individuals are free to live out their lives in liberty and justice.
You should see, what a lovely, lovely world this would be
If we could all coexist in freedom and harmony, the world would be a beautiful place.
If everyone learned to live together
If every person learned to understand and respect one another, we could all live in peace.
It seems to me such an easy, easy thing this would be
The path to freedom and harmony is simple, if only we could get there together.
Why can't you and me learn to love one another
If we could all find love and compassion for our fellow humans, we could create a world of freedom and harmony.
I can't understand it, so simple to me
It is difficult to comprehend why some people do not embrace the simple principles of freedom and harmony.
Ah, ah, yeah . . . ah, ah, yeah
This phrase is reflective of the joyful feeling that comes with freedom and unity.
If there's a man who is down and needs a helping hand
When we encounter others who are struggling, it is our duty as human beings to lend a helping hand.
All it takes is you to understand and to see him through
Sometimes, all a person needs is someone to understand and support them through difficult times.
Seems to me, we got to solve it individually
The responsibility to create a world of peace and harmony falls on each individual to make their own contribution.
And I'll do unto you what you do to me
By treating others with kindness and respect, we can inspire the same in return and create a cycle of goodwill.
There'll be shoutin' from the mountains on out to sea
When we finally achieve freedom and create a world of peace, the joyous cries of celebration will be felt far and wide.
(out to the sea)
This phrase is part of the previous line and emphasizes that the celebration will be universal.
No two ways about it, people have to be free
There is no compromising when it comes to the basic human right of freedom.
(they got to be free)
This phrase is a repetition of the previous line and reinforces the importance of freedom.
Ask me my opinion, my opinion will be
If you ask me, I will always say that freedom is a natural and fundamental right.
(ah-ha)
This phrase is an expression of agreement and advocacy for freedom.
It's a natural situation for a man to be free
By nature, humans deserve to be free and live in liberty.
Oh, what a feelin's just come over me
This phrase is a reflection of the joy and elation that comes with the realization of true freedom and unity.
Enough to move a mountain, make a blind man see
The feeling of freedom and unity is so powerful that it can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
Everybody's dancin', come on, let's go see
This line emphasizes the joy and celebration that comes with true freedom and unity.
Peace in the valley, now they want to be free
Only when peace and harmony is achieved, do individuals feel the true desire for freedom.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRIGATI, EDWARD / CAVALIERE, FELIX
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind