Search - Melanie :: Best of

Melanie's Magic

Timothy J. Slivinski | 08/08/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Perhaps no singer/songwriter of the "Woodstock Era" was more misunderstood than Melanie. For those who have forgotten, yes, Melanie did appear and sing at the infamous outdoor gathering in New York. Alone with an acoustic guitar, she captivated the audience. The experience would inspire her to write one of the finest blends of folk, rock and gospel songs ever: "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain." It summed up the magical feeling of peace and love that Woodstock was intended to represent, and it became Melanie's first top ten hit. Disaster--of a sort--struck Melanie when "Brand New Key," a rather "cute," bouncy song from her exceptional "Gather Me" album became a number one hit. No one wanted to take Melanie seriously after that. And that is a real shame. There is power, strength, and emotion in Melanie's voice; her lyrics are beautiful and moving. She is a songwriter of incredible depth, feeling, and warmth. Unfortunately, most of the record buying public is unaware of this. This "Best of" collection is a good introduction to the tunes that Melanie and her record labels hoped would be hits. There are tracks included here that should have been million sellers: "Love to Lose Again, Together Alone, the Good Book, Leftover Wine." Every one of these a stand out. The actual chart hits are here as well: "Lay Down, Peace Will Come, The Nickel Song, Bitter Bad." Melanie continues to record and perform today, and her voice is as powerful as ever. If you have the opportunity to see her in concert, by all means take advantage of the opportunity. You will be overwhelmed by the warmth and sincerity of this amazing musician. For those of us who are long time fans, we always look forward to any new release from Melanie; it is always a treat. If you purchase this CD, it will introduce you to the beginning of what Melanie was and is all about. To truly capture her talent, you need to track down all her album releases, many of them not yet released on CD--hopefully someday."

Vintage Melanie

Don Snow | Boise, ID United States | 08/11/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of those music collections that has the ability to transport you back to another time. If you weren't young and looking for answers back then, you can learn a bit about the issues of the late sixties and early seventies by Melanie's music. Listen closely for the social reflections as only she can vocalize."

A great cd

Fannie Flora Walker | new jersey | 09/05/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This cd really has a lot of the songs that I grew up with and know I'm so happy with it and it's nice having a cd in the car that everyone loves and sings along to. If you are a melanie fan this cd is a must."