MELANIE Debut Album

Original Released on LP Buddah BDS 5024 
(CANADA, November 1968)

Produced by Peter Schekeryk
Arranged by Roger Kellaway
Directed by Artie Ripp
Recorded at Allegro Sound Studios
Engineer: Bruce Staples

Melanie Safka:
Born February 3rd, 1947
New York (7:35 a.m.)
SUN – Aquarius 28
MOON – Taurus 4
MERCURY – Aquarius 14
VENUS – Sagittarius 16
MARS – Aquarius 10
JUPITER – Virgo 22
SATURN – Leo 6
URANUS – Gemini 23
NEPTUNE – Libra 10
PLUTO – Leo 16
RISING SIGN – Aquarius 26

This is the Aquarian Age. You like to work out your own problems and come to your own conclusions. You seldom stay licked. You face reality when you have to, but you prefer to live in a world of your own where beauty and sympathy are natural and normal. You always will be surrounded by people who are different and unusual and creative. Personal freedom is the breath of life to you. Many great inventors and writers were born when the planet Mercury was transiting the sign of Aquarius. You can’t help being attracted to attractive people. Your feet are on the ground but your path is one of celestial ideals and much success.

THIS IS MELANIE. BORN TO BE

Melanie is a talented songwriter and a gifted vocalist with a very bewitched voice. Then she has something to say in her lyrics. Among the ballads, she wrote some of the greatest ones of the late 60s. "In the Hour", the title track is a very beautiful song, including some sad accordion in the background. Usually I don't like much this instrument too much linked with the French country popular music where it sounds rather bombastic and vulgar. But here it strangely sounds very refined. Same as her intriguing cover of the Bob Dylan "Mr. Tambourine Man" in a slower tempo, soulful singing, acoustic guitar, flute ans ethereal strings in the background. In "I Really Loved Harold" Melanie sings another sad song only backed by her guitar and discreet woodwinds, like oboe and bassoon sometimes to time. That's such a wonderful memorable melody. "Momma Momma" is nice too. "Close to It All" is deadly beautiful and haunting too. Another haunting melody with subtle orchestration, acoustic guitar and discreet brass section with horns... "Bobo's Party" is the most known song here. Melanie shows her vocal gifts in the trebles... "Animal Crackers" is rather a pleasant and funny song, same as "Christopher Robin (Is Saying His Prayers)". The album closes with a nice cover of "I Wish You a Merry Christmas" introduced by the beginning of "Silent Night". Highly Recommended album full of soul. (in RateYourMusic)