A GUIDE TO THE RECORDINGS OF

MELANIE
NEWS ABOUT LATEST RELEASES

MAY 7th, 2013

 

 

 

 

Melanie has contributed vocals to a couple of tracks on albums by other artists.

 

Nashville singer/songwriter Melody Guy has just released her new album “Diamond On The Street”. Melanie contribute harmony vocals on the song “When He Wasn’t Drinking”. The album is available via Melody’s Bandcamp page here, melodyguy.bandcamp.com, where you can also listen to the album.

 

Alex Burnet, guitarist and vocalist with The Proud Flesh, has long been a fan of Melanie. He approached her via social media and asked if she would be interested in working on something. Melanie was sceptical at first but listened to the track and ended up liking it. She had her son record a vocal part and sent it to the Proud Flesh guys to add to the mix.

That track was “Before Too Long” and is included on their new album, “Home”. It is available from The Proud Flesh Bandcamp page here, theproudflesh.bandcamp.com, where you can also listen to the album.

 

JANUARY 18th, 2013

 

 

 

Australian company Possum Records have released a DVD featuring recordings of live performances made in the UK and Germany in 1971 and 1975. The DVD titled WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO MY SONG MA consists of 19 songs and is PAL format only, but region free, and can be ordered from the Possum Records website.

SEPTEMBER 1st 2012

 

 

 

Melanie has recorded a brand new version of BRAND NEW KEY. Produced, directed and arranged by Beau Jarred Schekeryk, the song is only available from Melanie’s official website. To find out why Melanie has made this recording then visit this page and watch the video.  This new version can be heard on the homepage of her website and downloaded from her official store.

JUNE 1st 2012

 

 

 

Melanie’s current release, EVER SINCE YOU NEVER HEARD OF ME, is now available as a (very) limited edition LP. Pressed in purple vinyl, the LP can be ordered here: Limited Edition Purple Vinyl .

 

Further information in the Album Discography.

 

MAY 29th 2012

 

 

 

An additional download version of Melanie’s 1978 album ‘PHONOGENIC: NOT JUST ANOTHER PRETTY FACE’ is available from today. This new ‘digitally remastered’ edition comes from Florida based company, Essential Media Group. A version from Two Story Records has been available since 2005. The download is available from iTunes and Amazon.

 

MARCH 22nd 2012

 

 

Three more digital collections from Carinco Neue Medien:

  • AS I SEE IT NOW: The complete original album.
  • ARABESQUE: The complete original album.
  • DIFFERENT: A collection of nine previously released re-recordings, plus Apathy (BBC Session), California Dreaming and the long version of Rag Doll.

 

MARCH 20th 2012

 

 

 

Melanie featured on debut album from singer/songwriter Jessica Frech.

As well as a Singer Songwriter, Jessica describes herself as Ukulele-ista, Slap Stick YouTube Video Creator, College Student and Coffee House Hermit. She has built up quite a following via her YouTube channel and as the face and voice Hyundai in two TV commercials. She recently released her debut album, REALITY, which includes two songs written by Melanie. As well as Brand New Key she has recorded her version of Tried To Die Young, which features Melanie on vocal. The album and individual tracks are available as digital downloads.

 

MARCH 15th 2012

 

 

Carinco Neue Medien continue their release of digital collections from Melanie with eight more added this month, making a total of 20 so far this year. These seem to be mainly aimed at the European market. Released this month are:

·        MADRUGADA: The complete album, which follows the format of the US release and includes I Am Being Guided, plus two re-recording from 1999, Close To It All and Together Alone.

·        STONEGROUND WORDS: The complete album with the addition of two acoustic performances, Tuning My Guitar and Babe Rainbow.

·        LIVE AT CARNEGIE HALL: The 1973 recording of Melanie’s Carnegie Hall show originally released as a double album has been split into two collections. This one takes the tracks that made up sides one and two of the album.

·        LIVE AT CARNEGIE HALL AGAIN: This collections takes the tracks that made up sides 3 and 4 of the original double album release.

·        MORE STORIES TO TELL: Is the complete LOWCOUNTRY album with the addition of Prematurely Grey, recorded at the same time, but not included as part of the original release.

·        LOVE IN MY MIND: Ten recordings from the Buddah era, but all re-mixed and enhanced with additional instrumentation plus “Song of the South” and a track titled The Original (Something Warm), which turns out to be Maybe I Was (A Golf Ball).

·        SOMEBODY LOVES ME: The most baffling of all these collections. Seven Buddah recordings, remixed and enhanced. Four acoustic recordings from the SILVER ANNIVERSARY sessions and Safka’s One Mistake.

·        THE RE-MAKES: A collection of 10 re-recordings, mostly from 1999. Bitter Bad has been re-titled Rockin’ Road Song

 

FEBRUARY 25th 2012
 
 

Here we go again, three more Melanie Safka collections from Carinco, to add to the nine released in February:

  • ANTLERS is the original album in full.
  • CANDLES IN THE RAIN is NOT Melanie’s 1970 album, but is in fact the compilation SHINE ON, which has been re-issued several times before.
  • RING THE LIVING BELL brings together 17 re-recordings, made in 1999. It sounds like some may be from the European album “Beautiful People” (Brilliant BT 33023), while others are the enhanced versions from the album “Ruby Tuesday” (Planet Song 7028).

 

These collections are for download only and may not be available in all countries.

 

FEBRUARY 21st 2012
 

 

Swiss Company, Carinco Neue Medien AG, have released a further four collections for digital download to add to the five released earlier this month. These are:

·        THE RUBY TUESDAY REMIX GALLERY, a collection of twelve remixes of Melanie’s 1999 re-recording of Ruby Tuesday. From listening to samples of the tracks it sounds like you are basically buying two versions, ‘country’ and ‘rock’, and the remixes of each version tend to sound very similar.

·        UNCHAINED MELODY contains 14 acoustic re-recordings taken mainly from SILVER ANNIVERSARY and UNCHAINED MELANIE. All have been previously released.

·        CHOSEN FEW is actually the album PRECIOUS CARGO with the addition of the long version of Rag Doll.

·        FREEDOM KNOWS MY NAME is the complete album.

 

As with the other releases from Carinco, these may not be available in all counties.

FEBRUARY 7th 2012
 

 

Five download collections have just been added to iTunes.  All contain material previously released.

·        EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE and FRIENDS & CO are actually CD1 and CD2 of  RING THE LIVING BELL: A COLLECTION.

·        SUNSET AND OTHER BEGINNINGS is the original album, following the US format.

·        KNOCK ON WOOD is actually the complete PHONOGENIC album, plus four additional tracks: Will You Love Me Tomorrow (’99 re-recording), The Sun Will Always Shine On You And Me, Those Were The Day and a remix of Melanie’s 99 re-recording of Ruby Tuesday.

·        LIVE AT CARNEGIE HALL and MONTREUX takes 5 tracks from the 1973 album LIVE AT CARNEGIE HALL and adds the complete IN CONCERT: LIVE AT MONTREUX album.

 

The collections are provided by Carinco Neue Medien AG, who have previously released this material under the POP MASTERS and LIVE POP MASTERS banners.  Carinco is a Swiss Company and the collections may not be available in all countries.

 

NOTE: Ring The Living Bell: A Collection, Sunset & Other Beginnings, Live at Carnegie Hall and Phonogenic are widely available as downloads from Melanie’s own record label, TWO STORY RECORDS.

 

NOVEMBER 2011
 

 

“Purple Haze - Live” is available to download from iTunes. I believe the recording is from the 30th Woodstock Reunion Concert. The track is included on a revised edition of “All Her Hits and More” from Arpeggio Records. This version of the compilation also includes “Baby Guitar/Silver Threads Live” from the Johnny Cash Show and “Working Legend (My Tribute To Johnny Cash)”

 

 

 

Digital versions of “Candles In The Rain” and “Gather Me” are available once again. Several of Melanie’s early albums disappeared from download stores earlier this year. These new versions are supplied by Arpeggio Records. “Candles In The Rain” follows the format of the original 1970 US release, which included “Alexander Beetle” but had the shorter version of “Lay Down (Candles In The Rain”).

 

OCTOBER 2011

 

b

New 2011 editions of LOWCOUNTRY and EVER SINCE YOU NEVER HEARD OF ME have been made available. Both come with lyric booklet and in clear tray jewel case. No changes are made to the track listing for LowCountry, but Ever Since You Never Heard of Me includes a new track, HORNY ORGANIC FARMER LADY SHUFFLE. So far these new editions are only available at concerts.

 

AUGUST 2011
 
As of August 2011some minor changes have been made to the track listing of EVER SINCE YOU NEVER HEARD OF ME. The album details in the discography have been updated to reflect these changes. The latest version is only available from Melanie’s official store and is not available from other download sources.

 

A number of digital albums distributed through IODA/Two Story Records are no longer available. These include CANDLES IN THE RAIN, THE GOOD BOOK, GATHER ME, GARDEN IN THE CITY, MADRUGADA and OLD BITCH WARRIOR.

 

JULY 2011
 

 

 

EVER SINCE YOU NEVER HEARD OF ME is now available as either CD or download from Melanie’s official store.

 

The store can be accessed via Melanie’s website, which has a new address www.melaniesafka.com

 

 

 

MARCH 2011 DIGITAL DOWNLOADS UPDATE
 

After the initial release of EVER SINCE YOU NEVER HEARD OF ME some changes were made to the track listing, with the additions of BIG BIG BEAR and MY SURPRISE.  The album was also given a wider digital distribution through POSSUM RECORDS/ARPEGGIO RECORDS, which stuck to the initial track listing. Although this is still available through Amazon it appears that it has been removed from iTunes. A high quality download can still be purchase via the following link:

http://cypressrosewood.com/melanie/recordings 

 

 

The soundtrack to the film GLASTONBURY FAYRE was released as a digital download towards the end of 2010 by Smith & Co. Recorded at the 1971 festival it includes Melanie singing PEACE WILL COME (ACCORDING TO PLAN). The track was also included as a bonus item on the download album MELANIE: LIVE AT MELTDOWN 2007

 

 

THE NATURAL MAN EP is a four track download released in December 2010 by ESSENTIAL MEDIA GROUP LLC. It includes: The Natural Man (San Bernadino), You Could Have Had Me For A Nickel, How Can I Help You Say Goodbye and Long Train Runnin’.

All tracks have been previously released.

 

 

MELANIE SAFKA is a 12 track compilation that takes material from various albums and eras. Some is original material and some re-recordings. It is released on the Carinco label, who have been responsible for a number of download compilations

 

 

Cashing in on the recent interest in the HP commercial, Cleopatra Records (?) have released BRAND NEW KEY (THE ROLLER-SKATE SONG) as a digital single. This is not the original recording but Melanie’s 1999 re-recording. This version is also included in several recent compilations while the original recording is included on the soundtrack of the movie JACKASS 3D.

 

AUGUST 2010
 

 

NEW ALBUM RELEASE

 

Melanie’s new album, EVER SINCE YOU NEVER HEARD OF ME, was released by Arpeggio Records on August 2nd. Initial copies are only available as a high quality download (WAV format) from the following link

 

http://cypressrosewood.com/melanie/recordings
 

 

PEACE WILL COME (ACCORDING TO PLAN) (Download)

 

This recording is of an historic live performance of a classic song taken from the Ed Sullivan show broadcast in October 1970, and now available as a download. The song was released August 31st by SOFA Entertainment, Inc under exclusive license to Universal Music Enterprises, and is current only available within the United States.
 

 

NEW COMPILATION – WORKING LEGEND (Download)

 

Working Legend – All The Hits and More! is released by Arpeggio Records and is a re-issue of The Greatest Hits Legacy, originally released in 2004, with some new material.  The album opens with a re-working of Working Legend, recorded as a tribute to Johnny Cash. The album ends with two songs Baby Guitar (live) and Silver Threads and Golden Needles (live duet with Johnny Cash) recorded in August 1969 and originally broadcast as part of the Johhny Cash Show.  The rest of the compilation is made up of classic Buddah recordings and also includes Summer of Love and Melanie’s version of Rag Doll.
 

 

 

NEW SINGLE – WORKING LEGEND (Download)

 

Melanie has re-recorded Working Legend as her tribute to Johnny Cash. The song, sometimes referred to as I Lived For Love, was know to fans for many years before a recording finally appeared on the Victim of the Moon album. Melanie has re-worked the song added some new lyrics. It is released as a download by Arpeggio Records.

JULY 2010

 

 

 

BRAND NEW SONG (24th July)

 

The latest download to be made available by Arpeggio Records is a brand new song Life Without You. The song was made available on 22nd July.

 

 

 

FURTHER DOWNLOADS NOW AVAILABLE (17th July)

 

Live In Morecambe UK 2008 is finally available as digital download. The album is now titled United Kingdom LIVE.  The limited edition release Victim of The Moon has also been made available as a digital download along with another single, Tried To Die Young (2010 Version) a new recording of a song originally featured on the album Paled By Dimmer Light.

 

 

 

NEW DOWNLOADS – ALBUM & FIVE SINGLES (8th July)

 

An album and five singles have been made available as downloads. The album is Last of the New Millennium Live, a re-issue of Recorded Live @ Borders, which has previously only been available as a hard to find CD.  The singles included two new recordings, Ordinary Rain and Angel Watching Over You as well as Motherhood of Love, Christmahanavaloween and Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.

 

OCTOBER 2009

 

 

 

BEAUTIFUL HITS RE-ISSUED WITH REVISED TRACK LIST

 

The Dutch record company, Disky, have re-issued the CD Beautiful Hits with a revised track listing. The CD now includes Time After Time (previously only available as part of a 3CD boxed set called Greatest Love Ballads) and three live tracks from Melanie’s appearance at Meltdown 2007.To accommodate these new tracks When I Need You, I’ll Never Find Another You and I Will Survive have been dropped. The CD was first issued in 2002 as Moments From My Life.

 

 

 

 

WOODSTOCK 40: BACK TO YASGUR’S FARM (6CD BOXSET)

 

This 6CD set has been released to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the Woodstock Festival. It includes three songs from Melanie’s appearance at the 1969 festival.: Beautiful People and Birthday Of The Sun, originally released on the Woodstock Two album, and Momma, Momma, which is previously un-released.

 

The boxset is released by Rhino Records.

 

 

 

 

TAKING WOODSTOCK (Soundtrack)

 

The soundtrack album for the film Taking Woodstock features Beautiful People (Live). The track is taken from Melanie’s album Leftover Wine, recorded at Carnegie Hall.

 

The CD is released by Rhino Records.

 

JUNE 2009 – FORTHCOMING RELEASES

 

 

 

LIVE IN MORECAMBE UK 2008 (2CD SET)

 

Recorded at Morecambe Dome during Melanie’s 2008 concert tour of the UK, this new album is expected to be available through Melanie’s official on-line store when it re-opens.  For those lucky enough to attend Melanie’s London shows at the Jazz Café, as well as other recent concerts, the album was available as a double CD.  It features a mix of classic songs, recent material and several new compositions.  The recording is clear and bright, with Melanie in fine form. Further details can be found in the Album Discography.

 

 

 

 

RARE WOODSTOCK PERFORMANCE ON NEW BOXED SET

 

A 6CD set, to be released by Rhino Records to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of Woodstock, will include a previously unreleased performance by Melanie. In addition to Beautiful People and Birthday of the Sun, the boxed set will also include her 1969 performance of Momma, Momma.

 

Woodstock -- 40 Years On: Back to Yasgur's Farm will be released on Aug. 18.

 

Rhino also recently issued a special 40th Anniversary edition of the original Woodstock Two Album.

 

APRIL 2009

 

 

 

THE FOUR SIDES OF MELANIE – NEW 2CD SET OUT NOW

 

A new version of THE FOUR SIDES OF MELANIE has been released by specialist re-issue Company BGO. The album has been digitally re-mastered from the original tapes and comes as a 2CD set. The usual jewel case is enclosed in a special card slipcase and the inner booklet includes newly written sleeve notes.

 

The CD can be purchased through the usual on-line retailers.

MARCH 2009

 

 

MELANIE AT MELDOWN 2007

 

An audio only version of Melanie’s 2007 appearance at the Meltdown Festival has been made available as a digital download. The concert was previously only available as a DVD. It can be found at several download stores, including iTunes and Amazon.

 

It as not available on CD

 

If you’ve arrived at this page from an external link then click here to go to the main site.