SONG OF THE DAY
“Lay Down (Candles In The Rain)” by Melanie Safka (Candles In The Rain, Buddah Records, 1970). Written by Melanie Safka.
INTERESTING FACTS (a la wikipedia)
– “Lay Down (Candles In The Rain)” was the second single from Melanie’s 1970 album Candles in the Rain. The song proved to her breakthrough hit in the United States, climbing to #6 on the U.S. Billboard charts and #3 on the U.S. Cash Box charts.
– The song, released in March 1970, was a collaboration with the Edwin Hawkins Singers, who provide gospel vocals in the background of each chorus.
– Melanie grew up in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens, New York. Melanie was a student at New York’s American Academy of Dramatic Arts when she began singing in the folk clubs of Greenwich Village and signed her first recording contract.
– Initially signed to Columbia Records in the United States, Melanie released two singles on the label. Her debut album received rave reviews from Billboard Magazine which heralded her voice as “… wise beyond her years. Her non-conformist approach to the selections on this LP make her a new talent to be reckoned with.”
– The inspiration for her signature song, “Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)”, apparently arose from the Woodstock audience lighting candles during her set. A gospel-boosted genuine one-off that combined high drama with Melanie’s trademark hippie sincerity, the recording became a hit in Europe, Australia, Canada and the United States in the spring and summer of 1970. The B-side of the single featured Melanie’s spoken-word track “Candles in the Rain”.
– In 1970, Melanie was the only artist to brave the court injunction banning the Powder Ridge Rock Festival, playing for the crowd on a homemade stage powered by Mister Softee trucks. Shortly following this performance, Melanie played at the Strawberry Fields Festival, held on August 7-9, 1970 at Mosport Park, Ontario. She also performed at the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970 where she was introduced by Keith Moon and received four standing ovations. Melanie was also the artist who sang to herald in the summer solstice at Glastonbury Fayre (later the Glastonbury Festival) in England in June 1971.
– In 1973, Melanie started to retreat from the spotlight to begin a family. Her daughter Leilah was born that same year. When she became an official UNICEF ambassador in 1972, she agreed to forgo a world tour in favour of raising money for the organization.
– For a time, at the beginning of her career, Melanie was a follower of Meher Baba and this influenced some of her songs (such as “Love to Lose Again” and “Candles in the Rain”). Over time she became disenchanted with other followers and then disassociated herself from Meher Baba. In 2006 she underwent a life-altering experience with Mata Amritanandamayi or Amma (Mother) as she is also known, or as the “hugging saint” from India, which inspired Melanie to write “Motherhood Of Love”, one of her more recent songs.
-Many notable artists have covered Melanie’s compositions: In 1971, Mott the Hoople covered “Lay Down” on their Wildlife album; in 1999, American artist Meredith Brooks covered “Lay Down” with backing vocals by Queen Latifah; Vicky Leandros recorded a Greek version in 1972; Max Sharam covered “Lay Down” in 1995, reaching Top 40 on the Australian charts; Emiliana Torrini has covered both “I Really Loved Harold” and “Lay Down”; Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy and Tortise covered “(Some Say) I Got Devil” on their 2006 covers album The Brave and the Bold; the song “What Have They Done To My Song, Ma” has been covered by Ray Charles, Nina Simone, Daliah Lavi and Billie Jo Spears; The New Seekers covered several songs: “What Have They Done To My Song Ma”, “Beautiful People” and “The Nickel Song”; Macy Gray, Dolly Parton and Cher have all performed “Brand New Key” in concert; Dutch singer Mathilde Santing had a gold record and the first Top 10 hit version of “Beautiful People” in 1997; Country singer Deana Carter covered “Brand New Key” on her 1999 Top 10 album Everything’s Gonna Be Alright; the cellist band Rasputina covered “Brand New Key” on their album Thanks for the Ether.
WHY TODAY?…
…Because the genius’ who select the soundtrack over at HBO’s Big Love used this song very powerfully during the closing credits of this week’s episode, and that highly emotional plot climax/ crazy-brilliant music choice combination really got to me. This is one of my favorite songs of all-time, certainly one of the most powerful songs I’ve ever heard, so chances are if you’re close to me, I’ve likely played this song for you before. But I’ve never heard this song in a context; I’ve always heard it at its word, at its value, as it stands alone on an album, crying through the speakers. And though I’ll admit that it was a pretty cool experience to hear this same song in a new, un-same way, it didn’t last long for me. Soon after the credits finished, my dumb ol’ mind started regretting that Big Love used the song, because now new listeners will know this song at its Big Love context, and not for the pure peace-love-protest-rock-folk timepiece that it is. Then I flip back, thinking “well, hey, any way someone can find out about this song is a win, isn’t it?”. “Sort of…”
Note: This song has appeared on mixes and lists of mine before, but I’ve never blogged about it in this particular forum, so it’s a first for the Song Of The Day blog, and thus does not violate my self-imposed rules of NO REPEATS. I know that there are enough great songs on the earth that I never need to think about a song twice, but honestly this song begs careful meditation and discussion. I hope when you see and hear the video it puts the same mojo over you that it did over me.
VIDEO OF THE DAY
Here’s the link!