Melanie

seems to be a joke to most people, embodying all that is ridiculous about hippie culture - namely the barefoot naivety and the simple-minded desire for the unadulterated immediate real.
To most, except for Stephin Merritt and me. We know that Miss Safka's voice, if applied right, is capable of shredding the armour of cool our fellow convicts pride themselves with.
While on most of her records, especially the early ones, there's stuff you will cringe from, still you'll get plenty for avoiding her cow loving side and her "Bo Bo Parties" for Christopher Robin and the other five year olds.

Now let's go over to the record player, shall we?
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Two songs from her second album:
Any Guy is a surprisingly acrid little "I don't care" song, that's put back on its feet with it's final "is she as pretty as me, HA?".
Now, hear her roar on Tuning my Guitar. Getting goosebumps?


As the 70's progressed, she left the large Woodstock audience behind, her songs seemed to withdraw into a more private setting and got a little darker. On 1974's Madrugada you can hear both. This sombre album talks about resignation and offers resource in the consolations of a kind of humane short range devotion/submission, it's intimate songs mainly adressed at the one other.

Get saved by Melanie, Maybe not for a Lifetime, maybe for a reason. Perfect suicide prevention song with an ending that rhymes with ABBA.
Holding Out, it's never easy, hold me down. Her phrasing reminds us of Van Morrison, doesn't it?
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Ta Ta, till next time, when the brotherhood continues on it's crusade against cool.
(Remember kids, coolness is evil.)