I spent some time with the collection and as always I started to wonder if there was enough unique material to construct a new album. There was and here are my results. A nice, twelve song LP just as nice as the album the sessions officially produced.
Side One
01 Secret Of The Darkness
02 Deep Down Under My Bed
03 Dream Lover
04 Another You
05 Raindance
06 When The Saints Go Marching In
Side Two
07 Darling Be Home Soon
08 White Man Sings The Blues
09 Ain't Nobody's Business
10 Another Side
11 Little Maggie
12 Any Day Now
Reality Notes
Melanie was never the type to sit on her laurels. She was always trying new things and chasing new sounds as she still does today. She had many successes in the first part of her career up to the early 80s. She was the first women solo act to have three singles on the top 100 at the same time. She played all of the major festivals at the time including Woodstock and Monterey. In fact many cities banned her because of her association as a festival act. In spite of all this Melanie never made it past the lower end of the top tier of performers.
By the time of Sunset and Other Beginnings, Melanie's career had plateaued. She was still selling but the industry was changing. Singer/songwriters were on the way out to make room for disco and punk/new wave with MTV just around the corner. Melanie would soon begin a slow dance to maintain relevancy in a changing environment, changing her image and sound to try and fit in with the new guard.
So how does this collection of outtakes measure up to the album they came from? Pretty darn good if you ask me. It must have been difficult to choose which tracks to use and which ones to set aside. I can see this being released as a quick follow up to Sunset. It feels complete and just as charming.
Two songs, Secret Of The Darkness and Raindance, were re-recorded and appear on the next album Photograph. While Secret Of The Darkness is just as good on that album (maybe better), I much prefer Raindance here. The simplicity of the guitar/voice demo lets the soul of the song come through. That album was later re-released as a double album with plenty of worthy songs that can take the place of these.
The name of the album is derived from the name of the bootleg - Creative Workshop Sessions - which is in turn named after the studio where the songs were recorded - Creative Workshop.
The cover picture was featured on the cover of the Madrugada album but was small and set in the corner and twisted into a perspective view. I have always loved the picture and found an unedited version and used it here.
Funny -- I know her name and I've seen her listed on old concert bills, but I'm not sure I've ever heard her music. I'll have to take a listen
ReplyDeleteShe had two big hits and many minor ones. The two big ones are "Brand New Key" and "Laydown (Candles in the Rain)".
ReplyDeleteAnd don't forget 'What Have They Done To My Song, Ma'. I've got some of her early albums, up to 'Stoneground Words', so now might the time to start from 'Sunset...' and try her again.
ReplyDelete"What Have They Done.." was the first song I saw Melanie perform. It was on a Saturday afternoon music show hosted by Twiggy. Heard her on the radio before that but bought my first album I saw after that (Garden in the City) and for the duration of my vinyl buying days my Melanie section always ran neck and neck to my Bob Dylan section.
DeleteHey there! A bit late to the party but anyway: my two cents on the whole "separating UYI into two albums" debacle.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, one could make a new album by them, to be released in late 1988/early 1989, still with the original lineup and all that. Mostly, you just have to collect all the songs they had already written and were ready by then.
That's something they could have done while recording the acoustic Lies songs, for example. And that's the timeframe I'm using here, of them recording it in early 88 with Adler. I'm still undecided on an album title, so "Lies" it is :D
01 You Could Be Mine - 5:44
02 The Garden - 5:22
03 Perfect Crime - 2:23
04 Don't Cry - 4:44
05 Back Off Bitch - 5:03
06 Knockin' on Heaven's Door - 5:37
07 Used to Love Her - 3:13
08 Patience - 5:56
09 Bad Obsession - 5:28
10 November Rain - 8:57
11 Yesterdays - 3:14
12 One in a Million - 6:09
Pretty solid, I'd say. Sort of a "halfway there" point towards UYI, and packed to the brim with hits. It would most certainly not disappoint after Appetite! With "Ain't Going Down" as a non-album b-side, as well.
Thoughts? Sorry for hijacking the post, hahahah.
Oh, and "Used to Love Her" and "One in a Million" would probably have more electric arrangements to them, as a guess
DeleteYou're not too far off from what I came up with. First installment will be posted this week.
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