Melanie

Melanie, the husky-voiced singer and songwriter best known her No. 1 single, the childlike “Brand New Key,” died January 23. She was 76.

She was born Melanie Anne Safka in Queens NY. Her mother was a jazz singer, and Melanie turned to music at an early age, making her public singing appearance on a talent show at age 4. By the time she was in high school she was already singing in local coffee houses, and eventually in New York clubs while studying acting.

Only 22 and a presence on the New York folk scene when she appeared at Woodstock in 1969. She was one of only two women who performed unaccompanied at the festival (Joan Baez was the other).

It started to rain before she took the stage, and she would later say that the sight of people in the crowd lighting candles inspired her to write “Lay Down (Candles in the Rain),” which she recorded with gospel-style backing from the Edwin Hawkins Singers. Released in 1970, it became her first hit, reaching No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Melanie’s biggest hit, “Brand New Key,” was, according to her, just “some silly song” she was “playing around with.” Fortunately, her producer husband said, “No Melanie, that’s a hit!”

He was not wrong— the song was No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 3 weeks  in 1971. But not everything about the song was rainbow happy. “Brand New Key,” includes the line “I’m OK alone, but you’ve got something I need,” and then to some listeners took an apparent Freudian or drug-related turn:

"Well, I’ve got a brand-new pair of roller skates, you’ve got a brand-new key

I think that we should get together and try them on to see."

“It was a time when people were reading things into lyrics, but I was just having a romp through my memory of learning how to ride my bike and roller skating, along with the thrill of first love."

Melanie had a number of other compositions, including “What Have They Done to My Song, Ma,” but none reached the popularity of her two earlier hits. She continued to record at a prolific pace, even into her later years.

She seemed weary of her famous song celebrating roller skates. “It was the song that doomed me to be cute for the rest of my life.”

Toby Keith



Toby Keith, the country music superstar behind some of the biggest hit songs to come out of Nashville, died February 5 after battling stomach cancer. He was 62. 

A major country star for three decades, Keith enjoyed hits such as "Red Solo Cup," "How Do You Like Me Now?!" and "Beer For My Horses," a duet with Willie Nelson.

The native Oklahoman grew up in Oklahoma City, working in the oil fields after high school while playing music with his own band. Eventually, music became Keith's main focus, and he caught his big break when a producer heard his demo tape.

Keith's breakout hit, "Should've Been a Cowboy," debuted in 1993 and would go on to become the most played country song of the decade, with more than 3 million plays on the radio. 

He went on to produce many more hits, including the 2002 song "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)," inspired by the 9/11 attacks as well as the death of his veteran father. While polarizing, the unapologetically patriotic song brought Keith's visibility to a new level.

The song famously led to a feud between Keith and Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks. Maines, known for her views against then President George W. Bush and the war in Iraq, deemed the song "ignorant."

Among Keith's many accolades, the Academy of Country Music named him Male Vocalist of the Year in 2001. He was awarded Artist of the Decade at the American Country Awards in 2011, and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2015. In 2021, Keith received the National Medal of Arts. 

During his career, Keith had 32 number one singles and sold over 40 million albums. He performed hundreds of shows for US service members abroad, including in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as events for three Presidents.

When offering advice to other songwriters, Keith said most of his catalog was created while he was writing at least four to five days a week. “You gotta have volume, you gotta practice, you gotta keep your chops up, and you gotta stay in the middle of the game.”

Andy's Music Trivia Quiz

Thanks for your responses. It was pretty competitive between Bill Mathews & Fred Spanuello. Nice incorrect answer on #7 by Fred. I didn't know Anthony Newley was so active musically. But, this quarter goes to Bill M. Thanks again.

Answers to previous Quiz:

Q1.  Name 4 (or more) songs that use Onomatopoeia in the name of the song, and the artist that sang it.

A1.  Onomatopoeia is a word that sounds like what it is or does. (1) “Onomatopoeia” by John Prine;  (2) “Drip Drop” by Dion;  (3) “Beep Beep” by the Playmates;  (4) “Splish Splash” by Bobby Darin;  (5) “Bang Bang” by Sonny & Cher;  (6) “Click Clack” by Dicky Doo & the Donts;  (7) “Boom Boom” by John Lee Hooker (and others, eg: Animals);  (8) “Knock Knock Knockin’ On Heaven's Door” by Bob Dylan;  )9) “Ka Ding Dong” by the G-Clefs;  (10) “Whispering” by many;  (11)” Buzz Buzz Buzz” by the Hollywood Flames; (12) “Wham” by Lonnie Mack or Stevie Ray Vaughn; (13) “Laugh Laugh” by Beau Brummels; (14) “Zoom” by the Cadillacs; (15) “Crying” by Roy Orbison; (16) “Plop Plop Fizz Fizz” the Alka Seltzer commercial; (17) “Chug-a-lug” by Roger Miller; (18) “Pop a Top” by Jim Ed Brown.

Q2.  When and by who was 3 Dog Night's '"Black and White" written?

A2.  “Black and White” was written by Earl Robinson (writer of Joe Hill) and David Arkin (Alan Arkin's father) in 1955 in celebration of the 1954 supreme Court order, banning segregation.

Q3.  What famous cowboy song collected by Lomax in 1910 remained obscure until it was perhaps the most popular song of 1933.  It’s in our C/W songbook.

A3.  The wax recording of "Home On the Range" was collected from the proprietor of a dive in the slum section of San Antonio. The wax crumbled with age, but the Lomax book "Cowboy Songs" gained in popularity, and "Home on the Range" was discovered. Bing Crosby's release of the song in 1933 peaked at #18 on BB.

Q4.  in 1971, a Billboard 100 song that went to #3 was like a continuation of a verse from Woody Guthrie's "This Land is Your Land."  What tune is it?

A4.  The Five Man Electrical Band took "Signs" to #3.  A few lines are: 

And the  sign said "anybody caught trespassin' would be shot on sight" 

So I jumped on the fence and I yelled at the house "Hey, what gives you the right?  

To put up a fence to keep me out and to keep Mother Nature in.

Q5.  What hit song did Paul Anka write for Tom Jones?  For Frank Sinatra?  What was Paul Anka's 1st self-written #1 song?  How about one for Buddy Holly?

A5.  Tom Jones took “She's a Lady” to #2 in 1971. Frank Sinatra took “My Way” to #27 in 1969. Paul's first hit went to #1 on BB100; #2 on Cashbox; #1, or #2 in several other countries, when he sang '"Diana" in 1957 at the age of 16.  "It Don't Matter Anymore," was recorded by Buddy Holly in 1958, issued in Jan 1959, and peaked at #13 on BB100 on Feb 28,1959, less than a month after his death (Feb 2). Paul Anka donated his royalties to Buddy's wife and family. Paul is now 82 and living in Canada.

Q6.  What Dion hit features a kazoo as a main instrument?

A6. Dion wrote and took "Little Diane" to #8 in 1962 using a kazoo for its instrumental breaks.

Q7.  What #1 hit did Anthony Newly co-write?

A7.  Sammy Davis Jr took "Candy Man" to #1 in 1972. Co-writers were Anthony Newley and L. Bricusse. They also wrote "What Kind of Fool Am I" which Sammy took to #17 on BB100 in 1962, the year it was written.

Q8.  Who wrote Dobie Gray's "Drift Away" and why?  What other hit did Dobie Gray have?

A8.  Mentor Williams (Paul Williams' brother) wrote it as an ode to his failure as a songwriter. On the BillBoard100 “Drift Away” reached #9 in 1973. Dobie Gray’s other hit,  “The In Crowd,” reached #13 in 1965.

Q9.  What was Frank Sinatra's 1st paid performance?

A9.  Frank, as a member of the "Hoboken 4" earned $50 (12.50 each) for a winning performance on the Major Bowes Amateur Hour on Sept 8, 1935. The Hoboken 4 were a combination of Frank and a trio called the 3 Flashes. The Hoboken 4 went on a 7 month Amateur Hour tour during which Frank did not get along with the other 3, and they occasionally beat him up. Also in 1935, he may have received $100 for a bit part in a movie, '”The Masked Bandit."  I Don't know which came first, assuming they are both valid.

NEW Trivia Quiz:

Q1.  When and where was Elvis first public appearance?

Q2.  NAME THAT TUNE! - What song begins with the words "When the sun beats down, and melts?"  Who sang the hit?

Q3.  NAME THAT TUNE! - What song begins with the words "Where the Walker runs down into the Carson?"

Q4.  What did John Lomax do with his first collection of cowboy songs, western songs, and other ballads?

Trivia Snipet:  Jimmie Rodgers was discovered by a pianist while playing at a café in Vancouver, Washington. The pianist loaned him airfare to audition for a contract with Roulette in New York. Roulette Released his song "Honeycomb" before he even signed the contract.

Q5.  Little Esther Phillips had her first hit for Savoy records in 1950 at the age of 15.  After severe drug problems, she recovered, and was rediscovered in the 1960s. Who rediscovered her, and what was her song that went to #1 on the R&B charts?

Q6.  What country singer has the best run of Top 3 C&W songs starting in 1963?

Q7.  Eddie Hodges, born in 1947, started his acting career on Broadway in Music Man in 1957. He next appeared with Frank Sinatra in Hole in the Head, singing “High Hopes” with him in 1959.  In 1961 and 1962, he had a Top 20 Billboard charting song each year.  What were they, and who wrote them?

Q8.  Steve Lawrence was born in 1935, and had his first hit in 1952, but only had one #1 song in his career.  What was the song?

Hope to get more responses!

Keep them coming in:

pictq@yahoo.com