Melanie - Ring The Living Bell Reaction/Review

[@lisarainbow9703]

"Lay Down/Candle in the Rain" is an amazing live performance she did with the Edmund Hawkins gospel singers---- mind-blowing, and spirit-lifting all at once.

[@GeorgeAdams-GA1953]

At 74 she is still performing. I saw her at Montreal's Place Des Arts in 1971 and 1973, just her on stage playing her guitar and singing her songs .

[@TangSongs]

Brilliant Melanie! Always! R.I.P.

[@ravinrant6490]

I thought immediately of this song when I saw a picture of someone ringing a bell because she was finally done with chemo for her cancer.

[@resin3100my]

She was a folk singer in the '60's and performed at Woodstock (the real one).In my opinion,her best song is "Lay Down".She is backed up by The Hawkins Singers,a black gospel group.A very powerful song.

[@johnandert1611]

Had bigger success in the early 70s than late 60s.

[@johannesvalterdivizzini1523]

She's my late wife's first cousin, she grew up in Astoria, of Italian and Ukrainian ancestry. She's gracious and funny as a person.

[@leotridentum6437]

You got it right! Melanie has many songs with a spiritual undertone. Notice the many times where she addresses "God", "still feel thirsty", "ring the Living Bell", "I want to give", "shine the Living Light", etc. It's all about life and trying find its real purpose. Beautiful song! Thank you for sharing it! :-)

[@lindaeagle3054]

Melanie is the best. Spent my teen years listening to her.

[@jimclemence4405]

Yes, please check out 'Lay Down" that song will blow your mind =)

[@johnredhd]

Gosh, I haven't heard this song for ages! I love Melanie!

[@SigMaQuint]

One of my favorites. Ukrainian origin, Mom was a jazz singer. Educated as actress, chose a wrong door for the audition with guitar, and happened upon a record company. Her career started then. Sang at Woodstock. I would recommend "I tried to die young" as a humoristic response to the "you're old" from a PR-lady she hired.

[@ajcbng8289]

Yes, please. Buy a burial plot if you are unmoved here. 🙏❤️ This is a song of praise for life.

[@debbieplato5107]

Lay Down is a gorgeous song by her.

[@mikekaren2128]

Melanie was the youngest singer to preform at Woodstock with “lay Down” Love her deep down authenticity and your conte not, ❤❤❤

[@avabarker7774]

I’m sorry that I am two years too late to this post but I just came across it. I’m sure you heard that Melanie passed away today. Melanie was my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE singer when I was a teenager. As a baby boomer growing up in that time period of civil unrest, police brutality, heartbreak over racial injustice, hating the war mongering government atrocities in Vietnam not to mention anger at my parents and life in general, Melanie and her vocal stylings (scream-singing) with such passion really spoke to my 16-year-old soul. Ring the Living Bell to me illustrated the dissatisfaction of my generation and the longing for something better. Anyway… cool review, I’m glad you liked it!

[@josephworthfiftiesguy]

melanie safka was from astoria queens in nyc,she wrote most of her hits likeBEAUTIFUL PEOPLE,LAY DOWN ,LEFTOVER WINE, I AM NOT A POET ,STONEGROUND WORDS,AS WELL AS A COVER OF THE ROLLING STONES RUBY TUESDAY AND BOB DYLANS LAY LADY LAY-ENJOY

[@debbieplato5107]

I think you are right in your assessment. We can have lots of material comforts but still feel empty if we don't have a spiritual connection to the divine.

[@DebEDee]

A favorite! Thanks Biz. Its just about havimg a heart full of the joy of song! A great songwriter. I miss her. ❤

[@tammydean3003]

Brand New Key is all I ever remembered her for.

[@anniebygrave9300]

Such a shame that's all you know her for. It was a silly radio hit. Nothing at all like the powerful deep achingly sweet songs on many of her albums. If you can, listen to Save Me, I Am Not a Poet, Stoneground Words, Summer Weaving, Song of the South. Don't believe the title 'I Am Not a Poet', because she IS a poet. And her voices soars and it breaks and is both strong and vulnerable. She is incomparable.

[@k.a.l5478]

One of my favorites over the decades!

[@nadinemarie3811]

I can tell you what Ring the living bell means, it means ring the bell of life. I'm a fan of hers. Check out her songs, Babe Rainbow, What have they done to my song ma, Brand new Key, Lay Down, Bo Bo's Party, Peace will Come, According to Plan, are just a few of her songs. Awesome reaction. Glad you've discovered Melanie. She's got pipes.

[@jona7504]

She does a great cover of James Taylor's Carolina on my Mind

[@nandanandah4670]

Beautifull people is my favorite, thanks

[@Peter-oh3hc]

She was at Woodstock and has a great voice. Lay down (candles in the rain), beautiful people, ruby tuesday, brand new key was her big hit but I am not a big fan of it

[@perigrinen]

Kudos for listening to Melanie. The very first album I ever bought was her. Very unique voice. Having said that, I've never heard this song before and it's lovely. Check out Candles in the Rain.

[@anniebygrave9300]

Melanie has such a unique voice and attitude, she is totally unmistakable. Most of the hits she had, in my opinion, were radio friendly trash, entirely unlike her album tracks which are deep, honest, raw and vunerable. My favourite album of hers is Stoneground Words. The title track is awesome, so are 'I am Not a Poet' and 'Summer Weaving'. 'Rainbow Race' is wistful, soaring and beautiful, and is one of the best ever protest songs of the peace movement and the Summer of Love. Even if you don't do reaction videos, check them out.

[@laurakennedy9250]

Couldn't agree with you more, every time someone recommends "Brand New Key" I cringe. Melanie was so much deeper than that. One of my many favorites is "Do You Believe".

[@anniebygrave9300]

@@laurakennedy9250 that is one of my favourites too. I love every one of the songs on her album Stoneground Words. I bought it on vinyl when I was 19, now I have it on CD. It's incredible.

[@derekdanowski1957]

​@laurakennedy9250 a lot of people that Do not know Melanie but have heard (Brand New Key) just think that's it, But Melanie is So the opposite, DEEP & That Voice, got me through my whole Life, The good,bad,ugly, and also she is still performing @ 75, Definitely worth checking out Melanie Safka

[@margiemcpeak9304]

"Lay Down" is a cool cut‼

[@joeblow3335]

Melanie was the first solo female performer to have 3 songs in the top 40 simultaneously: Brand New Key. The Nickel Song. Ring the Living Bell. All three songs competing at the same time probably prevented Ring the Living Bell from climbing higher.

[@kimberlyfowler840]

This is one of the album my Dad would play, 1971, hippie days

[@mikekaren2128]

The song is about how in this physical reality we are sharing we are pretty much fucked up and have to fight to vanquish our worldly appetites. But in the afterlife we are all high as hell on the loving energy of our collective selves and in eternal bliss of the Superior Being, Thanks

[@ShiftingDrifter]

Yeah, I was surprised when I saw you checking this out. Melanie Safka was a folk singer who was influential in the transition of folk music in the early 70s, taking stereotypical protest music away from politics and more into the general existential dynamics of the human experience. She performed at Woodstock and was one of only 3 female folk artists still commercially successful (with Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell). It helps to know a little about the vibe at folk festivals in the 60s and early 70s. They weren't simply concerts, they were huge audience sing-along events. Just like this song, most of Melanie's tunes were composed for live performance audience sing-alongs following the spirit of folk revival leader Pete Seeger (check out some of his 60s TV broadcasts on KZbin - very influential man). I personally think some of her other works are better like, "Look What They Done to My Song" which was an attack against the record company butchering her recording "Brand New Key" with an annoying background fill. Although Brand New Key stayed on the charts for weeks selling nearly 4 million world wide, she always told audiences she loathed how record producers botched the song and released it without her knowledge or consent. She faded from the general pop scene after a successful album "Photograph" in 1976, but continued as a song writer and performed outdoor festivals to devoted folk fans. By the late 70s, the folk festival trend for live sing-along performances began to fizzle out and was replaced by combined bluegrass and folk music festivals, but the 60s folk revival was pretty much over. Still, Melanie went on making a fine living as a songwriter.

[@mikmaqwoman]

Peace Will Come applies to today for sure

[@isisheaven9055]

Her most famous song is "Look what they've done to my song". She stayed in show business for a short time but has some albuns. Popular in Woodstock she latter settled down some years after and left "show business"

[@DiaHuizinga]

Melanie is still performing, now with her son on guitar, she has been performing ever since. She is still big in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.

[@isisheaven9055]

@@DiaHuizinga Great. I didn't know that. Thanks!

[@doughaviland1729]

Another GREAT '60s folk/rock artist that you've found! MUST do LAY DOWN !🙂

[@sososo2445]

This was during the peace movement during the Viet Nam War, there are undertones for peace and life in this song - that's my impression.

[@Thomas-wj1or]

I know EVERYTHING about Melanie and her music! You need to check out her albun "Am I Real Or What" sometimes referred to as "The Melanie DISCO Album!" Thank You!

[@shezarae8827]

Spiritual metaphors are the topic. She has allot of metaphors. Do Lay Down/ Candle in the Rain" with the Edmund Hawkins singers.

[@lindalavadinho9639]

PEACE WILL COME

[@Shellnah1]

I grew up listening to Melanie; my mum used to play her music all the time. I agree with a lot of the other comments that 'Lay down' & 'Look what they've done to my song' are great Melanie songs, but my other favourite from 'Gather Me' is 'Steppin''. The whole album is great though, as is 'Sunsets & other beginnings'.

[@dennisjohnson2772]

Yes,Lay Down . she got pipes.

[@davidareeves3041]

Hello it's David again listen to the live version from. The Old Grey Whistle Test ,it was a live music show in the UK, check it out , you will love it !

[@davidareeves3041]

Hey Biz have a listen to The Manic Street Preachers, my favourite song is, If You Tolerate This, an unbelievable UK Band, they had a member of the band go missing, and they still keep his share of the money for him, even though he's probably past away, now that is a band and that's friendship .

[@joecampos5624]

Love her

[@davidareeves3041]

Hello Biz have a listen to according to plan, according to man, it's her best track , well according to me I'm David from the UK by the way you've gone international BIZ stay safe brother.

[@IanWalkerMelmanian]

Here's a link from Melanie's own (official) channel to the amazing live version of "Lay Down (Candles In The Rain)" with the Edwin Hawkins Singers on Dutch TV in '70: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f4uYY5-hbtydkKs She has a massive catalogue of mainly original material. Perhaps check out some of the other content on her channel for a better idea of the extent of her work as an artist and songwriter.

[@carmenpeters728]

she has a way of making you want to celebrate. and cry.. The song was about partying. to 'drink from the well'....wisdom, spritual health, ...living bell....drinking and partying kills the soul. choosing life,,,condone life. she is seriously gospel. Hear her songs with the angel voices of Edwin Hawkins Singers behind her . Lay Down/Candles in the rain... You got the full meaning.

[@neilmartin99]

Melanie - Brand New Key. A little bit of context...A long time ago, roller skates were made of metal and were adjustable. They came with a key that fit into a little keyhole on the bottom of the skate in order to change the size as needed. Here ya go kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHS3foecocioq8k

[@MikeyFortune]

BizMatik, you def need to get caught up !!!

[@shezarae8827]

Should have done Lay Down. I also like, look what they done to my song mom.

[@blitztim6416]

Try ‘Peace Will Come’.

[@stevegeikow7146]

Rip Melanie.

[@MrBashn2me]

She recently passed.

[@ylikablucow4487]

Check out Saturday by Twenty One pilots. It’s catchy. You’ll enjoy.

[@donthomasdunigan7004]

I saw her a couple of times in the early 1970s. Love her, love this song. Everyone will recommend Lay Down (Candles In The Rain). Here is a link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/np3TZKqjepmVmM4

[@stephanieclark9849]

Brand New Key is the only song I know from her...

[@gaylemitchell5881]

Never heard this,maybe some other song.

[@mark-be9mq]

Lay Down, esp live with the Hawkins Singers on Dutch TV.

[@lynnieiapichino1121]

☮️💙

[@snapdragon8888]

I think this was the B side of the Brand New Key 45. I think I like Brand New Key better.

[@shezarae8827]

React to Lay Down Lay Down/Candle in the Rain with the Edmund Hawkins singers next. Here is the link kzbin.info/www/bejne/f4uYY5-hbtydkKs

[@TheSeafordian]

Melanie Safka.

[@davidareeves3041]

I'm not a stalking you, honest lol listen to look what the done to my song by Melanie

[@joecampos5624]

Lay down

[@CrystalQuartz]

Lay Down.

[@JeffreyReeder-ii3dc]

She is awsome!