For no apparent reason, there’s been a splash of interest in the legacy of Melanie recently – reissues, concert documents and various collections began to steadily flow onto the market even before Ms. Safka’s untimely passing on January 23rd, 2024, so cynical cashing in on the singer’s demise is out of question – yet the release planned for July 26th should become a milestone in the lady’s discography. Titled “Neighbourhood Songs” and spanning the period from 1965 to 1978, it’s a six-CD box set of rarities overseen by the great late artist herself.
Melanie and her manager, popular journalist and writer Dave Thompson, discovered these hundred-odd tracks – mostly unreleased versions of her otherwise known pieces – on old tapes which had to be baked, cleaned, restored and sometimes enhanced in terms of quality to create a genuine treasure chest for Safka’s aficionados. More so, there’s a limited-edition disc “Centre Of The Circle” housing some of the cuts that found no place in the set, while part of the material that made it to the box will also be out on vinyl – as the 2LP comp “Visit My Dreams” and a single longplay “Close To It All” – later in the year. All royalties from all of these, apart from numbers own by BBC, are to benefit the singer’s estate.
Neighbourhood Songs
CD 1 – The Sixties
BBC John Peel Session, London – September 15th, 1969:
1. Beautiful People
2. Tuning My Guitar
3. Visit My Dreams
4. Uptown & Down
5. Baby Guitar
Paris – February 1969 – live:
6. Bobo’s Party
Studio Broadcast, Paris – February 1969:
7. Johnny Boy
8. Momma Momma
9. Interview
10. What Is And What Is Not
Home Demos, New York – summer 1968:
11. Ruby Tuesday
12. For My father
London – summer 1968:
13. Jig-Saw Puzzle
14. The Good Guys
15. Getting Out
Studio Demos, New York – summer 1968:
16. People In The Front Row
17. Don’t You Wait By The Water
Bremen – March 23rd, 1969:
18. I Really Loved Harold
19. Animal Crackers
20. I’m Back In Town
21. Bobo’s Party
22. Tuning My Guitar
The Show, TV Broadcast, Hershey PA – November 1969:
23. Beautiful People
24. Close To It All
25. Candles In The Rain (first ever broadcast, early version)
CD 2 – 1970-1974
Amsterdam, 1970:
1. Lay Down (Candles In The Rain) – with THE EDWIN HAWKINS SINGERS
Neighborhood Records Session, 1971:
2. Why Didn’t My Mother Tell Me
U.S. TV Broadcast – March 1971:
3. Ruby Tuesday
London – July 14th, 1971:
4. Close To It All
5. Tuning My Guitar
6. The Nickel Song
7. Beautiful People
8. What Have They Done To My Song Ma
9. Peace Will Come (According To Plan)
Neighborhood Records Session, 1971:
10. Railroad (excerpt)
Radio Broadcast, Miami – August, 1972:
11. Some Say (I Got Devil)
Neighborhood Records Session, 1971:
12. Between The Road Signs
Neighborhood Records Session, 1972:
13. Hearing The News
For UNICEF, 1972:
14. All The Pretty Little Horses (Hush A Bye) (excerpt)
15. Trick Or Treat
U.S. Tonight Show – December, 1972:
16. Do You Believe?
Neighborhood Records Session, 1973:
17. Jason
18. Ooh Child
Neighborhood Records Session, 1974:
19. Shy As A Violet
CD 3 – 1975 I
Studio – Creative Workshop Nashville:
1. I’m Back In Town
2. Deep Down Under My Bed
3. Perceive It
4. Ain’t Nobody’s Business But My Own (full version)
5. People Are Just Getting Ready
6. The Sun And Moon (Snow Heaven)
7. What Do I Keep
8. Dream Lover
9. Sandman
10. You Can’t Hurry Love
11. Another You
12. Darling Be Home Soon
13. Deep Down Low (sax version)
14. When The Saints
15. Another Side
16. White Man Sings The Blues
17. Guantanamera
CD 4 – 1975 II
BBC In Concert, London – November 6th, 1975:
1. Autumn Lady
2. Chords Of Fame
3. Almost Like Being In Love
4. Stoneground Words
5. Here We Go Again
6. Any Guy
7. Do You Believe
8. Leftover Wine
9. The Nickel Song
10. (I Hope You) Remember Me Good
11. Beautiful People
12. Virgin Mary (Pretty Little Baby)
13. Hallelujah Chorus
14. Sign In The Window
Hits-A-Go-Go, Holland:
15. Ring The Living Bell
U.S, TV Broadcast:
16. Perceive It
CD 5 – 1976-1978
Ballroom Streets Remastered:
1. Cyclone (Candles In The Rain)
Studio outtake:
2. Summertime
Fidelity Studios Los Angeles, 1977:
3. Jukebox Magazine
Suntreader Studios, Vermont, 1978:
4. Leftover Emotion
5. If You Go Your Way (take 1)
6. Rites of passage (River Bottom) (take 3)
Telstar Studios – for the coffee break radio session at WQSR 1978:
7. Knock On Wood
8. Bo Bo’s Party
9. Buckle Down
10. Hand Me Downs (Golden Chains)
11. Oh Boy
12. Beautiful Sadness
13. Brand New Key
14. Beautiful People – Almost Like Being In Love
15. Friends And Company
CD 6
Home Demos – New York, summer 1968 – from original acetates:
1. Ruby Tuesday (take 2)
2. Take Me Home (take 1)
3. For My Father (take 3)
4. Any Guy
5. People In The Front Row
6. If You Were A Carpenter.
7. Tuning My Guitar
8. Ruby Tuesday (take 3)
9. Take Me Home (take 2)
10. For My Father (take 1)
Unreleased Studio Demo – New York, summer 1968:
11. Don’t You Wait By The Water II
Neighborhood Records Session, 1971:
12. Some Say (I Got Devil)
Tonight Show, TV Broadcast, 1968:
13. Walk The World
New York, 1965:
14. Find A Little Corner
The Bitter End, New York, 1968:
15. Gods’ Only Daughter
Unknown venue, New York, 1967:
16. Isn’t It A Pity
“Live Like A Millionaire” TV Show, 1951 – Melanie aged 4:
17. Gimme A Little Kiss
