This is another record I bought at the great University of Queensland record library sell off in 1988.
God bless those student union nerds.
The student union was controlled by the political left (very moderate left) but never assume that the left are going to understand the arts or history any better than anyone else. Formal politics of any kind are an enemy (generally) to the arts and popular culture.
Enough of that.
The albums at the University of Queensland ("UQ") were all in mint condition … sleeves and vinyl.
The reason for that was they were stored in a shelved area of a listening room located at the student union building.
The public (students) never touched the records.
That's gold there because there are idiots who don't know (or don't care) on how records are handled and stick their hands all over them.
OK, call me a record wanker but it's not rocket science.
The system in place at UQ was a simple one.
At the counter there was a catalogue of albums which you could scroll for music. You then told the monitor which record you wanted to listen to. The monitor was a old guy, who clearly not a student, called Joe. Joe only had one expression, or one that I ever saw, of detached and bored distance. Probably the best expression when dealing with university students who think they know it all. Coincidentally, I used to see Joe on my bus in Paddington (before Paddington was gentrified) and, I should say, his expression didn’t change. Joe would then pull the album, give you a set of headphones, and then point you to one of a number of authentic retro comfortable 60s era lounge chairs. You took your headphones to your chair and plugged them into the armrest. You then waited until the record was placed by Joe onto a turntable that piped the music to you at your chair.
There were a number of these listening stations.
Oh what bliss.
My only regret is that I was quite young so who knows what other treasures were on the catalogue that I hadn’t heard of then.
I don’t know why the student union sold the records, disbanded the listening room, and gave old Joe the boot.
Maybe they needed the space from the listening room?
I recall students would congregate there to watch "Days of Our Lives" though I don’t recall if that was post or pre music listening room. It would be sad to think that the popular music of the world was replaced by “Days of Our Lives” as entertainment.
Maybe the Union needed the money?
Maybe they followed everyone who ditched vinyl for the "miracle" that was the CD?
Either way, it certainly displays a disdain for “old” music, popular culture generally and anything that takes up space and needs maintenance.
This is something we still suffer from.
Anyway, their loss is my gain.
At $2, $3, or $4 a pop – which was not insubstantial (I think a pot of beer cost $1) – the LPs were a good deal. I took all my money I had on the day and then later withdrew all my precious savings (from working as a causal shop assistant at Woolworths Indooroopilly) and bought 100 – 200 albums.
With my rose colour glasses it seems they had thousands of records. I don’t know if they did and I certainly sold some of my purchases later but ultimately it was a good score and I had gained access to music, and, rare music, which wasn’t readily available in Australia then.
The internet of course has changed all that, even with expensive postage, but back then this was like striking gold.
Whilst writing this, Melanie has been pleasantly doing her thing in the background.
Melanie is nothing if not easy on the ear, relaxing, and, easy to write to. Her voice and music encourages contemplation, even if that contemplation isn’t in relation to the music.
Without deviating away from this blogs purpose, or maybe that is the purpose (?), it seems that there is an under appreciation of music as a form of relaxative (is that a word ?) therapy.
I'm not talking about muzak here, which is this theory taken to its most offensive extreme, and I’m not talking quiet music either (though normally it is).
What I mean is, how many times do we choose to put on a record whose familiarity relaxes us?
The music I'm talking about could be music that otherwise may excite us but it is the familiarity with its contents that caresses us.
Our brain clearly chooses the mood it wants to be in rather than having its mood determined by the music. Some would disagree. I will say that there are certain musics that are more likely to make you reflect and others than are more likely to excite but generally your brain has worked out what it wants first.
And, that perhaps, is what defines a persons "taste".
Rambling. I am rambling.
Melanie caresses my brain.
Check out my other Melanie comments for background detail and general observations.
“Garden in the City” isn’t a "proper album". It was released by Buddah after Melanie had left the label and it's made up of outtakes as well as a couple of songs from the film "RPM".
It is quite good, and quite thematically consistent, probably because the songs are all from around the same time. People should be happy if they have an album recorded over a week that hangs together this well.
Melanie, apparently wasn’t, though.
This album is also remembered for its scratch 'n' sniff "smell Melanie's Magic Garden" cover.
I can’t smell anything and I scratched Melanie’s magic garden, bush and Melanie generally.
Maybe they only got that benefit on the US pressings which we didn't get on our Australian pressings. A nice gatefold sleeve though with the building cut out to reveal the countryside.
All songs by Melanie unless otherwise noted:
Tracks (best in italics)
- Garden In The City– the song starts in an even accentuated Melanie girly voice which changes into a woman’s voice as the narrative moves on. Excellent.
- Love In My Mind – light.
- We Don't Know Where We're Going – (Barry De Vorzon, Perry Botkin, Jr.)- from the film RPM. An underrated film about student radicalism and the counter culture with Anthony Quinn as a middle aged professor. I liked this film as a kid, but then again I love Anthony Quinn.
- Lay Lady Lay – (Bob Dylan)- the great Dylan song. Melanie sings from gentle to loud as is her shtick but, funnily enough, it always works really well on her Dylan covers.
- Jigsaw Puzzle– (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards)- Melanie also does well with the Jagger-Richards tunes she has covered. She takes all the male bravado and possible misogyny out of them without affecting the enjoyment of the song.
- Don't You Wait By The Water- an attempted up-tempo blues folk tune. It doesnt really work for Melanie, well not on this song anyway.
- Stop! I Don't Wanna Hear It Anymore – (Barry De Vorzon, Perry Botkin, Jr.) – another song from the film "RPM". A Russian gypsy (?) vocal beat is used on the chorus.
- Somebody Loves Me – (George Gershwin) – The Gershwin song done by everyone, including Doris Day. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somebody_Loves_Me
- People In The Front Row – a tour de force vocal from Melanie on a slightly cynical look at being an entertainer.
And …
Another good one …. I'm keeping it.
Chart Action
US
Singles
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Album
1972 #115
England
Singles
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Album
1972 #19
Sounds
http://recordlective.com/Melanie/Garden_in_the_City/00922e9c-735c-3657-86db-71608216f90f/
Lay Lady Lay
MP3 attached
Others
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIFknAdVvNM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeHtuwsUeRw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ca0l5KMdX0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZUdzr9e2GQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-sk9abOYQ4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cqg3kcwAgso
Review
http://www.allmusic.com/album/garden-in-the-city-mw0000837353 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garden_in_the_City
Bio
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/melanie-mn0000409670
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanie_Safka
Website
http://www.melaniesafka.com/home.cfm
http://freespace.virgin.net/robert_ian.smith/Melanie.htm
http://melaniemusicsociety.tripod.com/Mercurio/Mercurio.html
Trivia
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