LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

By the time Photograph was released in 1976, Queens, New York, native Melanie Safka had nearly a decade-long discography behind her. She made her recording debut in 1967 with “My Beautiful People” for Columbia. In 1970 she scored a Top 10 hit in “Lay Down (Candles In The Rain),” a song that identified her with the Woodstock Generation. But it was 1972’s instantly recognizable “Brand New Key” that gave Melanie her first and only chart-topper. The song proved to be a double-edged sword. “I felt I needed to tell people that there was more to what I did than that song,” she says of the single that endeared her to millions as a chirpy Flower Child who sang suggestive ditties. “I wasn’t ashamed of ‘Brand New Key,’ not at all, but that wasn’t all there was.” Melanie went on to release more serious albums, 1972’s Stoneground Words and 1974’s Madrugada. Then Ahmet Ertegun entered the picture, signing the singer to Atlantic and becoming involved in the production of what would become Photograph. At Ertegun’s suggestion, Marty and David Paich were brought in as co-producers. Marty was a veteran pop arranger, with credits including Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, and Lena Horne. His son David was a session keyboardist (and, later, co-founder of the band Toto). The results on Photograph are intimate, sonically rich, and creatively mature. Melanie’s performance is confident, her material adventurous, but the album went largely unnoticed upon release. Shortly after, Melanie and Atlantic parted company. She has since recorded prolifically, collaborating in recent years with her son Beau Jarred, an accomplished engineer, co-writer, and guitarist. Photograph remains a timeless artistic achievement. Rhino Handmade’s Double Exposure edition of Photograph contains the original 1976 album in its remastered entirety, plus a second disc of tracks recorded during the same sessions. These include outtakes, alternate versions, and covers of The Rolling Stones’ “Ruby Tuesday,” Phil Ochs’ “Miranda,” and Arlen/Harburg’s “Over The Rainbow.”
Track listing: CYCLONE ([4:11]) IF I NEED YOU ([3:49]) THE LETTER ([2:51]) GROUNDHOD DAY ([4:41]) NICKLE SONG... Music! Music! Music! ([2:49]) PHOTOGRAPH ([4:01]) I'M SO BLUE ([3:27]) SECRET OF THE DARKNESS ( I Believe) ([3:15]) SAVE ME ([5:55]) RAINDANCE ([4:45]) FRIENDS & CO. ([4:21]) GROUNDHOG DAY (Alternate Version) ([10:40]) CYCLONE (Alternate Version) ([5:00}) SECRET OF THE DARKNESS ( I Believe) (Part One) ([1:50]) SECRET OF THE DARKNESS ( I Believe) (Part Two) ([3:43]) UNFINISHED BUSINESS (Selma Version) ([3:00]) WAMP BHOMP SONG ([3:47]) RUBY TUESDAY ([3:50]) LOVE TO LIV E AGAIN ([3:17]) HERE WE GO AGAIN ([2:35]) JUKEBOS MAGAZINE ([5:10]) MIRANDA ([2:45]) UNFINISHED BUSINESS (West Version) ([3:05]) REMEMBER ME GOOD ([5:06]) OVER THE RAINBOW ([2:49])