Melanie at Carnegie Hall
Live album by
Melanie
ReleasedApril 1973
Recorded2–3 February 1973
VenueCarnegie Hall, New York City
GenrePop
LabelNeighborhood Records
ProducerPeter Schekeryk
Melanie chronology
Stoneground Words
(1972) 		Melanie at Carnegie Hall
(1973) 		Please Love Me
(1973)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

Melanie at Carnegie Hall is a 1973 double album released by Melanie and the second concert record after the release of Leftover Wine in 1970. The album contains material from Melanie's Carnegie Hall concerts of February 2 and 3 in 1973.

It is the only Melanie album to contain her Top 40 hit "Bitter Bad" (which was a single-only release).

Reception

In their review of the album, Billboard commented that "the singer's special vocal quality produces an intimate sense of involvement and that is how this LP comes off as a tie between entertainer and listener."[2]

Cashbox noted that the album was "a specially priced and attractively designed two record set...it presents Melanie in the same frame of reference that brought her to such a peak of success on the concert scene where she remains quite happily. With just her voice and her guitar, she smiles and muses through "Brand New Key," "Bitter Bad." "Together Alone" and older material like "Beautiful People" and "Any Guy." Should be a long-range seller."[3]

Record Mirror called it "a very satisfying set, though much of the material is familiar, and the overall standard of sound is good. What emerges most strongly is the quite astonishing rapport Melanie has with an audience . . . she somehow plays with them, lures them. Maybe she's not the greatest singer, but she is a very fine performer."[4]

Allmusic stated that Melanie "sounds like an artist on the verge of a nervous breakdown, battling chronic fatigue syndrome to boot. Over four sides, she struggles through her back catalog and, judging by the performance, does so reluctantly...it's clear her heart's not in it."[5]

Track listing

All songs written by Melanie Safka except where noted.

Disc 1:

  1. Introduction (by Alison Steele and Scott Muni of WNEW-FM in New York)
  2. "Baby Guitar"
  3. "Lay Your Hands Across the Six Strings"
  4. "Pretty Boy Floyd" (Woody Guthrie)
  5. "Some Day I'll Be a Farmer"
  6. "Babe Rainbow"
  7. "It's Me Again"
  8. "Any Guy"
  9. "Brand New Key"
  10. "Some Say (I Got Devil)"
  11. "Bitter Bad"
  12. "Psychotherapy"

Disc 2:

  1. "Together Alone"
  2. "Beautiful People"
  3. "Medley: Hearing the News / Seasons to Change / Peace Will Come"
  4. "My Rainbow Race" (Pete Seeger)
  5. "I Am Not a Poet"
  6. "Ring the Living Bell / Shine The Living Light"
  7. "Actress"

Personnel

Charts

Album Charts Peak
position
U.S Billboard Chart[6] 109
U.S Cash Box Chart[7] 67
German Chart[8] 31

References

  1. ^ "Melanie - At Carnegie Hall Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  2. ^ "Album Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. No. 12 May 1973. p. 55. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
  3. ^ "Album Reviews: Pop Picks" (PDF). Cash Box. No. 12 May 1973. p. 28. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  4. ^ https://melaniemusicsociety.tripod.com/Carnegie.htm
  5. ^ https://www.allmusic.com/album/at-carnegie-hall-mw0001878555
  6. ^ "Melanie". Billboard.
  7. ^ "Cash Box" (PDF). Worldradiohistory.com. July 7, 1973. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  8. ^ "Suche - Offizielle Deutsche Charts". Offiziellecharts.de.
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