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WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO MY SONG, MA (LOOK WHAT THEY DONE TO MY SONG, MA)

by Melanie

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about

Recorded at the Metropolitan Opera

The following is a review of Melanie's 1974 Birthday concert at The Metropolitan Opera House. It was written by Chris Charlesworth and published in the UK music paper Melody Maker, February 16th, 1974.

MELANIE LINGERS ON

NEW YORK: It's become traditional for Melanie to appear here at a prestigious venue on her birthday, and it's also become traditional for her fans to join her on the stage, sitting around in an arc as if she was a nannie about to read a bedtime story.

Last Sunday Melanie was 27 and she chose the New York Metropolitan Opera House as the venue. The only other occasion when a contemporary act used the Met was when the Who played " Tommy " there in 1969. If I remember rightly, the Who's show was not the masterpiece planned, and neither, I'm afraid, was Melanie's.

With the Who it was the audience who were to blame for creating an ugly situation, and this Is just what happened to Melanie. Hundreds of fans crawled up on the stage, standing and sitting around her so that It became impossible for the rest of the audience — unless they were viewing the show directly head-on — to see. The result was an endless series of barracking from the sides until the melee was sorted out.

But it didn't end there. Melanie's fans seem the world's worst when it comes to shouting requests. Between every number, a third of the audience took it on themselves to choose the programme or call out other equally pointless suggestions and ideas.

It spoiled the whole simplicity of Melanie's very solo performance.

In fairness to Melanie, she coped with things admirably. When she did sing she was excellent, though she faltered occasionally on lines of songs that she hadn't played for some time.

She opened out with the carol " Oh Come All Ye Faithful " explaining that the weather made this seem appropriate. It was snowing heavily outside. The rest of the set consisted mainly of her better known compositions, but there were also songs by Dylan and Jim Croce and she included one song where, instead of sitting with here guitar, she stood up and sang by the piano while her arranger, Ron Frangipane, played accompaniment.

As always she played a very long set - almost two and a half hours - and there was no supporting act or interval. But at least half an hour of this time was taken up with the various delays; perhaps the over-enthusiastic fans should realise that more respect would automatically mean more music.

The lay-off hasn't affected Melanie's clear, ringing voice which resounded perfectly in this grandiose establishment. Her accompaniment on the guitar remains absurdly simple but anything more complex would wreck the simplicity of it all. That is the main attraction of Melanie. And the fact that she remained calm during all the unpleasantness was also impressive.

lyrics

Look what they done to my song, Ma
Look what they done to my song
Well it's the only thing that I could do half right
And it's turning out all wrong, Ma
Look what they done to my song

Look what they done to my brain, Ma
Look what they done to my brain
Well they picked it like a chicken bone
And I think I'm half insane, Ma
Look what they done to my song

I wish I could find a good book, to live in
Wish I could find a good book
Well if I could find a real good book
I'd never have to come out and look at
What they done to my song

La da da da da da da da
La da da da da da da da

La da da la da da, la da da da da da
Look what they done to my song

But maybe it'll all be alright, Ma
Maybe it'll all be okay
Well if the people are buying tears
I'll be rich someday, Ma
Look what they done to my song

Ils ont change ma chanson, Ma
Ils ont change ma chanson
C'est la seule chose que je peux faire
Et ce n'est pas bon, Ma
Ils ont change ma chanson

Look what they done to my song, ma
Look what they done to my song. Ma
Well they tied it up in a plastic bag
And turned it upside down
Look what they done do my song

Ils ont change ma chanson, Ma
Ils ont change ma chanson
C'est la seule chose que je peux faire
Et ce n'est pas bon, Ma
Ils ont change ma chanson

Look what they done to my song, ma
Look what they done to my song
It's the only thing I could do alright
and they turned it upside down oh Ma
Look what they done to my son

credits

released December 3, 2017

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Melanie Nashville, Tennessee

Pieces of a career, scattered by the winds of experience and assembled again by the force of love into the most personal and brilliant moments of her musical journey. Melanie is poised to enlighten new generations about what it means to sing with both passion and eloquence, to write at once with intelligence and emotion, and to inspire through song. Nobody does this better.
(Robert L. Doerschuk)
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