

She is also well-known for her musical adaptations of children's songs, including "Alexander Beetle" and "Christopher Robin". Melanie has been awarded two gold albums (and a gold single for "Brand New Key") and three of her compositions were hits for The New Seekers. Melanie was awarded Billboard's #1 Top Female Vocalist award for 1972.

Both songs were simultaneous Top 40 hits while "Brand New Key" was still on the charts setting a record for the first female performer to have three Top 40 hits concurrently. To compete with this release, Melanie's former record company released "The Nickel Song", which she had recorded while still signed to Buddah Records. The follow-up single to "Brand New Key" was "Ring the Living Bell". For somebody who don't drive I been all around the world Some people say I've done alright for a girl. I ride my bike, I roller skate, don't drive no car, Don't go too fast, but I go pretty far.

I been looking around awhile, You got something for me Oh! I got a brand new pair of roller skates, You got a brand new key. I think that we should get together and try them out, to see. I got a brand new pair of roller skates, You got a brand new key. When first released, "Brand New Key" was banned by some radio stations because some saw sexual innuendo in the lyrics:
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"Brand New Key" sold over three million copies worldwide and was featured in the 1997 movie Boogie Nights. Melanie had her biggest American hit on the Neighborhood label: the novelty-sounding 1972 number one "Brand New Key" (often referred to as "The Roller Skate Song"). In 1971 she formed her own label, Neighborhood Records, with Schekeryk, who was also her producer. Melanie left Buddah Records when they insisted that she produce albums on demand. Melanie married Peter Schekeryk around 1970 and they had three children. She performed again at Glastonbury in 2011, the fortieth anniversary of the original festival. She was also the artist who sang to herald in the summer solstice at Glastonbury Fayre (later the Glastonbury Festival) in England in June 1971. She also performed at the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970 where she was introduced by Keith Moon and received four standing ovations (she also appeared 40 years later at the 2010 Isle of Wight festival). Shortly following this performance, she played at the Strawberry Fields Festival, held from August 7 to 9, 1970, at Mosport Park, Ontario. In 1970, Melanie was the only artist to brave the court injunction banning the Powder Ridge Rock Festival, playing for the crowd on a homemade stage powered by Mister Softee trucks. Later hits included "Peace Will Come (According To Plan)" and a cover of the Rolling Stones' "Ruby Tuesday".

"Lay Down" became Melanie's first Top Ten hit in America, peaking at Number 6 on the Billboard singles chart and achieving worldwide success. The B-side of the single featured Melanie's spoken-word track "Candles in the Rain". The recording became a hit in Europe, Australia, Canada, and the United States in 1970. She also performed at the Woodstock Festival in 1969 and the inspiration for her signature song, "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)", apparently arose from the Woodstock audience lighting candles during her set (although most of the "candles" were actually matches or lighters). Later in 1969, Melanie had a hit in the Netherlands with "Beautiful People". Her non-conformist approach to the selections on this LP make her a new talent to be reckoned with." Her debut album received rave reviews from Billboard which heralded her voice as ". Subsequently she signed with Buddah Records and first found chart success in Europe in 1969 with "Bobo's Party" which reached Number 1 in France. Initially signed to Columbia Records in the United States, Melanie released two singles on the label. After school, her parents insisted she go to college, so she studied acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, where she began singing in the folk clubs of Greenwich Village and signed her first recording contract. She attended Red Bank High School in Red Bank, New Jersey, graduating in 1966. Melanie made her first public singing appearance at age four on the radio show Live Like A Millionaire, performing the song "Gimme a Little Kiss". Melanie was born and grew up in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens, New York City, New York. Known professionally as simply Melanie, she is best known for her hits "Brand New Key", "Ruby Tuesday", "What Have They Done To My Song Ma" and "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)". Melanie Anne Safka-Schekeryk (born February 3, 1947) is an American singer-songwriter.
