Ring The Living Bell: A Collection

Ring The Living Bell: A Collection

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
1999 two CD set consisting of re-recordings of her classic hits & favorite album tracks, plus a handful of new originalss and a few cover versions, including her take on the DoobieBrothers' 'Long Train Runnin''. 31 tracks total, all digitally remastered & also including 'One Mistake' by SAFKA (Melanie's kid's band!). Double slimline jewel case. The full title is 'Ring The Living Bell - A Collection'.

Tracks:

You Could Have Had Me For A Nickel
Any Time At All
Beautiful People
Every Breath You Take
Life Will Not Go Away
Racing Heart
Sun And Moon
Natural Man (San Bernadino)
Candles In The Rain
Percieve It
Long, Long Time (Rehersal & Song)
Freedom Knows My Name
Live Coal
Ring Around The Moon
How Can I Help You Say Goodbye
Long Train Runnin'

Tracks:

Someday I'll Be An Old Record
Look What They Done To My Song
Missing You
Cyclone
Close To It All
Bitterblue
Friends And Company
Ballerina
Brand New Key
Peace Will Come
Arrow
Ruby Tuesday
The Nickel Song
Ring The Living Bell
One Mistake

Album Description

1999 two CD set consisting of re-recordings of her classic hits & favorite album tracks, plus a handful of new originalss and a few cover versions, including her take on the DoobieBrothers' 'Long Train Runnin''. 31 tracks total, all digitally remastered & also including 'One Mistake' by SAFKA (Melanie's kid's band!). Double slimline jewel case. The full title is 'Ring The Living Bell - A Collection'.

Customer Reviews:

New and old songs, well presented.......2001-11-24

Back in '70 I never thought Melanie would someday re-record her own Golden Oldies but it appears she has done just that for the fourth (?) time - "Ballroom Streets" was the first. Something usually goes wrong on these projects - check out many recuts by '50s stars like Little Richard and Chuck Berry. You just can't re-create a "feel" or that magical atmoshpere which yielded immortal sounds.
Anyway, although Melanie has not added nuance to the old ones but she has not hurt 'em a bit, thanks to strong production values: they kept it simple, folks, with mostly voice, guitar, and distant vocal backup. Very refreshing in this era of synthesized overproduction. "Close To It All" and "What Have They Done To My Song, Ma" are as good as the originals. ("Brand New Key" is not as good - it was such an amazing record I wish she'd leave it alone at this point, or try to do it like the hit single. There's nothing to be embarrassed about - it was 1930's blues in a 1972 setting and it worked!).
The title song for this collection, "Ring The Living Bell" would have been *almost* as good if they didn't offer interminable useless outtakes - this idea is even more objectionable for a title song! Outtakes, alternates, etc., (for me) only have entertainment value if something new or unexpected emerges, something to which you say "Hey, that phrase/riff/line would *also* have worked". They shouldn't have messed around with a stunning folk incantation that left us breathless back in '75 at the Wolman Skating Rink in Central Park.
The "contemporary" Sting/Doobie Brothers, etc. tracks are nice but don't amount to much.
The real beauty in this entry is the haunting folk ballad "Arrow" - it's pure Melanie.
A bonus cut by her daughters - Safka - called "One Mistake" is the next best cut!
It may sound cliche by now, but "The Spirit Of Woodstock" continues to live in the voices and productions of people like Melanie - and if she's not not seen or heard too often these days, then (in my humble opinion) her sound can be found in the voices of people like Stevie Nicks, Kim Carnes, Cyndi Lauper...you name a few more.

I just put in a nickel ... and got a lifetime of pleasure.......2001-02-13

I started listening to Melanie when she was Melanie Safka, I mean, a long time ago. Its beatiful how she has matured and grown as an artist and still managed to keep here ageless charm and childish wonder.

This collection of Melanie songs is a great tribute to a living artist who still has the opportunity and the talent to produce much more material.

Simply stated, I love Melanie, here songs are sometimes ironic, sometime sad but always beautifully loving, like as if she'd taken the advice of St. Augustine on as something quite natural - something along the lines of "love all and nothing else matters".

Next check out other matertial such as the song that includes the words "glory, glory, psychotherapy" and "picked up a pebble on the sand it new my name".

There should be a advice sign on this CD set, WARNING - GENIUS AT WORK! This product may be harmful to your self-centered egoism and s(he) person image!

regards,

martyn_jones@iniciativas.com

A Great Find..........2001-01-13

I bought this CD right after buying (and loving) the "Beautiful People" Collection. A lot of the songs are new to me, but as excellent as the old ones.

I look forward to the releases on CD of some of her old albums like "Good Book" and "Gather Me", as well as new recordings from Melanie.

Melanie is an extremely moving performer - this is a CD to listen to late at night, with a candle burning and a good set of headphones! It will take you away!

MELANIE DOES IT AGAIN AND AGAIN, YAWN.......2000-11-17

I still await the day when Melanie will release an album of new material. Her tagic flaw as a performer is the constant need she has to record her old songs over and over again. Melanie has incredible talent but the world will never know this. This album is so careless it makes one wonder if she has learned nothing from working with some of the top people in the industry. The inclusion of the song "Ring the Living Bell" only showcases how much range her voice has lost over the years. Her voice was her ace in the can , but now it is just a sad reminder of what it once was. Melanie needs to stop recording these old songs and join the 21st century.

This is THE one!.......2000-10-25

Everyone who is a Melanie fan knows why we love her and her music. This is the best CD I have heard from her in a long time (and I have them all to prove it!). Her new songs on here are great as well as her cover songs. This is a MUST for anyone alive during the 70's!

Music Review:

Music Review

music review

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