''Photograph'' is an album released by American singer
Melanie
Melanie is a feminine given name derived from the Greek μελανία (melania), "blackness" and that from μέλας (melas), meaning "dark".Atlantic Records. The album contains "Cyclone" which was released as a single. Despite making a publicity tour on '' American Bandstand'' and ''
The Brady Bunch Hour
''The Brady Bunch Hour'' is an American variety show featuring skits and songs produced by Sid & Marty Krofft Productions in association with Paramount Television. It ran on ABC from November 28, 1976, to May 25, 1977.
The series starred the o ...
'' to promote the single, it failed to chart in America.
Ahmet Ertegün
Ahmet Ertegun (, Turkish spelling: Ahmet Ertegün; ; – December 14, 2006) was a Turkish-American businessman, songwriter, record executive and philanthropist.
Ertegun was the co-founder and president of Atlantic Records. He discovered and ch ...
, who had signed Melanie to his label, was credited with creative direction on the album, was involved with the album's recording, and present at all vocal sessions and mixes.
The album was heralded by ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' as "one of the finest pop albums of the year." In their review, '' Cash Box'' magazine referred to Melanie as "one of our best folk-rock stylists" and that she was "surrounded by excellent instrumental tracks" on the album and that "there is not a weak song in the package." '' Billboard'' magazine singled out "Cyclone" as "the most powerful vocally and lyrically and one of the best songs she's ever recorded." ''
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...
'' noted that the album was "very much Melanie's own victory - her material was a revelation, and more sophisticated than anything she'd ever accomplished before."
The album went largely unnoticed by the public. The album was only released in the United States, Australia and New Zealand. For reasons unknown, Atlantic Records pulled the album from distribution shortly after its release.
The album was reissued by
Rhino Records
A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species ...
in 2005 as an individually numbered limited edition of 3,500 copies. The reissue contained a remastered version of the album plus a second disc of tracks recorded during the same sessions.
Track listing
All songs written by
Melanie Safka
Melanie Anne Safka-Schekeryk (born February 3, 1947), professionally known as Melanie or Melanie Safka, is an American singer-songwriter. She is best known for the 1971–72 global hit "Brand New Key", her cover of " Ruby Tuesday", her compositi ...
, except where noted.
#"Cyclone"
#"If I Needed You"
#" The Letter" (
Wayne Carson Thompson
Wayne Carson (born Wayne Carson Head; May 31, 1943 – July 20, 2015), sometimes credited as Wayne Carson Thompson, was an American country musician, songwriter, and record producer. He played percussion, piano, guitar, and bass. His most fam ...
)
#"Groundhog Day"
#"Nickel Song /
Music! Music! Music!
"Music! Music! Music! (Put Another Nickel In)" is a popular song written by Stephen Weiss and Bernie Baum and published in 1950.
Background
The first recording of the song was by Etienne Paree with Eddie "Piano" Miller, released by Rainbow Rec ...
" (Stephan Weiss,
Bernie Baum
Bernie Baum (October 13, 1929 – August 28, 1993) was a songwriter who worked extensively with Elvis Presley. He grew up in New York City and later worked with Harvey Zimmerman (better known as Bill Giant) and Florence Kaye. The majority of t ...
)
#"Photograph"
#"I'm So Blue"
#"Secret of the Darkness (I Believe)"
#"Save Me"
#"Raindance"
#"Friends and Company"
2005 CD reissue
The 2005 CD reissue, ''Photograph (Double Exposure)'', contained a bonus disc of material recorded during the Atlantic sessions:
#"Groundhog Day" (Alternate Version)
#"Cyclone" (Alternate Version)
#"Secret of the Darkness (I Believe), Pt. 1"
#"Secret of the Darkness (I Believe), Pt. 2"
#"Unfinished Business" (Selma Version)
#"Whamp Bhomp Song"
#" Ruby Tuesday" (
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...
,
Keith Richards
Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943), often referred to during the 1960s and 1970s as "Keith Richard", is an English musician and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the co-founder, guitarist, secondary vocalist, and co-princi ...
)
#"Love to Live Again"
#"Here We Go Again"
#"Jukebox Magazine"
#"Miranda" ( Phil Ochs)
#"Unfinished Business" (West Version)
#"Remember Me Good"
#" Over the Rainbow" ( Harold Arlen, E.Y. Harburg)
*All songs written by Melanie Safka except where noted
Dean Parks
Weldon Dean Parks (born December 6, 1946) is an American session guitarist and record producer from Fort Worth, Texas.
Albums
Parks was member of the North Texas State One O'clock Lab Band before moving to Los Angeles to work with Sonny and Cher ...
Jerry Scheff
Jerry Obern Scheff (born January 31, 1941) is an American bassist, best known for his work with Elvis Presley from 1969 to 1977 as a member of his TCB Band and on the Doors' '' L.A. Woman''.
Biography
Scheff grew up in Vallejo, California. After ...
, Jay Wolfe - bass
* David Paich, Jim Drennan - keyboards
*
Jeff Porcaro
Jeffrey Thomas Porcaro (; April 1, 1954 – August 5, 1992) was an American drummer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known for his work with the rock band Toto but is one of the most recorded session musicians in history, working o ...
John Guerin
John Payne Guerin (October 31, 1939 – January 5, 2004) was an American percussionist. He was a proponent of the jazz-rock style.
Biography
Guerin was born in Hawaii and raised in San Diego. As a young drummer he began performing with Buddy De ...
- drums
*
Milt Holland
Milton Holland (born Milton Olshansky; February 7, 1917 – November 4, 2005) was an American drummer, percussionist, ethnomusicologist, and writer in the Los Angeles music scene. He pioneered the use of African, South American, and Indian percus ...
,
Victor Feldman
Victor Stanley Feldman (7 April 1934 – 12 May 1987) was an English jazz musician who played mainly piano, vibraphone, and percussion. He began performing professionally during childhood, eventually earning acclaim in the UK jazz scene as ...
- percussion
*Angelo Mauceri - percussion, vocals
*Richard Greene - violin
* Carol Parks, Denny Bell, Edwin Hawkins Singers, Jay Wolfe - backing vocals
* David Campbell - arrangements, viola on "Photograph"
* Art Pepper - saxophone on "I'm So Blue"
*
Robin Williamson
Robin Duncan Harry Williamson (born 24 November 1943) is a Scottish multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and storyteller who was a founding member of The Incredible String Band.
Career
Williamson lived in the Fairmilehead area of Edinbu ...
- mandolin on "Raindance"
*
Marty Paich
Martin Louis Paich (January 23, 1925 – August 12, 1995) was an American pianist, composer, arranger, record producer, music director, and conductor. As a musician and arranger he worked with jazz musicians Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, Stan Kento ...