The Good Book (album)

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The Good Book
The Good Book (album).jpg
vinyl album cover (U.S. edition)
Studio album by
Melanie
Released1971
StudioAllegro Sound Studios, New York City
Genre Pop
Label Buddah
Producer Peter Schekeryk
Melanie chronology
Leftover Wine
(1970)		The Good Book
(1971)		 Gather Me
(1971)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg link

The Good Book is a 1971 album released by Melanie and featuring the Top 40 hit "Nickel Song". The album also features "Birthday of the Sun", a track Melanie originally performed at Woodstock in 1969.

Contents

The album was the last 'official' Melanie release from Buddah Records - she left the company to form her own label; however several Buddah albums were later issued featuring 'leftover' material from earlier sessions; in addition to several compilation albums.

Reception

Cashbox called the album "her best recording to date. Her songwriting reflects a new maturity and vision; each of her new pieces is wonderfully crafted and performed in the inimitable Melanie fashion." [1]

In a mixed review, Allmusic stated that the album "seemed like a case of two steps forward, one step back" however conceding that "it's worth noting there's no such thing as a Melanie album without a bit of emotional excess, and she speaks her heart and mind with clarity and gentle force on these numbers." [2]

Track listing

All songs written by Melanie Safka except where noted.

  1. "Good Book"
  2. "Babe Rainbow"
  3. "Sign on the Window" (Bob Dylan)
  4. "The Saddest Thing"
  5. "Nickel Song"
  6. "Isn't It a Pity"
  7. "My Father" (Judy Collins)
  8. "Chords of Fame" (Phil Ochs)
  9. "You Can Go Fishin'"
  10. "Birthday of the Sun"
  11. "The Prize"
  12. "Babe Rainbow (Reprise)"

Personnel

Charts

Album ChartsPeak
position
U.S Billboard Charts [3] 80
U.S Cash Box Charts [4] 45
U.K. Album Charts9
Australian Album Charts29
Canadian Album Charts26
Norwegian Album Charts [5] 20
German Album Charts [5] 29
Swedish Album Charts [6] 17
Austrian Album Charts [7] 6
Singles ChartsTitlePeak
position
U.S Billboard Hot 100"Nickel Song"35
U.S Cash Box Charts"Nickel Song"25
U.S Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart"Nickel Song"30
Australian Charts"Nickel Song"74
Canadian Charts"Nickel Song"27
U.S Cash Box Charts"The Good Book"78
U.S Record World Charts [8] "The Good Book"60

References

  1. ↑ "Album Reviews: Pop Picks" (PDF). Cash Box. No. 6 February 1971. p. 36. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  2. ↑ Melanie - The Good Book Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic , retrieved January 30, 2024
  3. ↑ "Melanie". Billboard .
  4. ↑ "Cash Box" (PDF). Worldradiohistory.com. March 27, 1971. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  5. 1 2 "norwegiancharts.com - Melanie - The Good Book". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Melanie - Se alla låtar och listplaceringar". NostalgiListan (in Swedish). Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  7. ↑ https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Billboard-Index/IDX/1971/1971-09-04-Billboard-Page-0034.pdf#search=%22melanie%22 [ bare URL ]
  8. ↑ "Record World" (PDF). Wordradiohistory.com. May 10, 1971. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
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