The Good Book
vinyl album cover (UK edition)
Studio album by
Melanie
Released1971
StudioAllegro Sound Studios, New York City
GenrePop
LabelBuddah
ProducerPeter Schekeryk
Melanie chronology
R.P.M. (Revolutions per Minute)
(1970)		 The Good Book
(1971)		 All the Right Noises
(1971)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic 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.

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

  • Melanie - nylon guitar, banjo, vocals
  • Vinnie Bell - electric guitar
  • Sal DiTroia - classical and steel guitar
  • Hugh McCracken - classical guitar
  • Eric Weissberg - fiddle
  • Joe Mack - bass
  • Ron Frangipane - keyboards
  • Margie English - banjo
  • Buddy Saltzman, George Devens - drums, percussion
  • Dave Melaney - accordion
  • George March - woodwind
  • The Pennywhistlers - backing vocals
  • John Abbott, Lee Holdridge, Ron Frangipane - arrangements

Charts

Album Charts Peak
position
U.S Billboard Charts [3] 80
U.S Cash Box Charts [4] 45
U.K. Album Charts 9
Australian Album Charts 29
Canadian Album Charts 26
Norwegian Album Charts [5] 20
German Album Charts [6] 29
Swedish Album Charts [7] 17
Austrian Album Charts [8] 6
Singles Charts Title Peak
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 [9] "The Good Book" 60

References

  1. ↑ "Album Reviews: Pop Picks" (PDF). Cash Box. No. 6 February 1971. p. 36. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  2. ↑ https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-good-book-mw0000843865
  3. ↑ "Melanie". Billboard.
  4. ↑ "Cash Box" (PDF). Worldradiohistory.com. 1971-03-27. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
  5. ↑ https://norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Melanie&titel=The+Good+Book&cat=a
  6. ↑ https://norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Melanie&titel=The+Good+Book&cat=a
  7. ↑ https://www.nostalgilistan.se/melanie-9391
  8. ↑ https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Billboard-Index/IDX/1971/1971-09-04-Billboard-Page-0034.pdf#search=%22melanie%22
  9. ↑ "Record World" (PDF). Wordradiohistory.com. 1971-05-10. Retrieved 2023-05-29.
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