Los Angeles, California: In 1972, Melanie stunned the music industry by announcing that proceeds from her next tour would be gifted to UNICEF - she had been an ambassador for the organization since late ’71, when she became the first rock/pop star ever to perform for the UN General Assembly.
It was a controversial decision. With the chart-topping “Brand New Key” still fresh in the memory, Melanie was at the very peak of her commercial powers - observers claimed that her generosity would result in the loss of millions of dollars, while she later recalled that her record label’s backers were so outraged that they withdrew the tour’s promotional budget!
She didn’t care. The concerts she gave on that tour ranked among her favorite memories (the final night of the outing, in Tokyo, is available on Cleopatra Records as Maiden In Japan), while she also recorded several messages raising further awareness for the cause - including one that she prefaced with a gorgeous, if brief (under a minute), take on that most eerie of all folk lullabies, “All The Pretty Little Horses.”
Officially unreleased until just a couple of years ago (on Melanie’s Neighborhood Songs box set), and still regarded as one of the deepest of her “deep cuts,” “All The Pretty Little Horses” takes on a new lease of life today, as Scottish duo Witch Of The Vale join her to bring what they call “this “very haunting, honest and perhaps a little sad” recording into the 21st century.
SINGLE: https://orcd.co/melaniewitchofthevale_alltheprettylittlehorses
Layered with Witch of the Vale’s trademark atmospheres, whispers and electronics, this new version of “All The Pretty Little Horses” is more than double its original length - Melanie sang only the first verse, but researching the song for this recording, the Witch discovered “it’s part of a longer, spooky folk song, [with a] second, darker verse.” Of course that had to be added!
The result is still short, just under two minutes, but that only adds to its impact - even as it makes the listener hunger for more. The Witch’s sound, after all, has already won them legions of admirers, with their own most recent release, the Love Songs for the Damned EP (also available on Cleopatra) proclaimed one of the “albums of the week” by the gonzookanagan.com blog - alongside the latest album by Paul McCartney!
“You wouldn’t exactly call these toe-tappers or a collection of hummable songs. [It] hits more like an atmosphere, as if they’re painting with sound.”
You could say the same about “All The Pretty Little Horses.” You’ll recognize the melody, and maybe know the words. But still the Witch takes the song into a whole new realm of sensory experience.
“All The Pretty Little Horses” is also the first single (and the opening track) from Friends and Co., a brand new Melanie album featuring over a dozen further duets, pairing the singer with some very surprising (but, if you know her story, very suitable) guests… Steve Hillage (Gong), Cactus, the Pink Fairies, Nik Turner, Del Dettmar and Alan Davey (Hawkwind), Terry Reid, Esme White and more.
That will be with us later this year. “All The Pretty Little Horses,” however, are with us now, and just one listen will confirm what the Witch of the Vale has known all along. “Melanie is a legend! “
Ethereal Duo Witch Of The Vale Join Melanie To Serenade All The Pretty Little Horses
