Customer Reviews

Four Sides Of

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Back in 1974, when everywhere you went, you simply HAD to buy an 8-track recording of anything and everything you liked. I really wanted to get the LP (since cassettes were only used for answering machines in those days.) But my wife convinced me that 8-tracks were the "thing of the future." (How odd that even today's state-of-the-art will be tomorrow's junk.)
We actually owned an 8-track recorder/playback device but I never recorded anything on it. But oh, did we listen ... hours and hours of listening. So we picked up "The Four Sides of Melanie" and brought it home, plugged it in to the player and let it play over and over, it was stunning. One of those background-type recordings you listen to over and over while you worked on hobbies or c leaned or just about everything--as we certainly did.
We especially remember a very brutal and cold Minnesota winter, when nothing was moving and we were snowed in for 2 days, we listened to this recording, which was from a live concert. We felt as though we were a part of the audience but that she was speaking to us .. and only us. Great voice--wonderful laughter.
Well, memories never died, but the 8-track did and we couldn't listen to "The Four Sides.." like we used to and we missed it terribly--especially now, when it starts to snow. I still picture my wife singing along to "Psychotherapy" while rocking the baby on her lap back in '74. The rich sound of accompanyment from the Edwin Hawkins Singers only added to the excitement. And then when our daughter was born in 1979 and we revived the 8-track to work for a few more years, Mom would rock the baby while singing "Christopher Robin." Wonderful memories; wonderful music and the tender wit of Melanie carried us a long way. Our kids are grown up but they remember...
We have a few other recordings by Melanie, now of course on cassette and CD, but nothing compares to the love and memories we all have every time we think about this 8-track. (Pretty soon we'll have a grandchild--who'll no doubt sit on my daughter's lap and she'll probably sing one of her favorites from "THe Four Sides..," such as "Good Book" or "Sign in the Window."
I'm sending for the CD and giving it to her--for memory sake.
- Dan and Brandy Gergen

As a teenager in the mid/late '60s I found myself an on again, off again listener of songs by Melanie. The one number by her that has always been a favorite is "Lay Down". While in the Air Force in the seventies, I came across the Buddha Records release of this album(yes, on vinyl !!!). I bought the record more out of curiosity than anything else. I ended up with the conviction that if I could only have one album by this lady, it would have to be this one. Hers is not what I would call a really good voice, but, the way she uses it, especialy on "Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man" has always captured and held my attention and affection. I always regretted the eventual loss of the vinyl copy but I was very happy to see it reissued.

I had this album in College and loved it. Listening to it again on CD was great. A must for any Melanie fan.

I was introduced to Melanie from a very good friend, via this album. I really did identify with so many of her songs, to the point where I was wearing the sleeve out not just with removing the vinyl, but just constantly reading and re-reading the sleeve notes. I remember covering the whole gatefold sleeve in sticky back plastic, and it still sits sandwiched in a pile of special records that I've kept, but not added to, for years. There have been so many other compilations of Melanie, but nothing betters this - I just wish someone would release this on CD!