Back in the early 1970s, Melanie was BIG stuff. There was a horrible radio year where you couldn’t get away from “Brand New Key.” She had some slightly better hits, but her best one by far was Lay Down (Candles in the Rain).
And seriously, wow. Bringing in the Edwin Hawkins Singers choir was brilliant. The song is joyful and in some ways melancholy both in sound and lyrics. Melanie’s vocals are fantastic.
It isn’t a short song, but it doesn’t dawdle and doesn’t feel long. It’s one of the best pieces of music in that bridge time at the end of the 60s and beginning of the 70s.