Talk:Melanie Makes Me Smile

Which is the original?

@Richhoncho, JMyrleFuller, and Zackmann08: I request an opinion on a substantial change to this article.shaidar cuebiyar (talk) 05:33, 30 November 2023 (UTC)

The Strangers vs Tony Burrows.

This article claims the Strangers' version was released "in early 1970", whereas Burrows version appeared in May 1970 (according to infobox). For the former we have McFarlane in his entry for the Strangers writing "'Melanie Makes Me Smile'/'If You Think You're Groovy' reached #14 in June 1970." But Kent's Chart Book has it peaking at No. 10 in Australia in 1970 (I don't have the book, so I can't check when it charted). Burrows' rendition is verified by RPM (peaking in September) and Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 (1970).

I'm not sure whether the Strangers were the original recording artists of this song. Consider the Go-Set top 40/60 chart run from "18 July 1970" to "31 October 1970". This shows the Strangers' single entering in July and peaking on "19 September 1970" (note disagrees with McFarlane regarding when it peaked) and leaving in October. To confuse matters the Australian 1970 radio ban resulted in many British and Australian artists being denied airplay by commercial radio from May to October 1970. The Strangers, having signed with Fable Records, were not subject to the ban.

Lyn Nuttall's Pop Archives has an entry on "The Strangers – 'Melanie Makes Me Smile'", which describes the Burrows' one as the original.

I would like the opinion of interested editors before making the Strangers' version the cover and the Burrows' rendition as the original.shaidar cuebiyar (talk) 03:43, 30 November 2023 (UTC)05:33, 30 November 2023 (UTC)

According to <ref name="LarkinGE">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]|editor=[[Colin Larkin (writer)|Colin Larkin]]|publisher=[[Guinness Publishing]]|date=1992|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-939-0|page=374}}</ref> Burrows version was issued in April 1970.

According to Duncan Kimball in his article on "Fable Records" the Strangers version with catalogue no. FB-011 was issued either in May (after "Old Man Emu" by John Williamson at FB-008) or June (before Drummond's "For You Blue" at FB-014). shaidar cuebiyar (talk) 05:25, 30 November 2023 (UTC)

The straight answer is I don't know. Macauley & Mason were British based songwriters and had a hit with Burrows singing as Edison Lighthouse in 1970, so the direct physical connection is established. So my guess (and guess it is) is that Burrows sang the original version (whether demo or 'ready-to-be-released', we can only guess, which was then sent to others. That recording was promoted for others to sing, as for actual release dates, we can only guess. Remember this is back in the time when different artists were still used for different territories. Richhoncho (talk) 10:01, 30 November 2023 (UTC)

Thanks for those thoughts, appreciated. shaidar cuebiyar (talk) 18:36, 30 November 2023 (UTC)

I have swapped these over making Tony Burrows version the original (Macauley produced it) and the Strangers rendition as a cover.shaidar cuebiyar (talk) 22:13, 9 December 2023 (UTC)