Melanie Anne Safka Schekeryk (February 3, 1947 – January 23, 2024), professionally known as Melanie or Melanie Safka, was an American singer-songwriter.
January 23, 2024 (aged 76).
She is widely known for the 1971–72 global hit "Brand New Key"; her 1970 version of the Rolling Stones' "Ruby Tuesday"; her composition "What Have They Done to My Song Ma"; and her 1970 international breakthrough hit "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)", which was inspired by her experience of performing at the 1969 Woodstock music festival.

I wrote ['Brand New Key'] in about fifteen minutes one night. I thought it was cute; a kind of old thirties tune. I guess a key and a lock have always been Freudian symbols, and pretty obvious ones at that. There was no deep serious expression behind the song, but people read things into it. They made up incredible stories as to what the lyrics said and what the song meant. In some places, it was even banned from the Radio ...
My idea about songs is that once you write them, you have very little say in their life afterward ... People will take it any way they want to take it.
Melanie won Billboard's No. 1 Top Female Vocalist award for 1972. and was awarded two gold albums, and a gold single for "Brand New Key". Three of her compositions were hits for the New Seekers. She is also known for her musical adaptations of children's songs, including "Alexander Beetle" and "Christopher Robin". When she became an official UNICEF ambassador in 1972, she agreed to forego a world tour in favor of raising money for the organization. She also took time to raise her daughter.

Melanie married record producer Peter Schekeryk in 1968. They had three children: Daughter Leilah born on October 3, 1973; daughter Jeordie on March 27, 1975; and son Beau-Jarred on September 11, 1980. Leilah and Jeordie, when aged seven and six, released a cover of "There's No One Quite Like Grandma" that charted in Canada, reaching No. 27. Peter Schekeryk died in 2010. Melanie was A vegetarian in the early 1970s; she also practiced fasting.

Melanie identified herself politically as a libertarian, stating, "I am not a Democrat, a Socialist, or a Republican."
She said that she had experienced acceptance from a "universal force of motherhood" after receiving a hug from Mata Amritanandamayi, a.k.a. Amma ("Mother") or as the "hugging saint" from India, as she is also known, which had inspired her to write "Motherhood of Love".
Melanie resided in the Nashville metropolitan area.
She died on January 23, 2024, at the age of 76.

Melanie - guitar, vocals
Sal DiTroica - acoustic and electric guitar
Don Payne - Fender electric bass
Roger Kellaway - piano, arrangements
Buddy Saltzman, Donald MacDonald, Robert J. Gregg - drums
Johnny Pacheco - congas
Toots Thielemans, Gilbert Chimes, Michael Chimes - harmonica
George Marge - woodwind
Artie Kaplan - contractor

From Wikipedia.

(lyrics)

I rode my bicycle past your window last night
I roller skated to your door at daylight
It almost seems like you're avoiding me
I'm okay alone, but you got something I need

Well, I got a brand new pair of roller skates
You got a brand new key
I think that we should get together
and try them out you see

I been looking around awhile
You got something for me
Oh! I got a brand new pair of roller skates
You got a brand new key

I ride my bike I rollerskate don't drive no car
Don't go too fast but I go pretty far
For somebody who don't drive
I've been all around the world
Some people say I've done alright for a girl
Yeah! Yeah!

Oh, yeah yeah yeah yeah
Oh, yeah yeah yeah

Oh..Yeah yeah..

I asked your mother if you were at home
She said yes, but you weren't alone

Oh, Sometimes I think that you're avoiding me

I'm okay alone but you've got something I need
Well, I got a brand new pair of roller skates
You've got a brand new key

I think that we should get together
And try them on to see
La la la la la la la la
La la la la la la
Oh I've got a brand new pair of roller skates
You've got a brand new key

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