Every Billboard Hot 100 Single 1970: #205: “Lay Down { Candles In The Rain”}- Melanie with the Edwin Hawkins Singers. April 25, 1970.

• Single: “Lay Down { Candles In The Rain”}- Melanie with the Edwin Hawkins Singers
• Record Company-Buddah
• Genre: Pop
• Written by Melanie Safka
• Time: 3:49
• B-side:” Candles In The Rain”
• Album- Candles In The Rain
• Grade: B+
• Peaked at #6 17 weeks in the Billboard Hot 100.

Born Melanie Safka in 1947 in Queens, New York- ‘Lay Down {Candles In The Rain”} was Melanie’s first hit. This song was inspired by her performing at the Woodstock Festival the previous August.She wrote about how it felt like to look out from the stage seeing the sea of people in the audience. Note- like The Who’s Pete Townshend- during this time Melanie was a follower of the Indian spiritual master Meher Baba. During her career Melanie had 6 Top 40 hits- and of course is best known for her #1 hit from 1971 “Brand New Key.” On “Lay Down” she has an assist from the Edwin Hawkins Singers- “Oh Happy Day.”