{{more citations needed|date=January 2013}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Gather Me | type = Album | artist = Melanie | cover = Gatherme.jpg | alt = | released = October 1971 | recorded = | venue = | studio = Allegro Sound Studios, New York City | genre = Folk<ref name= "Breihan 2019">{{cite web|first= Tom |last= Breihan |title= The Number Ones: Melanie's "Brand New Key"|website= Stereogum |date= February 14, 2019 |url= https://www.stereogum.com/2032063/the-number-ones-melanies-brand-new-key/columns/the-number-ones/|quote= ...her LP ''Gather Me'', which is otherwise a straight-up idiosyncratic folk record...|accessdate= June 16, 2023}}</ref> | length = | label = Neighborhood (US) <br /> Buddah (UK) | producer = Peter Schekeryk | prev_title = The Good Book | prev_year = 1971 | next_title = Stoneground Words | next_year = 1972 }}
'''''Gather Me''''' is a 1971 album released by Melanie and featuring the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 Singles Chart #1 song "Brand New Key" (a novelty hit which also reached the #1 chart position in Canada, New Zealand and Australia between November 1971 and March 1972<ref>[http://tsort.info/music/yr1972.htm Brand New Key] at Songs from the Year 1972.</ref>). The album also features the singles "Some Day I'll Be a Farmer" and the Top 40 hit "Ring the Living Bell". The album was certified Gold in the U.S. and was arranged by Roger Kellaway.
==Reception== In their review of the album, ''Billboard'' called it a "beautiful package... she is at her plaintive best with "Little Bit of Me." The imagery of "Baby Day" explores new depths of awareness." <ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1971/Billboard%201971-11-13.pdf|magazine=Billboard|title=Album Reviews|issue=13 November 1971 |page=42 |access-date=January 8, 2024}}</ref>
''Cashbox'' noted that the album was a "lovingly designed quilt of songs" singling out "the assertive "Steppin'," the wistful "Little Bit Of Me" and the spirited "Ring The Living Bell" are among her very best works."<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Cash-Box-IDX/70s/1971/Cash-Box-1971-10-23-OCR-Page-0040.pdf#search=%22melanie%22|magazine=Cash Box|title=Album Reviews: Pop Picks|issue=23 October 1971 |page=44 |access-date=January 10, 2024}}</ref>
''Allmusic'' stated that the album "is one of her most accomplished and confident albums, a set that allowed Melanie the room to indulge her lyrical obsessions while Schekeryk created superb musical accompaniment from her simple but forceful melodies...''Gather Me'' may well be Melanie's finest album, capturing her at the height of her skills as a writer and singer, and it has stood the test of time better than the majority of her work."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/gather-me-mw0000837645 | title=Gather Me - Melanie | Album | AllMusic | website=AllMusic }}</ref>
{{Music ratings | rev1 = Allmusic | rev1Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}} <ref name=Allmusic>{{AllMusic |class=album |tab=review |id=r2111667 |first=Mark |last=Deming |accessdate=18 November 2011 }}</ref> |rev2 = ''Christgau's Record Guide'' |rev2Score = B+<ref name="CG">{{cite book|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|year=1981|title=Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies|publisher=Ticknor & Fields|isbn=089919026X|chapter=Consumer Guide '70s: M|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=M&bk=70|accessdate=March 7, 2019|via=robertchristgau.com}}</ref> | rev3 = ''The Village Voice'' | rev3Score = {{Rating-Christgau|B+}}<ref name=ChristgauCG>{{Cite news |newspaper=The Village Voice |date=December 30, 1971 |first=Robert |last=Christgau |title=Consumer Guide (22): Melanie: ''Gather Me'' |url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cg22.php |accessdate=18 November 2011 }}</ref> | noprose = yes }}
==Track listing== All songs written by Melanie Safka; except where indicated #"Little Bit of Me" #"Some Day I'll Be a Farmer" #"Steppin'" #"Brand New Key" #"Ring Around the Moon" #"Ring the Living Bell" #"Railroad" #"Kansas" #"Some Say (I Got Devil)" #"Center of the Circle" #"What Wondrous Love" (Arranged and adapted by Melanie) #"Baby Day" #"Tell Me Why" (Michael Edwards, Richard Parish, Sigmund Spaeth)
==Personnel== *Melanie – guitar, vocals *Sal DiTroia – 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 ;Technical *Bruce Staple – engineer *Maddy Miller – photography
==Charts== {|class="wikitable sortable" !Chart !Peak<br />position |- |Australian Albums Chart |align="center"|9 |- |Canadian Albums Chart |align="center"|14 |- |UK Albums Chart |align="center"|14 |- |US Billboard Albums Chart<ref name=BillboardAlbums>{{AllMusic |class=artist |tab=charts-awards/billboard-albums |id=p4888 |label=Melanie > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums |publisher=Billboard |accessdate=18 November 2011 }}</ref> |align="center"|15 |- |US Cash Box Albums Chart <ref>{{cite web|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1972/Cash-Box-1972-02-05.pdf|title=Cash Box|date=1972-02-05|website=Worldradiohistory.com|access-date=21 March 2022}}</ref> |align="center"|12 |- |Norwegian Albums Chart <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Melanie&titel=Gather+Me&cat=a|title=norwegiancharts.com - Melanie - Gather Me|website=norwegiancharts.com}}</ref> |align="center"|25 |- |}
;Singles {|class="wikitable sortable" !Chart !Title !Peak<br />position |- |U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 |align="center"|"Brand New Key" |align="center"|1 |- |''Billboard'' Adult Contemporary |align="center"|"Brand New Key" |align="center"|5 |- |US ''Cash Box'' Singles |align="center"|"Brand New Key" |align="center"|1 |- |UK Singles Chart |align="center"|"Brand New Key" |align="center"|4 |- |Australian Chart |align="center"|"Brand New Key" |align="center"|1 |- |Canadian Chart |align="center"|"Brand New Key" |align="center"|1 |- |US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 |align="center"|"Ring the Living Bell" |align="center"|31 |- |US ''Cash Box'' Singles |align="center"|"Ring the Living Bell" |align="center"|21 |- |''Billboard'' Adult Contemporary |align="center"|"Ring the Living Bell" |align="center"|18 |- |Australian Chart |align="center"|"Ring the Living Bell" |align="center"|74 |- |Canadian Chart |align="center"|"Ring the Living Bell" |align="center"|24 |- |US ''Billboard'' Bubbling Under Chart |align="center"|"Some Day I'll Be a Farmer" |align="center"|106 |- |US ''Cash Box'' Singles |align="center"|"Some Day I'll Be a Farmer" |align="center"|79 |- |US ''Record World'' Singles <ref>{{cite web|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/72/Record-World-1972-06-10.pdf|title=Record World|date=1972-06-10|website=Worldradiohistory.com|access-date=2023-06-05}}</ref> |align="center"|"Some Day I'll Be a Farmer" |align="center"|73 |- |Australian Chart |align="center"|"Some Day I'll Be a Farmer" |align="center"|95 |- |}
==Certifications== {{Certification Table Top}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|title=Gather Me|type=album|relyear=1970|certyear=1971|artist=Melanie|award=Gold|access-date=January 30, 2022}} {{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Melanie Safka}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:1971 albums Category:Melanie (singer) albums Category:Buddah Records albums Category:Neighborhood Records albums