Lay Down (Candles In The Rain) - Long Version

Melanie (last name: Safka) performed in the rain at Woodstock on the first day of the festival (August 15, 1969). Before her performance, many in the crowd participated in a ceremony where they lit candles, many of which were still burning when Melanie took the stage. Melanie was so moved by the sight of candles in the rain that she wrote this song to commemorate it.

The Edwin Hawkins Singers backed Melanie on this track. They got a deal with Melanie's label Buddah Records in 1969 when "Oh Happy Day," recorded in church and sold as part of an album to raise money for the choir, started getting airplay on various radio stations. A gospel group, they brought a vibrant, spiritual feel to this song.

Regarding the song and the era in which it was written, Melanie told Songfacts: "There was, without getting into it, a strong force going against it, and who would want to look at that? The powers that be do not want a bunch of free happy beings running the planet, end of story, 'nuff said. But here it is, a literal visual of the world that was. Black and white harmony, unity and power. This WAS the world! The dream? You may say I'm a dreamer... candles in the rain."