Melanie - Brand New Key

Artist: Melanie

Song: Brand New Key

Album: Gather Me (1971)

 

Melanie is an American singer-songwriter.

Usually known professionally as Melanie, she is best known for her hits "Brand New Key", "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)" and "What They Done To My Song Ma". Melanie has sold over 25 million records over the course of her career.

"Brand New Key" became a novelty hit in 1971-2. Taken from Melanie's album Gather Me the song (also known as "The Rollerskate Song") was her biggest hit, reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in December 1971 and January 1972. Melanie's version of "Brand New Key" was also featured in the 1997 film Boogie Nights.

The song is lighthearted in tone, sung from the viewpoint of a girl trying to attract the attention of a boy:

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

The rollerskates in question would have been quad skates which fitted over ordinary footwear and were tightened with a screw. The girl's skates are presumably adequate, as she is already skating, but not perfect, as she needs the key:

I roller skated to your door at daylight[...]

I'm okay alone, but you got something I need

Many listeners detected innuendo in the lyrics, with the key in its lock symbolizing sexual intercourse, or in phrases like "I go pretty far" and "I been all around the world". The phrase "new key" could be interpreted as "nookie", slang for sexual intercourse.

 

Melanie has acknowledged the possibility of reading sexual innuendo in the song:

"Brand New Key I wrote 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. It's a lot like having a baby. You conceive a song, deliver it, and then give it as good a start as you can. After that, it's on its own. People will take it any way they want to take it." 

music

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

Well, I've gotta brand new pair of roller skates
You got a brand new key
I think that we should get together
And try them out ya see
I've been lookin' around a while
You got somethin' for me
Oh, I gotta brand new pair of roller skates
You got a brand new key

I ride my bike, I roller skate, 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 all right for a girl
Oh yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, yeah-yeah

I asked your mother if you were at home
She said yes, but you weren't alone
Oh sometimes I think that your avoiding me
I'm ok alone but you got something I need well

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

La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la
Oh, I gotta brand new pair of roller skates
You got a brand new key

La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la
Oh, I gotta brand new pair of roller skates
You got a brand new key

La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la
Oh, I gotta brand new pair of roller skates
You got a brand new key