Melanie - Brand New Key (with lyrics)

From 1971. 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".

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."

"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 roller skate, don't drive no car
Don't go too fast, but I go pretty far
For somebody who don't drive
I been all around the world
Some people say, I done all right for a girl

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 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 got a brand new key
I think that we should get together and try them out to see
La la la la la la la la, la la la la la la
Oh! I got a brand new pair of roller skates
You got a brand new key"

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Melanie
• Brand New Key

[12champion]

is this recorded directly from the record player? because if so that would explain why it sounds mysteriously better

[Steamstock]

@12champion Recorded from a camcorder set near the speaker.

[Kramden429]

This must have been released on Buddah outside the U.S.

"Brand New Key" was released here in the States on Neighborhood Records, a label owned by Melanie and her husband Peter Schekeryk but distributed by Famous Records, the former record arm of Paramount Communications whose labels included Paramount and (the legendary) Dot Records.

I believe the Geffen Records division of Universal Music currently owns the master of "Brand New Key," as well as those of Melanie's other Neighborhood hits.

[Steamstock]

@Kramden429 Thanks for the info!

[piss666off]

Is that some kind of toy music box playing the song?

[Steamstock]

@piss666off Sounds fine to me, think it must be your speakers.

[TheCsquared99]

Thumbs up if jackass 3 brought you here!

[jokersgirlfriend45]

YAY THE ORIGINAL!

[haastaboozia]

I remember hearing this song while playing Hide-n-Seek (when this song first came out). I was hiding in the laundry bin, smelling dirty socks. YEP, great memories!

[ponkaton1]

i love watching records on you tube so cool thanks for posting it

[2345hahaha]

JACKASS FTW!

[vellanator]

@MarieJane619 you're friggin' crazy for thinking there ISN'T sexual innuendo in that song

[Lek61kravitz]

This song is so weirdly cool! •{];)

[MarieJane619]

anyone who says there is sexual innuendo in this song is a complete dumb ass cuz lets look back..... roller skates required a KEY to change the fucking size of them... yea they actually didn't make skate in any specific size back then so u needed the key to make them longer or shorter to fit to ur shoe....... some people need to not say a thing if they don't know what they are talking about.....

[TJCATLOVER]

Good song. Very catchy. It reminds me of skating around town as a kid.

[aneudy01]

idk Why but this Song is so Damn Catchy !

[jenlivaudais]

LOVE IT!!! I don't care what it means, I love the lyrics. Playful. Puts me in a good mood.