What Have They Done to My Song, Ma

Album: Candles in the Rain (1970)
Charted: 39
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  • Look what they done to my song ma
    Look what they done to my song
    Well it's the only thing
    That I could do half right
    And it's turning out all wrong ma
    Look what they done to my song

    Look what they done to my brain ma
    Look what they done to my brain
    Well they picked it like a chicken bone
    And I think I'm half insane ma
    Look what they done to my song

    Wish I could find a good book to live in
    Wish I could find a good book
    Well if I could find a real good book
    I'd never have to come out and look at
    What they done to my song

    La la la la la la la la la
    La la la la la la la la la
    La la la la la la la la la

    Look what they done to my song
    But maybe it'll all be alright ma
    Maybe it'll all be okay
    Well if the people are buying tears
    I'll be rich someday ma
    Look what they done to my song

    Ils ont change ma chanson, ma
    Ils ont change ma chanson
    Look what they done to my song ma
    Look what they done to my song ma
    Well they tied it up in a plastic bag
    And turned it upside down ma
    Look what they done to my song

    C'est la seule chose que je peux faire
    Et ce n'est pas bon, ma.
    Ils ont change ma chanson.
    Look what they done to my song ma
    Look what they done to my song
    It's the only thing I could do alright
    And they turned it upside down
    Oh ma
    Look what they done to my song Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 4

  • Heather from Los AngelesI always thought this song was about how disappointing people and life can be. "The Song" being whatever one does best and finding that for whatever reason you can't do it in a world like this.
  • Theancient from Canada1971 German cover version by Dahlia Lavi "Wer Hat Mein Lied So Zerstört, Ma?"
    See https://www.discogs.com/de/Daliah-Lavi-Wer-Hat-Mein-Lied-So-Zerst%C3%B6rt-Ma/release/1710468
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn March 28th 1971, Melanie performed "Look What They've Done to My Song, Ma" on the CBS-TV program 'The Ed Sullivan Show'*...
    Was track five from her third studio album, "Candles in the Rain", and the album peaked at #17 on Billboard’s Hot Top 100 chart...
    Seven months earlier on August 30th, 1970 the New Seekers entered the Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #70 with their version of the song; eight weeks later on October 25th, 1970 it would peak at #14 {for 1 week} and spent 12 weeks on the Top 100...
    * This was the 1,068 original and last episode of 'The Ed Sullivan Show'; the first episode was on June 20th, 1948 and was known as 'The Toast of the Town' until September 25th, 1955, then changed to the 'Sullivan' name.
  • Bill from UsSo this song could be about what the music industry would do to an artist's song (and brain) just to change it to what they think should happen, the price an artists pays when they sign the contract. But I always thought about what some other artist did when they "covered" a song, and tore it apart, like when anyone tried to re-do a Beatles song, or when someone like Andy Williams or Pat Boone sang anything back then! And when one of them would sing this song I couldn't stand it! I had several Melanie albums (over 40 years ago!), and recently re listened to her music, some really beautiful stuff that may be lost to many, Go Melanie!
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