Melting Pot (song)

"Melting Pot"
Single by Blue Mink
from the album Melting Pot
A-side "Melting Pot"
B-side "Blue Mink"
Released 1969
Genre Rock
Label Philips
Songwriter(s) Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway
Blue Mink singles chronology
"Melting Pot"
(1969)		 "Good Morning Freedom"
(1970)

"Melting Pot"
(1969)		 "Good Morning Freedom"
(1970)

"Melting Pot" is the 1969 debut single from UK pop group Blue Mink. The song was written by Blue Mink's lead singer Roger Cook and long-time songwriter partner Roger Greenaway.[1]

The song peaked at number three in the UK Singles chart in the first week of 1970, and also reached Number 11 in Ireland.[2] It became the opening track on the group's 1969 debut album, also titled Melting Pot.[3]

While the song has assimilationist undertones, it is generally considered a plea for racial harmony.[4] However in 2015, BBC Three Counties DJ Iain Lee apologized for playing the song, which includes the lyric "yellow Chinkees".[5]

The song featured on episode 3 of I'm Alan Partridge season 1, entitled 'Watership Alan' [6], in which Alan sings the song whilst exercising in his hotel room alongside Michael, the caretaker, who is clearing out an air vent. Alan asks Michael whether the song is racist, but Michael says no on the basis that Chinese is both a race of people and a food.

Formats and track listings

7" (1969)

  1. "Melting Pot" (Roger Cook/Roger Greenaway)
  2. "Blue Mink" (Alan Parker)

7" (1969)

  1. "Melting Pot" (Roger Cook/Roger Greenaway)
  2. "But Not Forever"

7" (1975)

  1. "Melting Pot"
  2. "Gimme Reggae"

When the Cat's Away version

"Melting Pot"
Single by When the Cat's Away
from the album When the Cat's Away
B-side "Fire"
Released 1988
Format 7"
Recorded 1988
Genre Pop
Length 3:56
Label CBS
Songwriter(s) Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway
When the Cat's Away singles chronology
"Sanctified"
(1987)		 "Melting Pot"
(1988)		 "Free Ride"
(1990)

"Sanctified"
(1987)		 "Melting Pot"
(1988)		 "Free Ride"
(1990)

In 1988 "Melting Pot" was covered by New Zealand female vocal group and covers band When the Cat's Away.

Their version peaked at number one in the New Zealand charts, and charted for 15 weeks.[7] The single was certified gold.[8] It was one of three songs by New Zealand artists to reach number one in 1988.

The group released a low-budget, self-produced music video, directed by photographer Kerry Brown. The video features the group performing with a band in a white room, footage of people of different ethnic groups around Auckland, and cats.[9]

Track listing

  1. "Melting Pot" (Roger Cook/Roger Greenaway)
  2. "Fire" (Bruce Springsteen)

Other versions

  • Mickey Murray covered the song and released it as a single on King Records in the USA in 1970.
  • Canadian band The Dublin Corporation recorded the song on Franklin 643 circa 1971.
  • Tony Kingston also covered "Melting Pot" in 1972.
  • The New Seekers recorded a version for their 1974 album, Together (member Eve Graham had originally been offered the song back in 1969).[10]
  • English pop group Culture Club played a live version of "Melting Pot" in 1983. The live song was made available on the 2003 digital remaster of their 1983 album Colour By Numbers.[11]
  • Boyzone recorded a version on their 1996 album A Different Beat, which also featured the vocals of Madeline Bell.

References

  1. ↑ "Blue Mink – Melting Pot". Discogs. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  2. ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 66. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  3. ↑ "Blue Mink – Melting Pot". Discogs. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
  4. ↑ "Artist Biography by Dave Thompson". All Music. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
  5. ↑ "BBC DJ Iain Lee apologises for playing 1969 Blue Mink's 'racist' song Melting Pot - Daily Mail Online". Daily Mail. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  6. ↑ "IMDb – Watership Alan". IMDb. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  7. ↑ "WHEN THE CAT'S AWAY - MELTING POT (SONG)". Charts.org.nz. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
  8. ↑ "When The Cat's Away". Muzic.net.nz. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
  9. ↑ "Melting Pot". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
  10. ↑ Lyn Paul. "Together album details". Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  11. ↑ "Colour By Numbers". iTunes. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
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