Melicious
Encyclopedia
"Melicious" is the title of the second album by singer Melissa Lefton
. On many promotional copies it was simply titled "Melissa Lefton". The album was due for release in September, 2001 on Jive Records
but that release was suspended indefinitely. It was produced by The Matrix
.
The album featured well-produced pop songs that, when given a closer listen, were filled with bitterness, anger and social commentary. The song "Radio Rainbow" addressed date rape
; "Sunnyville" was a song about occultism. The song "My Hit Song" was an ironic ditty imploring the listener to make the song itself a hit.
Lefton's image was tooled intentionally to mime that of other successful young pop stars like Britney Spears
, when in fact Lefton is nearly thirty years old. This led to comparisons to Cyndi Lauper
, who also wrote socially conscious pop songs geared toward a young audience when she was in her thirties.
As evidence of what was intended to be a heavily promoted project, the only songs commercially released by Lefton appeared on soundtracks. "He Blinded Me With Science," a cover of the Thomas Dolby
classic, appeared on the soundtrack to "Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius". "I Love Life" appeared on the soundtrack to The Princess Diaries
. "My Hit Song" appeared on the soundtrack to On the Line
. Lefton also had a song on the compilation album Cool Traxx! 3.
The only copies of the album that exist are full length promotional copies. There are two variations; one is an acetate promo which has a stick-on label and comes in an orange jewel case. The other comes in a cardboard sleeve and features Lefton in a t-shirt with a jolly roger
on it. Though the image displayed here was the publicized actual album cover, no actually produced albums in circulation feature it. A three song sampler also exists which plays the songs "My Hit Song," "Ozone" and "Sugar Daddy".
A promotional short film was created to promote the album. Called "Behind the Muse", it was a fictionalized mockumentary
spoofing the Behind the Music
program and format. In it Lefton is depicted as an already-famous musician who rose to fame as a pop star only to succumb to an IV addiction to Sunny Delight
. After a nearly fatal car crash she records an album called "Ow!", and then revitalizes her career as a Las Vegas lounge singer. The humor in the film is decidedly not for young people; for example, regarding her addiction, Lefton states: "I was making love to sweaty bums just to score a hit of Sunny D, and it didn't feel good on my vagina." The film was promotionally distributed on a VHS
tape and digitized for viewing only; as of 2007 it is currently watchable on YouTube.
Lefton built up public interest despite the full length album never being released, and for several years after the fact promotional copies frequently sold on ebay for $50-100. Interest has since waned and these copies rarely appear for sale at all.
Melissa Lefton
Melissa Janis Lefton is a singer, songwriter, and self-styled comedian. Her song "I Love Life" was on the soundtrack album for The Princess Diaries movie, released in 2001...
. On many promotional copies it was simply titled "Melissa Lefton". The album was due for release in September, 2001 on Jive Records
Jive Records
Jive Records was a record label based in New York City, operating under RCA Music Group. Jive was primarily known for a string of successes with hip hop artists in the 1980s, and in teen pop and boy bands in the late 1990s. The word "jive" was inspired by Township Jive, a form of South African...
but that release was suspended indefinitely. It was produced by The Matrix
The Matrix (music producer)
The Matrix is an American pop music writing and production team, consisting of Lauren Christy, Graham Edwards and Scott Spock.-Background:Before her involvement in The Matrix, Lauren Christy had moderate success as a singer-songwriter, releasing two albums under Mercury Records in the mid-1990s,...
.
The album featured well-produced pop songs that, when given a closer listen, were filled with bitterness, anger and social commentary. The song "Radio Rainbow" addressed date rape
Date rape
"Date rape", often referred to as acquaintance rape, is an assault or attempted assault usually committed by a new acquaintance involving sexual intercourse without mutual consent....
; "Sunnyville" was a song about occultism. The song "My Hit Song" was an ironic ditty imploring the listener to make the song itself a hit.
Lefton's image was tooled intentionally to mime that of other successful young pop stars like Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
, when in fact Lefton is nearly thirty years old. This led to comparisons to Cyndi Lauper
Cyndi Lauper
Cynthia Ann Stephanie "Cyndi" Lauper is an American singer, songwriter, actress and LGBT rights activist. She achieved success in the mid-1980s with the release of the album She's So Unusual and became the first female singer to have four top-five singles released from one album...
, who also wrote socially conscious pop songs geared toward a young audience when she was in her thirties.
As evidence of what was intended to be a heavily promoted project, the only songs commercially released by Lefton appeared on soundtracks. "He Blinded Me With Science," a cover of the Thomas Dolby
Thomas Dolby
Thomas Dolby is an English musician and producer. Best known for his 1982 hit "She Blinded Me with Science", and 1984 single "Hyperactive!", he has also worked extensively in production and as a session musician.-Early life:Dolby was born in London, England, contrary to information in early 1980s...
classic, appeared on the soundtrack to "Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius". "I Love Life" appeared on the soundtrack to The Princess Diaries
The Princess Diaries (film)
The Princess Diaries is a 2001 comedy film produced by singer and actress Whitney Houston and directed by Garry Marshall. It is based on Meg Cabot's 2000 novel of the same name...
. "My Hit Song" appeared on the soundtrack to On the Line
On the Line (film)
On the Line is a 2001 American romantic comedy film starring Lance Bass and Emmanuelle Chriqui. The film was directed by Eric Bross and was written by Eric Aronson and Paul Stanton, based upon their short film of the same name.-Plot:...
. Lefton also had a song on the compilation album Cool Traxx! 3.
The only copies of the album that exist are full length promotional copies. There are two variations; one is an acetate promo which has a stick-on label and comes in an orange jewel case. The other comes in a cardboard sleeve and features Lefton in a t-shirt with a jolly roger
Jolly Roger
The Jolly Roger is any of various flags flown to identify a ship's crew as pirates. The flag most commonly identified as the Jolly Roger today is the skull and crossbones, a flag consisting of a human skull above two long bones set in an x-mark arrangement on a black field. This design was used by...
on it. Though the image displayed here was the publicized actual album cover, no actually produced albums in circulation feature it. A three song sampler also exists which plays the songs "My Hit Song," "Ozone" and "Sugar Daddy".
A promotional short film was created to promote the album. Called "Behind the Muse", it was a fictionalized mockumentary
Mockumentary
A mockumentary , is a type of film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on current events and issues by using a fictitious setting, or to parody the documentary form itself...
spoofing the Behind the Music
Behind the Music
Behind the Music is a television series on VH1. It originally ran from 1997 to 2006, before it was stopped and only aired new episodes sporadically. The series places its generality on documentation of musical artists or groups who are interviewed and profiled, and discuss how their careers became...
program and format. In it Lefton is depicted as an already-famous musician who rose to fame as a pop star only to succumb to an IV addiction to Sunny Delight
Sunny Delight
Sunny Delight may refer to the following:* SunnyD, the main drink made by Sunny Delight Beverages* Sunny Delight Beverages, the maker of Sunny Delight...
. After a nearly fatal car crash she records an album called "Ow!", and then revitalizes her career as a Las Vegas lounge singer. The humor in the film is decidedly not for young people; for example, regarding her addiction, Lefton states: "I was making love to sweaty bums just to score a hit of Sunny D, and it didn't feel good on my vagina." The film was promotionally distributed on a VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
tape and digitized for viewing only; as of 2007 it is currently watchable on YouTube.
Lefton built up public interest despite the full length album never being released, and for several years after the fact promotional copies frequently sold on ebay for $50-100. Interest has since waned and these copies rarely appear for sale at all.
Tracklist
- My Hit Song
- ...Now I Got Punk Rock Fever
- Radio Rainbow
- Ozone
- Last Summer
- Sugar Daddy
- Bionic Man
- Sunnyville
- I Love Life
- Who Shot Jennifer?
- I Know You Want Me (How Can I Blame You?)