Melting Pot (song)

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"Melting Pot"
Cover of the single released in Germany
Single by Blue Mink
from the album Melting Pot
B-side"Blue Mink"
Released31 October 1969
GenreRock
Length3:50
LabelPhilips
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Blue Mink
Blue Mink singles chronology
"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]

Chart performance[edit]

The song peaked at number three in the UK Singles Chart in the first week of 1970, number 10 in Australia, and also reached number 11 in Ireland.[2] "Melting Pot" did best in New Zealand, where it spent three weeks at number 2.[3]

Language and legacy[edit]

While the song has assimilationist undertones, it also uses racist language, including such phrases as "curly Latin kinkies", "mixed with yellow Chinkies" and "little bitty bit of Red Indian boy".[citation needed]

In particular, the use of the word chink has led to complaints: "take a pinch of white man/Wrap him up in black skin. [...] Mixed with yellow Chinkees. You know you lump it all together/And you got a recipe for a get-along scene/Oh what a beautiful dream/If it could only come true".[4] In August 2019, British broadcaster Global permanently deleted the song from its Gold playlist after a complaint about offensive language was lodged with British broadcasting regulator Ofcom. Under the direction of the Communications Act 2003, Ofcom ruled that "the phrase 'yellow Chinkies' had the potential to be highly offensive"[5]: 16  and "that the use of derogatory language to describe ethnic groups carries a widespread potential for offence".[5]: 17  Ofcom considered that the passage of time since the song's release and the song's positive message of racial harmony did not "mitigate the potential for offence."[5]: 17–18  Ofcom determined that the "potentially offensive material was not justified by the context"[5]: 18  and ruled the case resolved as the licensee Global had removed the song from Gold's playlist.[5] In September 2019, Scottish community radio station Black Diamond FM removed "Melting Pot" from its playlist and "planned to carry out refresher training with its staff" after two complaints about the song's broadcast were lodged with Ofcom. Ofcom ruled in December 2019 that Black Diamond was in breach of Ofcom's Broadcasting Code because "the potentially offensive language in this broadcast was not justified by the context".[6][7]

The track was chosen by the singer-songwriter Noel Gallagher as one of his favourite tracks on the BBC Radio 1 show All Back To Mine broadcast on 25 December 1997. In it he explains to host, Sean Rowley, that he had gone around for years asking people what the track was, with the short line "What we need is...", but couldn't recall any more of the song! Then finally someone, that he couldn't recall, responded with "What you mean Blue Mink 'Melting Pot'? Yeah I've got a CD, would you like to borrow it?"[citation needed]

Formats and track listings[edit]

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[edit]

"Melting Pot"
Single by When the Cat's Away
from the album When the Cat's Away
B-side"Fire"
Released1988
Recorded1988
GenrePop
Length3:56
LabelCBS
Songwriter(s)Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway
When the Cat's Away singles chronology
"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.[8] The single was certified gold.[9] 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.[10]

Track listing[edit]

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

Other versions[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Blue Mink – Melting Pot". Discogs. 1969. 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. ^ Flavour of New Zealand, 3 April 1970
  4. ^ "Melting Pot Lyrics". metrolyrics.com. Archived from the original on 14 December 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  5. ^ a b c d e "The Music Marathon: Gold, 27 May 2019, 12:45". Broadcast and On Demand Bulletin (PDF). Ofcom. 27 August 2019. pp. 15–18. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 November 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  6. ^ "Geoff Ruderham: Black Diamond FM 107.8, 2 September 2019, 12:23". Broadcast and On Demand Bulletin (PDF). Ofcom. 12 December 2019. pp. 12–15. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  7. ^ "Complaints upheld against station playing Melting Pot by Blue Mink". RadioToday. 2 December 2019. Archived from the original on 15 April 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  8. ^ "WHEN THE CAT'S AWAY - MELTING POT (SONG)". charts.nz. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
  9. ^ "When The Cat's Away". Muzic.net.nz. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
  10. ^ "Melting Pot". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
  11. ^ Lyn Paul. "Together album details". Retrieved 16 March 2011.

External links[edit]

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