The Scottish singer, songwriter, and guitarist Donovan Leitch turned 70 on May 10, 2016. Somehow I missed it, alas. He was one of those musicians that borrowed from folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and calypso to create a notable and rather recognizable sound that helped define the 1960s.
Like many artists of the period, such as the Kinks, the Rolling Stones, and the Beatles, his UK and US releases were quite different.
I associate Donovan with the Beatles. He contributed the line “sky of blue and sea of green” to “Yellow Submarine.” Donovan was among the guests invited to Abbey Road Studios for the orchestral overdub for “A Day in the Life”. He taught John Lennon a finger-picking guitar style in 1968.
Most notably, Donovan traveled to the ashram of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in Rishikesh, where all four Beatles, two Beach Boys, and actress Mia Farrow also showed up.
I have one much later album, Sutras, from 1996, described as deeply meditative, produced by Rick Rubin in the same period he was producing Johnny Cash. Though neither critically nor commercially as successful as the Cash albums, I enjoyed it.
Here is a list of 10 essential Donovan songs. And my favorite 16, with links, though only the first two songs are assured of their slots.
16. Eldorado (1996)- the words are by Edgar Allan Poe.
15. Epistle To Dippy (#19 in 1967) – this is, midst the nearly indecipherable psychedelia, a pacifist song.
14. I Love My Shirt, a sweet, simple song I remember watching on the Smothers Brothers TV show. It was the B-side of the single Atlantis in 1968 in the UK, but not in the US.
13. Universal Soldier (#53 in 1965) – it was written and recorded by Canadian singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie, then covered by him.
12. Catch the Wind (#23 in 1965) – Donovan’s debut single brought the comparisons to Bob Dylan. It’s a “lovelorn ballad about Linda Lawrence (then the significant other of the Rolling Stones’ Brian Jones) who later became Donovan’s wife.”
11. Jennifer Juniper (#26 in 1968) – the song was inspired by Jenny Boyd, sister of George Harrison’s wife, Pattie Boyd.
10. Wear Your Love Like Heaven (#23 in 1967). This shows up in some commercial for perfume, I think.
9. Rikki-Tiki-Tavi (#55 in 1970). It uses the mongoose from Rudyard Kipling’s story in The Jungle Book as a metaphor. “When I was a young man I was led to believe there were organizations to kill my snakes for me. i.e.: the church, i.e.: the government, i.e.: school. But when I got a little older I learned I had to kill them myself.”
8. Colours (#61 in 1965). Lovely in its simplicity.
7. Season of the Witch (1967) – Jimmy Page on guitar. Not a single in the US, but played regularly in his live shows, and covered often.
6. Sunshine Superman (#1 in 1966) – Jimmy Page on guitar. The former comic book fan in me loves “Superman and Green Lantern ain’t got nothin’ in me.”
5. There Is A Mountain (#11 in 1967). Very Buddhist. “First there is a mountain, there is no mountain, then there is.” Copped by the Allman Brothers as the foundation of their Mountain Jam. I copped “Oh, Juanita” for a song I wrote that has fortunately never seen the light of day.
4. Mellow Yellow (#2 for three weeks in 1966) – this song with some suggestive lyrics, was kept out of the #1 slot by Good Vibrations by the Beach Boys, then by Winchester Cathedral by the New Vaudeville Band. It reportedly featured Paul McCartney on backing vocals.
3. Hurdy Gurdy Man (#5 in 1968) – Jimmy Page was one of the electric guitar players and John Paul Jones played bass, arranged the track, and booked the session musicians. John Bonham may, or may not, have played drums, depending on who’s telling the story, and when, memory being tricky. The tambura which Donovan himself plays had been given to him in India by George Harrison.
2. Celtic Rock (1970) – Donovan said that he used the drone of that tambura to create this song. “Hey kala ho kala ho la jai.” It practically defines the genre it namechecks.
1. Goo Goo Barabajagal (#36 in 1969) – billed “with the Jeff Beck Group. “Love Is Hot,” indeed.
So far as I can tell, “Atlantis,” at least in the US, was slated for the B-side of “To Susan On The West Coast Waiting,” which did chart on its own at #35.
After “Senator Bobby” (Bill Minkin) got a novelty hit with a Kennedy-ized cover of “Wild Thing,” he followed up with a “duet” with “Senator McKinley” (an Everett Dirksen voice) on “Mellow Yellow,” which somehow crept into the bottom of the Hot 100.
Chaz – #99 in 1967!
Wow, what a wonderful lifestory you’ve mentioned here, a nice way to get to know someone better
Have a nice ABC-W-Day / – week
♫ M e l ☺ d y ♫ (abc-w-team)
http://melodymusic.nl/abc-wednesday-19-d/
Thanks for the interesting information on what is such a distant memory to me.
Donovan was not a singer I knew much about.
I remember Donovan! Catch the Wind was a favorite of mind…long ago. Haven’t heard anything from him in a long time.
I always liked Donovan, actually more than Dylan! Good flashback!
Leslie
abcw team
I recall Juniper-Jennifer the best=takes me way back.
ann
Listened to some – will be back to listen to more. Always loved Yellow Mellow…
Very interesting!
Shall listen to all these numbers at leisure:)
Thank you Roger:)
As usual, I know the songs but not the singer ! I realize that they didn’t stay young and all the singers of my youth are in their 70th by now, but still in fashion !
Very informative post.
In my teens Donovan’s folk music was one of my favorites – also because of the way he played the guitar! Got a jolt of reality when you mentioned his age! Why do we think that well known people do not get older?
I only remember his 60s songs, happily those are the ones on your list.
Mellow Yellow is the only one I remember. I’m listening to I love my shirt right now. How did I ever miss that one? lol Yeah, I can hear the Smothers Brothers singing that one.
Yet another great post for ABC ~ I love Donovan’s music ~ especially Mellow Yellow
Happy Days to you ~ ^_^
The Wife doesn’t like that Riki Tiki Tavi song. “Why would anybody sing a song about a dead mongoose?” I couldn’t really explain Rudyard Kipling to her.