Donovan
Cosmic traveller Donovan Leitch served his musical apprenticeship in hippy toil before being discovered by songwriter Geoff Stephens in 1964. Donovan effectively launched his career in 1965 when he became a regular on the British rock TV programmed Ready Steady Go, yet his US performing debut was at the 1965 Newport folk festival. Donovan first hit the British scene with his melancholic “Catch the Wind” which settled nostalgically at #4 in 1965. The song marked a status as the first folk song to go pop which was largely due to the London Philharmonic String Orchestra and harmonies by the Ivy League. In hindsight Donovan was a true flower child often fobbed off as a Dylan wannabe, yet his music was sweet lavender blue with little or nothing of the blues.
Donovan’s sensual stroke on “Lalena” was beautifully expressed by the first stage of Deep Purple while they were resident in the US. His jazzy, “Season of the Witch” co -penned with Shawn Phillips gained formidable access through the likes of the blues of Al Kooper Supersessions, the psyche Vanilla Fudge and Brian Auger & Julie Driscoll. Donovan had just sailed through the charts with the Geoff Stephens “Catch The Wind” and was busy recording his debut What’s Bin Did and What’s Bin In when Geoff decided to include Mick Softley’s “Gold watch Blues“ and “The War Drags On”, plus Shawn Phillips’ “Little Tin Soldier” (Hans Christian Anderson). Assisted by ex Shadow Brian ‘Licorice’ Locking on bass and future Pretty Thing drummer Skip Alan, the album was a superb folk showcase. equal to any Dylan project.
Donovan’s Eastern vegetarian stance was voiced on the Kevess & Secunda ode “Donna, Donna”. During his sabbatical to India to visit the Maharishi Mahesi Yogi alongside the Beatles, a Beach Boy and Mia Farrow, he wrote the Lewis Carroll influenced “Hurdy Gurdy Man” which included a verse by George Harrison and distorted guitar by Allan Holdsworth. He only performed the hidden verse at live performances. The “Hurdy Gurdy Man” single with Indian Tambura and guitar by Jeff Beck reverberated into the charts in June 1968. The Hurdy Gurdy Man album received the profound support from John Bonham and John Paul Jones later to ignite as Led Zeppelin.
Donovan stood fast as a great songwriter – with a database of ballads, which reflected the English heritage in all its serenity. From the translucent “Colours” / “Turquoise”, and “Summer Day Reflection Song” to the seventies glam rock of “Rock & Roll Soldier”. Donovan captured two eras respectively with an appropriate style. Catchy calypso, like “There Is a Mountain” and “Epistle to Dippy” flavoured the charts during the mid-sixties. Donovan’s old English embrace with the poetry and novels of yesteryear were clearly portrayed in his lyrics. The blues rip on “Hey Gyp (dig the slowness)” released in 1965 was covered by the Animals on their 1966 Animalism. Things got somewhat eclectic with Donovan’s “Goo Goo Barabajagal (love is hot)” zapping #12 thanks to Jeff Beck’s excruciating wah-wah and Mickie Most marketing. In 1971 Donovan recorded a double album of children songs entitled H.M.S. Donovan.
The new age ballad, “Atlantis”, launched during the summer of love in 1969, has become an epic theme for the New Age generation of the future. Donovan remained a Welsh busker filled with the hippie mysticism and thanks to Mickie Most, a number of singles cleaned up, namely “Sunshine Superman” #1 UK & US charts.The ballad was dedicated to the Beatles, and originally entitled “For John and Paul”. Paul returned the compliment by whispering vocals on “Mellow Yellow” and John answered by writing “Sexy Sadie” for him. The original version carried for 4.35 min and swelled with a vibrant guitar hook. Shawn Phillips featured on sitar and the edited single spearheaded Donovan’s newfound identity as an ‘electric hippie troubadour’. Sultry Jewel brought the sunshine out again during the wake of the millennium. After many years of identity crisis where he was accused of copying Dylan (Both started at the same time)?
Donovan finally found justified nirvana. Donovan Leitch also starred and wrote music for the 1972 German film The Pied Piper, but it was Franco Zeffirelli’s “Brother Sun, Sister Moon” from he soundtrack that re-captured the tender beauty of Donovan’s spiritual voice. He merrily strode through the flower power phase with the outstanding “Sunny South Kensington” (name – checking Allen Ginsberg & Jean-Paul Belmondo), “Mellow Yellow” and the enthralling jazz-filled, “A Gift from a Flower to a Garden”. The infectious “Jennifer Juniper” was written for Jenny, sister of Pattie Boyd, wife of Harrison / Clapton, future wife of Mick Fleetwood. Somewhere in 1970 Terry Reid recorded a gutsy version of “Superlungs My Supergirl” which was released in the States as a single . It sold reasonably well due to most thinking it was about Superman and that power aid breathe.
In 1973 Donovan co-sang on the title track of Alice Cooper’s Billion Dollar Babies. He was truly the English essence of Dylan with definitive flower power energy, free from the rustic protest of his assumed mentor. Far from the blues Donovan wore his love like heaven, dressed in saffron would sail homeward looking for Atlantis with the help of the “Hurdy-Gurdy-Man.
Added: March 15th 2008
Reviewer: Shiloh Noone | See all reviews by Shiloh Noone
Category: Music
Location: South Africa
Related Link: Seekers Guide To The Rhythm Of Yesteryear