TRACK LIST:
1. Mellow Yellow
2. Writer in the Sun
3. Sand and Foam
4. The Observation
5. Bleak City Woman
6. House of Jansch
7. Young Girl Blues
8. Museum
9. Hampstead Incident
10. Sunny South Kensington
Donovan’s fourth album, 1967’s Mellow Yellow, is a dynamic transitional effort that finds the singer-songwriter-guitarist expanding his artistry into rewarding new areas. In addition to the sing-along title hit, which famously inspired a persistent urban legend regarding the recreational consumption of banana peels, Mellow Yellow encompasses acoustic introspection (“Writer in the Sun”), crafty art-pop (“Museum”), bittersweet insight (“Young Girl Blues”), beat poetry (“The Observation”) and a fond nod to British folk icon Bert Jansch (“House of Jansch”). In addition to the production of British Invasion legend Mickie Most, Mellow Yellow features ear-catching arrangements by future Led Zeppelin member John Paul Jones and sitar by cult singer-songwriter Shawn Phillips. With its original mono mix capturing the vibrant vibes of Donovan during this incredibly creative and productive period, this vintage gem has never sounded better!
TRACK LIST:
1. Wear Your Love Like Heaven
2. Mad John’s Escape
3. Skip-A-Long Sam
4. Sun
5. There Was a Time
6. Oh Gosh
7. Little Boy in Corduroy
8. Under the Greenwood Tree
9. The Land of Doesn’t Have to Be
10. Someone Singing
Donovan’s 1967 release Wear Your Love Like Heaven is one of his brightest and most upbeat albums. Also released as the first half of the landmark two-CD box set A Gift from a Flower to a Garden, it finds Donovan in mostly electric mode, and taking an increasingly active production role that he would maintain for the rest of his career. In addition to the dreamy title hit, the enchanting set features such beloved Donovan standards as “Mad John’s Escape,” “Oh Gosh,” “Skip-A-Long Sam” and the Shakespeare-inspired “Under the Greenwood Tree.” In addition to its pristine original mono mix, this definitive LP edition boasts one of Donovan’s most memorable cover designs, featuring a haunting infrared photograph of the artist by noted photographer Karl Ferris.
TRACK LIST:
1. Hurdy Gurdy Man
2. Peregrine
3. The Entertaining of a Shy Girl
4. As I Recall It
5. Get Thy Bearings
6. Hi It’s Been a Long Time
7. West Indian Lady
8. Jennifer Juniper
9. The River Song
10. Tangier
11. A Sunny Day
12. The Sun Is a Very Magic Fellow
13. Teas
With 1968’s The Hurdy Gurdy Man, Donovan delivered one of his most full-realized works, with a psychedelic/progressive edge as well as an exotic Eastern flavor that reflects the influence of his then-recent trip with the Beatles to India to study with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi—an experience that helped to inspire Donovan to renounce drug use and encourage his fans to try meditation instead of chemical consumption. While the title track introduced a heavier-sounding Donovan to AM radio listeners and became one of his biggest hit singles, the smash “Jennifer Juniper” maintains his gentle, romantic side. The album’s playful experimental spirit is reflected in the innovative use of drones on such tracks as “Peregrine” and “Tangier,” and in the music-hall diversion of “As I Recall It,” while “A Sunny Day,” “The River Song” and “The Entertaining of a Shy Girl” showcase Donovan’s knack for idyllic, pastoral songcraft. Sundazed’s vinyl edition of The Hurdy Gurdy Man features the album’s rare, much sought-after original mono mix, doing justice to the sonic presence and creative imagination of this vintage gem.
