Friday, November 10, 2023

Donovan - Tangerine Puppet, Donovan Deep Cuts (A Butterboy Compilation) CD1+CD2


DONOVAN
Previously posted November 2, 2019

Donovan - Tangerine Puppet, Donovan Deep Cuts (A Butterboy Compilation) CD1+CD2 

Donovan (born Donovan Philips Leitch, 10 May 1946) is a Scottish singer, songwriter and guitarist. He developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music (notably calypso). He has lived in Scotland, Hertfordshire (England), London, California, and since at least 2008 in County Cork, Ireland, with his family. Emerging from the British folk scene, Donovan reached fame in the United Kingdom in early 1965 with live performances on the pop TV series Ready Steady Go!.  Having signed with Pye Records in 1965, he recorded singles and two albums in the folk vein, after which he signed to CBS/Epic Records in the US – the first signing by the company's new vice-president Clive Davis – and became more successful internationally. He began a long and successful collaboration with leading British independent record producer Mickie Most, scoring multiple hit singles and albums in the UK, US, and other countries.

His most successful singles were the early UK hits "Catch the Wind", "Colours" and "Universal Soldier" in 1965. In September 1966 "Sunshine Superman" topped America's Billboard Hot 100 chart for one week and went to number two in Britain, followed by "Mellow Yellow" at US No. 2 in December 1966, then 1968's "Hurdy Gurdy Man" in the Top 5 in both countries, then "Atlantis", which reached US No. 7 in May 1969.

He became a friend of pop musicians including Joan Baez, Brian Jones and the Beatles. He taught John Lennon a finger-picking guitar style in 1968 that Lennon employed in "Dear Prudence", "Julia", "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" and other songs. Donovan's commercial fortunes waned after parting with Most in 1969, and he left the industry for a time.  Donovan continued to perform and record sporadically in the 1970s and 1980s. His musical style and hippie image were scorned by critics, especially after punk rock. His performing and recording became sporadic until a revival in the 1990s with the emergence of Britain's rave scene. He recorded the 1996 album Sutras with producer Rick Rubin and in 2004 made a new album, Beat Cafe. Donovan was finally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2014. (Wikipedia)


Here are 60 tracks that I consider underrated songs, and which are deep cuts from across most of Donovan's albums. Enjoy!

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Track list 1

01    Tangerine Puppet        1965    1:52
02    Turquoise            1965    3:31
03    Jersey Thursday        1965    2:15
04    The Ballad of a Crystal Man    1965    3:54
05    Donna Donna        1965    2:58
06    The Summer Day Reflection Song    1965    2:15
07    To Sing for You        1965    2:46
08    To Try for the Sun        1965    3:39
09    Sunny Goodge Street    1965    2:58
10    The Ballad of Geraldine    1965    4:42
11    Codiene (Previously Unreleased Demo)    1965    4:49
12    You're Gonna Need Somebody on Your Bond    1965    3:58
13    Celeste            1966    4:08
14    Ferris Wheel        1966    4:14
15    Legend of a Girl Child Linda    1966    6:54
16    The Trip            1966    4:41
17    The Land of Doesn't Have to Be [Early Version]    1966    2:42
18    Season of the Witch        1966    4:56
19    Epistle to Derroll        1967    5:47
20    Hampstead Incident        1967    4:42
21    House of Jansch        1967    2:40
22    Isle of Islay        1967    2:24
23    Sand and Foam        1967    3:18
24    Someone Singing        1967    3:04
25    Song of the Naturalist's Wife    1967    2:44
26    Starfish on the Toast        1967    2:46
27    Sunny South Kensington    1967    3:51
28    The Enchanted Gypsy    1967    3:20
29    There Was a Time        1967    2:01
30    Voyage Into the Golden Screen    1967    3:13

Track list 2


31    Wear Your Love Like Heaven    1967    2:26
32    Widow With Shawl (A Portrait) 1967    3:02
33    Young Girl Blues        1967    3:48
34    As I Recall It        1968    2:10
35    Get Thy Bearings        1968    2:57
36    Peregrine            1968    3:36
37    Poor Cow            1968    2:56
38    Teen Angel        1968    2:19
39    The Entertaining of a Shy Girl    1968    1:42
40    The River Song        1968    2:17
41    There is a Mountain        1968    2:35
42    Marjorie (Margarine) (Demo)    1969    3:17
43    Where is She        1969    2:46
44    Celtic Rock        1970    3:37
45    Roots Of Oak        1970    4:53
46    Amore            1971    5:52
47    Lord of the Reedy River    1971    2:38
48    The Voyage of the Moon    1971    5:18
49    Cosmic Wheels        1973    4:10
50    There Is An Ocean        1973    4:50
51    The Quest        1974    3:32
52    Lady of the Stars        1977    4:35
53    Local Boy Chops Wood    1977    3:21
54    Maya's Dance        1977    3:43
55    Half Moon Bay        1981    4:05
56    Marjorie Margerine        1981    4:15
57    Give It All Up        1996    3:09
58    Please Don't Bend        1996    4:14
59    The Garden        1996    2:51
60    Yin My Yang        2004    3:35
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10 comments:

  1. Very nice selection, especially since you omit Intergalactic Laxative - thanks!

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  2. Good one BB - Donovan doesn't get mentioned enough these days.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Dr Robert,
      Somewhat underappreciated, I say.
      Cheers.

      Delete
  3. BB I remember buying Gift From A Flower, A wonderful boxed album with multiple coloured pages with lyrics and drawings. It was like a gift from Donovan to me. I played it often. My fav track is Isle Of Islay, which is rarely mentioned. Thanks for sharing this and bringing Donovan to a new audience.

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    Replies
    1. Hi lemonflag.
      He is a great artist with immense talent but seems to be overlooked by many. I hope this set offers some new perspectives on his work.
      Cheers.

      Delete
  4. Fine selection indeed. Though I can't figure out how "Season of the Witch" and "First There Is a Mountain" made it onto the list as deep cuts! If that's legit, given the incessant airplay they received on release, then where are "Catch the Wind" and "Atlantis"? [g]

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    Replies
    1. Hi Jonathan,
      Firstly, thank you.
      Secondly, I agree, I probably got a little excited with "Season of the Witch" (a great tune he does so well). I think "There is a Mountain' is a deep cut, I never see it mentioned. There are definitely other deep cuts that should have made the grade too.
      Cheers.

      Delete
  5. Excellent. No, he doesn't get the recognition due. Initially he was considered a Dylan copyist (white guy playing acoustic guitar and harmonica). Your post reminded me of my copy of "The Golden Hour of Donovan" which I seemed to play a lot at uni (1972-5) in the evenings (but not much recently). Tracks 2, 4-10 of your comp are on it. Other favs are 'Gold Watch Blues', 'Josie', 'Candy man' and 'Ballad of a crystal man'. Not sure if they are deep cuts as I know them so well?! I was also reminded the version of 'Colours' on it is different to the version on greatest hits. Wikipedia tells me "... when Epic Records was compiling Donovan's Greatest Hits, they were either unable or unwilling to secure the rights to the original recordings of "Catch the Wind" and "Colours". Donovan re-recorded both songs in the studio ...". Ha! I'll go listen to your comp now. Thanks for that.

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