Customer Reviews

The Best Of Donovan: Sunshine Superman

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Glasgow-born Donovan Leitch had his best success in the 60s with a string of Mickie Most-produced pop singles which combined catchiness with an unthreatening eco-hippy sensibility. Songs like Mellow Yellow, Jennifer Juniper, Wear Your Love Like Heaven and the eponymous Sunshine Superman were arch, memorable, sometimes twee and very, very English. It was a style that had evolved out of his earlier, Dylan-inspired acoustic folk songs like Catch the Wind and Colours, both also represented here.

These weren't your average bubblegum throwaways, though. Moving in the rock aristocracy circles that also embraced the Beatles and the Stones (Paul McCartney sang backup on Mellow Yellow and Donovan's long-time partner Linda had previously had a child by Brian Jones) Donovan had access to the best of London's sessioneer talent. Jeff Beck, Jack Bruce and Jimmy Page played on his songs; John Paul Jones arranged many of them, including the darkly haunted Hurdy Gurdy Man.

He often recruited jazzers, too, and celebrated flautist Harold McNair helped make There Is A Mountain a memorably oddball hit in '67. Jazz influence also touches lesser-known songs like Sunny Goodge Street, one of the highest musical points on this collection, and the finger-clicking swing number Preachin' Love, which would give Jamie Cullum a fair old run for his money today.

Other gems abound; the eerie, Doors-like Season Of the Witch (later to be covered by Brian Auger) the mind-altering four-voice round Happiness Runs (sung with Graham Nash, Leslie Duncan and Paul McCartney's brother Mike) and the string-laden oddity Lalena. Perhaps the track that's dated best, though, is the sinister funk of Goo Goo Barabajagal, recorded with Jeff Beck, Ron Wood and Nicky Hopkins as the sixties drooped and soured towards their inevitable end.

first published at subba-cultcha.com

I am biased because I love all Donovans songs so this review will be more about the particular selection of his songs.

There is a good selection: notably 'Colours' and 'Sunny Goodge Street' for the classic Donovan with some of his more 'experimental' songs Atlantis and Barabajabl.

Also includes the staples Hurdy Gurdy Man and Sunshine Super Man.

Altogether a nice addition to someones general collection but for the more serious collector Troubador: The Definate Collection would probably be the better bet.

I'm a big Donovan fan owning nearly everything he's done and seen him live so bias is inevitable. However, this looks a pretty good start for anyone wishing to get into Donovan.

There are a few gripes though. Firstly, they may be his hits but a couple (atlantis for example) aren't so great. In fact, Donovan towards the 70's and later got a little bit embarrassing as he lost his inspiration. Also, where are the great 70's tunes? What about Cosmic Wheels, I Like You, There is an ocean? Where is Open Road, the celtic rock band he formed? And where is the Rick Rubin Sutras stuff? Please don't bend and give it all up are among his best. (This was an album in the style of Johnny Cash's American recordings - less sucessful though). Also missing is his near return to form, Beat Cafe.

It's a good place for the cream of the 60's and shows his originality and diversity but perhaps for someone who's had a career of some 40 years, theres a little bit too much missing

Good clear production, good selection of tracks, I bought this to replace some old vinyl recordings which are now wearing rather thin, I am not disappointed.

rated this cd 4 stars because I like it some great songs in it wouldnt recomend it to anyone though

In the fifties and sixties a volcano of invention and creativity erupted as hunanity strove to build a new world among the rubble of WWII. Today's youngsters can catch a glimpse of the dawn of this new era by way of this CD.

Here is someone who could SWEETLY sing and compose songs which reminded everyone of a time when Earth was a GENTLER place, where women didn't paint themselves to look like whores, and where men no longer need the pretence of being muscle-bound butch supermen.

This jewel of a CD will retain its sparkling glitter and forever eclipse today's brash UGLY generation.