Fairytale

What's Bin Did and What's Bin Hid Exclusive Japanese Limited Edition reissue of Donovan's 1965 debut album packaged in a miniature LP sleeve. 2006.	A Gift from a Flower to a Garden Originally packaged in a two-record box set with an expensively printed set of lyric sheets, A Gift was sincerely meant as a possible present for the hippie who has everything. The first album is the Wear Your Love Like Heaven album and it's a gem of mid-'60s Mickie Most-produced...	Catch the Wind 2003 compilation for the UK's finest 60s folk singer-songwriter. Highlights include 'Catch The Wind' (Original & Single Version With Strings), 'Colours' (Original Single Version), 'The Universal Soldier', & 'Turquoise'. Castle Pulse.	Mellow Yellow 2005 Digitally remastered re-issue features nine bonus tracks 'Preachin' Love', 'Good Time', 'There Is A Mountain', 'Superlungs' (Second Version), 'Epistle To Dippy' (Alternative Arr), 'Sidewalk (The Observation) (Demo), 'Writer In The Sun' (Demo), 'Hampstead Incident' (Demo), 'M...	Sunshine Superman 2005 Digitally remastered re-issue features seven bonus tracks 'Breezes Of Patchulie', 'Museum' (First Version), 'Superlungs' (First Version), 'The Land Of Doesn't Have To', 'Sunshine', 'Good Trip' (Demo), 'House Of Jansch' (Demo). Sunshine Superman marked the coming of psychedel...
The Hurdy Gurdy Man 2005 Digitally remastered re-issue features six bonus tracks 'Poor Cow', 'Lalena', 'Aye My Love', 'What A Beautiful Creature You Are' 'Colours' and 'Catch The Wind'. The album forshadows the coming discontent which eventually drove Donovan out of the music business. The title son...	Barabajagal 2005 Digitally remastered re-issue that features twelve bonus tracks 'Snakeskin', 'Lauretta's Cousin Laurinda', 'The Swan' (Lord Of The Reedy River), 'A Poor Man's Sunshine' (Nativity), 'New Years Resolution' (Donovan's Celtic Jam), 'Runaway' (Demo), 'Sweet Beverley' (Demo), 'Mar...	Open Road Digitally remastered reissue of the singer/songwriter's 1970 album. Includes the hit, 'Riki Tiki Tavi'. 2000 release. Digipak.	HMS Donovan Worldwide CD debut for his 1971 EMI LP featuring 'Celia Of The Seals', 'Walrus & The Carpenter' and 'Lord Of The Reedy River'. 28 tracks total. 1997 BGO release.	Troubadour: The Definitive Collection 1964-1976 Heaven knows, the Scotsman born Donovan Leitch was ripe for ridicule, even when he was hitting the charts with regularity. He was the ultimate flower child, and his airier pronouncements made cynics want to tighten up those love beads around his neck. Listening to Troubadour, how...

DONOVAN'S 2nd UK Album Remastered & Bolstered Up With 6 Superb Extras!
Released in October 1965, Donovan's 2nd UK album for Pye Records is represented on this "Expanded Edition" by Tracks 1 to 12 - and it's something of a lost Sixties Folk/Rock classic. The album's opener "Colours" is a balls-to-the-wall 60's classic - it truly is. "Fairytale" features a lot of tracks like that - just Donovan and his acoustic guitar - more Folk than Pop really. In fact, when you hear almost any track on this very hard-to-find LP, it's easy to see why Donovan was often referred to as Britain's Bob Dylan. And it wasn't just because of the similar vocal styles - they were both such good songwriters and commentators on the times. Highlights include "The Ballad Of A Crystal Man" which is represented on this disc twice - the full album version and the edited EP version - it's a fantastically strong and emotive anti-Vietnam piece equal to anything his Bobness put out on the other side of the pond. Lyrically the other songs are equally clever and even witty too. There's a "violent hash smoker" in "Sunny Goodge Street", while a quietly sinister "Jersey Thursday" gives us sly white powder references, "on a tiny piece of coloured glass, my love was born - and reds, and golds and yellows were the colours of the dawn..." Oh yeah!! The extras (13 to 18) also make the purchase so worthwhile for fans. "Turquoise" and "Hey GYP (Dig The Slowness)" are his 3rd 7" single for Pye Records and both tracks are non-album. The last four songs, "Universal Soldier", "Do You Hear Me Now", "Ballad Of A Crystal Man" and "The War Drags On" are again non-album and make up the 4-tracks of the rare UK-only "Universal Soldier EP" from September 1965. ("Universal Soldier" and "Do You Hear Me Now" were released as a 7" in the States on Hickory). So - a good album bolstered up with relevant bonuses. And the remastered sound quality on all is excellent too - very clear and not excessively hissy like some Sixties recordings can be. "Fairytale" is a snip at any price for fans and a great way of discovering the wildly underrated Donovan for the uninitiated - especially those who want to veer away from his better-known hits. Highly Recommended.

The Magician's Name is Donovan
Being born in 1949, I grew up in the sixties, and was caught up in the Folk movement of the Kingston Trio, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, and the lesser-known Phil Ochs. In the midst of these protest singers was the gentle, mystical sound of a young Scotsman named Donovan. Of all his recordings, my favorites were Fairytale, Catch the Wind, and A Gift from a Flower to a Garden. So now I am one down, two to go. I love his effortless way of singing, and the soothing sound of the flute. The imagery of Circus of Sours, the delicacy of Summer Day Reflection Song, the sadness of Ballad of Geraldine (Battle? Was your proofreader napping on the job?), and the power of Universal Soldier all create an absolutely beautiful listening experience. How fortunate we are Donovan had the ability to take a chance on his songwriting and singing skills and enrich our lives and souls with his magic.

Some of his best work
I want to first say that I was not very familiar with this, Donovan's 2nd release. I was alway's able to hear the majority of the later works at my buddy Dan's house, and of course knew he started out as very much the acoustic guitar/folk singer type heard on Universal Soldier, but I was not prepared for this. Several years ago I was lucky enough to see Donovan at Chicago's Park West. He talked about how he went back to re-learn some of his older material and had forgotten how intricate some of it was even though it might seem fairly simple at first blush (he liked to tell a story before each song...way cool). I was amazed at the songs he played that night which I'd never heard before. Years later, I get this and realize that it contains many of those same songs. The atmosphere he creates on this disc is almost too beautiful, too rich, for words. It's the musical equivalent of having a friend share their deepest feelings with you. I found it very emotional from start to finish. While it doesn't have the overt psychedelia of his subsequent releases, it nonetheless is so amazing in its brilliance that it carries all the Donovan trademarks he was to become known for. In fact, you will probably hear some songs you heard before but forgot about. I could go song by song, but I think the best comment I could make is about Circus Of Sour where he spontaneously lets out a laugh in the middle of the tune. It's one of those rare warm moments that makes the listener realize that the performance is often as important as the song itself. Don't be afraid to get this if you aren't a huge folk music fan; it transcends the genre while at the same time remaining within it. The additional bonus tracks comprise the Universal Soldier EP and are the icing on this cake.

Truly a Beautiful Record
This record, like "Catch the Wind" features Donovan accompanying himself on guitar and harmonica and I believe Shawn Phillips plays on a couple of the songs. If I remember right he plays on "The Little Tin Soldier." Anyway, it's mostly just Donovan. The record opens with "Colours," one of my favorite songs, then segues right into "To Try for the Sun," which (and I don't care what some people say the song is about) is my absolute favorite Donovan song. I've got the "Reedy River" bootleg and the way he performed the song on tour in 1967 is to die for. Actually you can get a version almost like that now, because they've just released the complete Anaheim Show. Whoops, I'm digressing, back to the album at hand. "Summer Day Reflection Song" is just simply wonderful. "Belated Forgiveness Plea" is, to me, one of the saddest songs ever written. I cry every time I hear it. Another song that does that to me is the Jefferson Airplane's, "Coming Back to You." Another sad song on this disc is "The Ballad of Geraldine" where Don takes a female part. The song is heartbreaking and breathless. But the real gem on this record is "The Ballad of a Crystal Man." In my opinion it is just about the best antiwar song ever written. The young people knew so much back then, why oh why has the world turned out the way it has. Ah well, this is truly a beautiful record, one I play all the time.

Truly a Beautiful Record
This record, like "Catch the Wind" features Donovan accompanying himself on guitar and harmonica and I believe Shawn Phillips plays on a couple of the songs. If I remember right he plays on "The Little Tin Soldier." Anyway, it's mostly just Donovan. The record opens with "Colours," and ends with it too. It's one of my favorite songs. "To Try for the Sun," which (and I don't care what some people say the song is about) is my absolute favorite Donovan song. I've got the "Reedy River" bootleg and the way he performed the song on tour in 1967 is to die for. Actually you can get a version almost like that now, because they've just released the complete Anaheim Show. Whoops, I'm digressing, back to the album at hand. "Summer Day Reflection Song" is just simply wonderful. "Belated Forgiveness Plea" is, to me, one of the saddest songs ever written. I cry every time I hear it. Another song that does that to me is the Jefferson Airplane's, "Coming Back to You." Another sad song on this disc is "The Ballad of Geraldine" where Don takes a female part. The song is heartbreaking and breathless. But the real gem on this record is "The Ballad of a Crystal Man." In my opinion it is just about the best antiwar song ever written. The young people knew so much back then, why oh why has the world turned out the way it has. Ah well, this is truly a beautiful record, one I play all the time.