Another Side of Donovan

Donovan is one of the most tragically misconstrued artists in the history of rock ‘n’ roll. Often derided by critics and listeners, the enigmatic Scot is commonly dismissed as a one- or two-hit wonder, or lumped in with psychedelic bandwagoneers such as Strawberry Alarm Clock. Though it’s true several missteps and an inconsistent, sub-par, post-60s output have marked his career, music fans have only cheated themselves with their failure to investigate a fantastic oeuvre of superb songwriting and timeless performances.

Donovan began his career in the mid-1960s as a self-styled “folk troubadour,” an approach most critics knocked as a “Dylan clone.” Nonetheless, the 18-year-old singer/guitarist/songwriter’s mercurial rise in 1965 to the upper echelon of British pop-stardom with such singles as “Catch the Wind” and “Colours” earned him a rabid fan-base, largely consisting of teenage girls, a fact not lost on naysayers.

He underwent a bit of a image make-over in 1966, augmenting his acoustic-based folk sounds with jazz-tinged electric instrumentation, flourishes of psychedelia and lyrics that reflected the burgeoning influence of drugs on popular culture. Also influential in Donovan’s sound-shift was producer Mickie Most, who had sat behind the board on a string of chart-topping hits for artists such as The Animals, Herman’s Hermits and Brenda Lee. Most’s production style added a wider commercial viability to Donovan’s sound that resulted in his first No. 1 hit in the United States: “Sunshine Superman.”

Though mainly a singles artist until this point, Donnovan released a string of superb albums in 1966 that also found success in America. Sunshine Superman is a marvelous collection of songs, rife with hallucinatory imagery and a production featuring the requisite array of harpsichords, strings and sitar. Along with the title track, songs such as “The Trip,” “The Fat Angel” and “Season of the Witch” comprise a captivating assortment of cerebrally challenging compositions, inspired by the sounds of West Coast acts like Jefferson Airplane and The Byrds. Other tracks, such as “Three King Fishers” and “Ferris Wheel” incorporate Indian influences in a way that still sounds fresh today.

Released in March 1967, Mellow Yellow is not only Donovan’s best album, but also one of the most underrated recordings in rock history. The inclusion of the novelty alehouse sing-along “Mellow Yellow” as the album’s opener might have contributed to its lack of respect with the critics, but just beyond the first track lays a superb program of jazzy bohemia and reflective lyricism. Mellow Yellow eschews the amphetamine-powered psychedelic rock of Sunshine Superman in favor of a less-cluttered jazz/folk vibe, distinctive from the fuzzed-out Summer of Love ballroom sound that was in vogue.

Though many credit Miles Davis’ In A Silent Way (1969) as one of the earliest examples of the budding fusion of jazz and rock, Donovan’s “Sunny Goodge Street” (from 1965’s Fairytale) was an earlier indication of the possibilities of merging the two genres. Mellow Yellow is where his jazz-inspired direction comes to full fruition, with Danny Thompson’s omnipresent double bass providing a steady underpinning for swinging horn charts, courtesy of arrangers John Cameron and John Paul Jones.

Most’s lush production is neither excessive nor overly sparse, providing the perfect compliment for Donovan’s rich Scottish brogue, lilting vibrato and often-biographical lyrics. The classical string quartet that augments the languid, late-night waltz of “Writer In The Sun” draws the listener into the song’s hypnotic flow and is a perfect example of Most’s intuitive production style. Donovan is at his absolute peak as a songwriter, and the skilled instrumentation of the backing session musicians compliment the sublime mood and lyrical ebb-and-flow.

Donovan closed out 1967 with the box set A Gift From A Flower To A Garden, which contained the albums Wear Your Love Like Heaven and For The Little Ones, the latter of which was a collection of children’s songs. Though both records were released separately, A Gift From A Flower To A Garden is notable for being one of the earliest examples of a rock music boxed set. Though the album contained several excellent compositions, such as “Wear Your Love Like Heaven,” “Sun” and “Epistle To Dippy,” Donovan was treading water creatively. Numerous distractions might have stymied his efforts, including legal hassles with his first record label, tax exile and a high-profile drug bust at the hands of the infamous Sgt. Norman Pilcher, whose resume also included the arrest of Brian Jones, Mick Jagger, John Lennon and George Harrison.

The possibility of a creative stalemate seemed all the more likely following the two 1968 releases Donovan In Concert and The Hurdy Gurdy Man. Donovan In Concert is an enjoyable live document notable for some exceptional blowing by flutist/alto sax man Harold McNair on tunes like “Preachin’ Love,” for which the group get a chance to flex their considerable bebop muscles. However, The Hurdy Gurdy Man failed to build on the genre-expanding creativity of his previous records, despite the powerful title track, propelled by John Bonham in all his explosive glory. Similarly, 1969’s Barabajagal boasted a rollicking title track, backed this time by The Jeff Beck Group, as well as the anthemic classic “Atlantis” but lacked a consistent program, suffering from a few obvious throwaway filler tunes.

Donovan returned in 1970 with Open Road, one of his finest efforts and an album almost completely ignored by critics, even oftentimes under the radar of serious rock geeks. Written and rehearsed during a period of exile in Greece, Open Road is an anomaly: a hard-edged, guitar-heavy rock record, featuring Donovan on electric guitar, backed by a well-rehearsed, three-piece ensemble, as opposed to the usual assortment of first-call session men. Open Road also marked a temporary split with Most. The band, also known as “Open Road,” is given space to explore the compositions and stretch out the arrangements, lending to the songs a much looser and exploratory feel. The album ventures into fresh stylistic territory for Donovan, from catchy pop tunes like “Changes” and “Riki Tiki Tavi,” to the Antonio Carlos Jobim-inspired bossa nova of “Joe Bean’s Theme.” But what really makes Open Road a unique entry into the rock ‘n’ roll canon is the Celtic-inspired, near-hard rock Donovan refers to as, well, “Celtic rock.” The appropriately titled “Celtic Rock” is a rambling reworking of “Hall of the Mountain King,” evoking imagery indigenous to Donovan’s native Scotland, as well as the Greek islands (three of which he owned) that provided inspiration and much-needed respite from the trappings of pop stardom. Open Road is a must-hear for any rock fan looking for something new.

Unfortunately, Donovan’s recording output has suffered since 1970, as have both his commercial success and quality of work. Though there is little in the Donovan catalog after 1970 to recommend, he has since released a couple of promising recordings: the Rick Rubin produced Sutras (1996) and Beat Cafe (2004). He has also received a renewed interest in his work following the 2005 box-set release of Try For The Sun: The Journey of Donovan.

Dated, overly idealistic and contrived? Perhaps in spots, but a rewarding discovery awaits the listener willing to re-evaluate Donovan’s catalog.