Other Mixes By Rob Conroy
CD
|
Single Artist
CD
|
Mixed Genre
CD
|
Mixed Genre
Cassette
|
Single Artist
One man's opinion of moonlight
| Artist | Song | |
| Donovan | Codine | |
| Donovan | Catch the Wind [single version] | |
| Donovan |
To Sing for You 
|
|
| Donovan | Colours [album version] | |
| Donovan |
Universal Soldier
|
|
| Donovan |
Jersey Thursday
|
|
| Donovan |
Hey Gyp (Dig the Slowness)
|
|
| Donovan |
Sunshine Superman
|
|
| Donovan | Sunny South Kensington | |
| Donovan |
Epistle to Dippy
|
|
| Donovan |
Young Girl Blues
|
|
| Donovan | Sand and Foam | |
| Donovan |
The Trip
|
|
| Donovan |
Ferris Wheel
|
|
| Donovan |
The Fat Angel
|
|
| Donovan |
Season of the Witch
|
|
| Donovan |
Mellow Yellow
|
|
| Donovan |
There is a Mountain
|
|
| Donovan |
Wear Your Love Like Heaven
|
|
| Donovan |
Sun
|
|
| Donovan |
Hurdy Gurdy Man
|
|
| Donovan |
Atlantis
|
|
| Donovan |
Barabajagal
|
|
Comment:
As I wrote when I posted the original version of this mix on 1/25/02, I think that Donovan is the most unfairly maligned artist of the 1960s (I'd say "overlooked," but he did have plenty of hits, unlike, say, Skip Spence, whose lone solo album, OAR, is my absolute favorite one-off '60s album). Yes, there's not a single Donovan album that can stand up as timeless achievement (although Sunshine Superman, A Gift from a Flower to a Garden and Mellow Yellow are all fine listens, to varying degrees), mostly due to the fact that for every stone-cold stunner on his albums ("Jersey Thursday," "Sand and Foam," "Young Girl Blues," "Sunny South Kensington," "The Fat Angel," "Sun" and "To Sing for You" spring to mind), or fantastic single [see "Epistle to Dippy," "Catch the Wind," "Hey Gyp (Dig the Slowness)," "Sunshine Superman," and/or "Wear Your Love Like Heaven" for the most notable examples], he's got an equally dippy, dated song to match it (see more than half of his songs that were not included on this mix). Even a classic like "Atlantis" is equal parts great and cringeworthy (the "great" being the transcendently life-affirming, "Hey Jude"-style closing half and the "dippy" being the spoken-word beginning). That said, I think that his finest work stands up very well and ranks without apology in the neighborhood of the finest '60s music (it's important to note that even the Beatles regarded him as a true contemporary, using him as a sounding board from '66-'68 and going so far as to enlist his help for the lyrics of [the admittedly sub-par] "Yellow Submarine"). Plus, he taught Messrs Lennon, McCartney and Harrison his fingerpicking technique, thus indirectly shaping the direction of The White Album, which could (arguably) be the greatest record of all-time (I, as a Beatles geek to the highest power, say "arguably" because I prefer Revolver and Rubber Soul, if only by a hair). Even his mid-'90s album (Sutras) was respectable, if a bit mired in New Age philosophy. So let's hear it for Donovan!!! Show the man some respect!!! Last tracks cut: "The War Drags On," "Josie," "Sunny Goodge Street," "Happiness Runs," "Turquoise," "Lalena," and "Superlungs My Supergirl."Feedback:
Kirsty MacColl once said that she thought Donovan was a superior talent to Bob Dylan.I'm not sure I'd agree with the lovely,and sadly departed,Kirsty but he deserves more respect than he gets.
DONOVAN IS GREAT! All wonderful tunes here. I'm still doing my Donovan comp, but I think I'll reach more into the 70s than you did - I think he still had great songs past his "classic" period.
Intriguing.
There you go! His finest work does stand up just fine, thank you very much!
I agree with your assessment of Donovan's maligned reception. (And, yes, "Atlantis" distills all that is sublime and ridiculous about his work.) I don't think anyone has written and recorded more songs that just make me feel good. Your picks are all great, though I would throw in "There is a Mountain," "Jennifer Juniper" and "The Trip."
Basically, what Sean said in his first three words! I also agree with the comments about Donovan, and I've always found him more accessible than Dylan, but of course they can be very different artists. Anyway, the point is that this is a really nicely put together comp, and you've got most of the tracks that really deserve a place on there. nice.
I'm the proud owner of your original mix, and it's helped me discover what an underrated arist he is. I know some of his early records are being reissued on CD once again, but without any bonus tracks. Pity.
Well, I guess you didn't remember the Alamo, my all-time favorite Donovan track. Good mix nonetheless.
Great tribute to one of the best. Too bad they don't make 120 minute CDs for the tracks that were cut.
You're lucky - you included my favourites: "Epistle To Dippy" and "Wear My Love Like Heaven" - they somehow manage to be 'other-wordly' and yet down to earth at the same time. The Beatles connection is also evident on "Mellow yellow" where Paul apparently supplied the "quite rightly!" bits.
Very well done and great notes -- he's always been one of those artists that I've wanted to investigate further. I had a hand-me-down 45 of "Melloy Yellow" that I used to listen to as a child...
Good to see Donovan getting his due. "Wear Your Love..." was dreamy & delicious pop in the day. I saw him open for John Mellencamp recently, and he had a power I didn't expect.
Nice to see some respect for this guy around here.