The Centennial Of Pete Seeger’s Birthday (1919-2014)- *In Pete Seeger's House- "Rainbow Quest"-Donovan

*In Pete Seeger's House- "Rainbow Quest"-Donovan

A YouTube's film clip of Pete Seeger's now famous 1960s (black and white, that's the give-away)"Rainbow Quest" for the performer in this entry's headline.

Markin comment:

This series, featuring Pete Seeger and virtually most of the key performers in the 1960s folk scene is a worthy entry into the folk archival traditions for future revivalists to seek out. There were thirty plus episodes (some contained more than one performer of note, as well as Pete solo performances). I have placed the YouTube film clips here one spot over four days, November 10-13, 2009 for the reader's convenience.

Happy Birthday Keith Richards- *The “Sunshine Superman” At Work- The Music of Donovan

DVD REVIEW

Donovan; Live In L.A., Donovan, his daughter, Mike Love, other artists and director David Lynch, PBS Production, 2007

Hope, dope, running down the slippery slope. Reds, pinks, lavenders and all the colors of the progressive political and social rainbow. Mini skirts, maxi skirts, jeans, denim jackets, floppy hats and make your own wardrobe from the Salvation Army remnants. Do your own things, chill out, make up your own identity (or identities). Try scream therapy, water therapy, thermal therapy, transcendental mediation, floatation mediation. You name it somebody tried it. Okay, enough of the memories. Of course from some of the previous writings of this reviewer in this space the descriptions above could only describe the 1960’s, the time of his youth- the time of the “Generation of ‘68”. And the artist under review, my contemporary, the singing/songwriter Donovan was in the thick of it. In those days he threw his hat in the ring as one of the talented musicians who was trying to find a “different way”, musically and spiritually, from that of our parent’ generation. In those days he traveled in some fast musical company, including the Beatles, Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell.

But that was then and now the 60-something is playing the old favorites, in the documentary under review, in Los Angeles in a benefit concert for movie director David Lynch’s meditation center. That purpose is somewhat symbolic because the performance here, while adequate, gave me the impression that he was meditating in public. Although the audience, when scanned, seemed to like his performance there was something missing that could not be salvaged even with cameo appearances by his daughter and the Beach Boys Mike Love (on the encore “Mellow Yellow”). I saw Donovan live in Boston, as he started to tour again, a couple of years or so before this filming and he was on fire then. So, maybe it is the hardships of touring that has taken its toll. Let’s put it this way, this performance rates three stars. I am also reviewing a CD compilation of Donovan’s early work, something of a greatest hits production, entitled “Sunshine Superman”. That collection rates five stars. Something about the vagaries and ravages of aging is definitely at play here. Oh well. If you have only one choice get the CD.

That said, those who choose the film will get a full cycle of Donovan’s early work, including “Colors” and “Catch The Wind” (recently used in an automobile commercial- not good) that first brought Donovan’s work to my attention. “Jennifer Juniper”, “Mellow Yellow” (as an encore), “The Universal Soldier” and “Sunshine Superman” are also included. Just listing his songs here evokes a whole youth of color, change, causes and clashes. Ah, those were the days.


"Catch The Wind"

In the chilly hours and minutes,
Of uncertainty, I want to be,
In the warm hold of your loving mind.

To feel you all around me,
And to take your hand, along the sand,
Ah, but I may as well try and catch the wind.

When sundown pales the sky,
I wanna hide a while, behind your smile,
And everywhere I'd look, your eyes I'd find.

For me to love you now,
Would be the sweetest thing, 'twould make me sing,
Ah, but I may as well, try and catch the wind.

When rain has hung the leaves with tears,
I want you near, to kill my fears
To help me to leave all my blues behind.

For standin' in your heart,
Is where I want to be, and I long to be,
Ah, but I may as well, try and catch the wind.


"Colours"

Yellow is the colour of my true love's hair,
In the morning, when we rise,
In the morning, when we rise.
That's the time, that's the time,
I love the best.

Blue's the colour of the sky-y,
In the morning, when we rise,
In the morning, when we rise.
That's the time, that's the time,
I love the best.

Green's the colour of the sparklin' corn,
In the morning, when we rise,
In the morning, when we rise.
That's the time, that's the time,
I love the best.

Mellow is the feeling that I get,
When I see her, m-hmm,
When I see her, oh yeah.
That's the time, that's the time,
I love the best.

Freedom is a word I rarely use,
Without thinking, m-hmm,
Without thinking, oh yeah.
Of the time, of the time,
When I've been loved.

"JENNIFER JUNIPER"

Jennifer, Juniper, lives upon the hill.
Jennifer, Juniper, sitting very still.
Is she sleeping? I don't think so.
Is she breathing? Yes, very low.
Watcha doung Fennifer my love?

Jennifer, Juniper, rides a dappled mare.
Jennifer, Juniper lilacs in her hair.
Is she dreaming? Yes I think so.
Is she pretty? Yes ever so.
Watcha doing, Jennifer my love?

I'm thinking of || what would it be like if she loved me.
You know just lately
this happy song, it came along and I had || to somehow try and tell you

Jennifer, Juniper, hair of golden flax
Jennifer, Juniper longs for what she lacks.
Do you like her? Yes I do, Sir!
Would you love her? Yes I would, Sir!
Watcha doing Jennifer my love?


Donovan

Hurdy Gurdy Man

Thrown like a star in my vast sleep
I'm opening my eyes to take a peep
To find that I was by the sea
Gazing with tranquility

'Twas then when the hurdy gurdy man
Came singing songs of love
Then when the hurdy gurdy man
Came singing songs of love

Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy gurdy he sang
Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy gurdy he sang
Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy gurdy he sang

Histories of ages past
Unenlightened shadows cast
Down through all eternity
The crying of humanity

'Tis then when the hurdy gurdy man
Comes singing songs of love
Then when the hurdy gurdy man
Comes singing songs of love

Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy gurdy he sang
Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy hurdy gurd
Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy gurdy he sang

Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy gurdy he sang
Here comes the roly-poly man
He's singing songs of love
Roly poly, roly poly, roly poly poly he sang
Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy gurdy he sang
Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy gurdy he sang
Roly poly, roly poly, roly poly poly he sang

"Josie"

Josie,I wont fail ya,
I wont fail you have no fear,
Josie,I wont fail ya,
Give me one more chance to be as near.

The meadows they are bursting
the yellow corn is in your hands,
and with the night comes sorrow
as the tide of dawn slips on the land.

The long breezes are blowing
all down the sky into my face,
Ive a worried kind of feelin
that my time has come and gone to waste.

I love you darling Josie,
the trees of pine they grow so tall,
how can you come to love me
when you didnt love me at all.

Josie,I wont fail ya,
I wont fail you have no fear,
Josie I wont fail ya
Give me one more chance to be as near.

My Josie looks a child now
as she lies beyond my breast,
in the night I think about her
in the day I get no rest.

I cut me a young pine cone
And gave it to the river deep,
It sailed way by your window
where you lay so long in sleep.

God bless you darling Josie
with your sparkling eyes so bright and clear,
Josie,I wont fail you have no fear,
Josie,I wont fail ya
Give me one more chance to be as near

"Sunshine Superman"

Sunshine came softly through my a-window today
Could've tripped out easy a-but I've a-changed my ways
It'll take time, I know it but in a while
You're gonna be mine, I know it, we'll do it in style
'Cause I made my mind up you're going to be mine

I'll tell you right now
Any trick in the book now, baby, all that I can find
Everybody's hustlin' just to have a little scene
When I say we'll be cool I think that you know what I mean
We stood on a beach at sunset, do you remember when?
I know a beach where, baby, a-it never ends
When you've made your mind up forever to be mine

Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm
I'll pick up your hand and slowly blow your little mind
'Cause I made my mind up you're going to be mine
I'll tell you right now
Any trick in the book now, baby, all that I can find

Superman or Green Lantern ain't got a-nothin' on me
I can make like a turtle and dive for your pearls in the sea, yeah!
A you-you-you can just sit there a-thinking on your velvet throne
'bout all the rainbows a-you can a-have for your own
When you've made your mind up forever to be mine
I'll pick up your hand and slowly blow your little mind
When you've made your mind up forever to be mine

I'll pick up your hand
I'll pick up your hand

***A Donovan Encore- "Catch The Wind"

CD REVIEW

Sunshine Superman, Donovan, Digimode, 1999

Elsewhere in this space I have reviewed a 2007 Donovan benefit concert in Los Angeles, “Donovan: Live In L.A.”, for the movie director David Lynch’s meditation center. As part of that review I noted that the now 60-something Donovan, my contemporary from the”Generation of ‘68”, had lost a step or two after viewing that performance. He kind of mailed it in there. I also noted that if one had a choice between that DVD, which I gave three stars to, and the five stars CD under review here then grab this one with both hands. Without getting all nostalgic about it these tracks, many of them covered in the documentary, jump with the spirit, naiveté, and hopes of the 1960’s. Donovan was, and is, an extraordinary songwriter. But more than that, in his prime he epitomized the hopes and dreams that we could create a “newer world”. That we failed in that important task does not negate that his music was part of that mix in trying to “turn the world upside down”.

Just listing his songs here evokes a whole youth of color, change, causes and clashes. That said, those who decide to get this CD will get a full cycle of Donovan’s early work, including the simple but strong melody of “Colors” and the wistfulness and yearning of “Catch The Wind” (recently used in an automobile commercial-not good) that first brought Donovan’s music to my attention. “Jennifer Juniper” (didn’t we all have dreams of our own Jennifer, or wanted to), the funky, funny sing-along “ Mellow Yellow” , the pacifically-inclined and strongly anti-war Buffy St. Marie song “The Universal Soldier” and Donovan’s theme song “Sunshine Superman” are also included. As are the mystical “Atlantis” and the semi-mystical “Hurdy Gurdy Man”. Ah, those were the days.