The Hurdy Gurdy Man (song)
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| “The Hurdy Gurdy Man” | |||||
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| Single by Donovan | |||||
| B-side | "Teen Angel" | ||||
| Released | May 1968 (UK) June 1968 (U.S.) |
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| Format | 7" 45 RPM | ||||
| Recorded | April 3, 1968, CBS Studios, London, England[1] | ||||
| Genre | Psychedelic rock, folk rock | ||||
| Length | 3:15 | ||||
| Label | Pye Epic (USA) |
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| Writer(s) | Donovan | ||||
| Producer | Mickie Most | ||||
| Donovan UK singles chronology | |||||
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| Donovan USA singles chronology | |||||
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"The Hurdy Gurdy Man" is a song by the Scottish musician Donovan. It was written and recorded in early 1968 and released in May as a single and gave name to the album The Hurdy Gurdy Man in October. It reached #5 in the U.S. pop charts and #4 in the UK pop charts. The song was written for Donovan's old friend and guitar mentor Mac MacLeod. MacLeod was in a Danish band at the time called Hurdy Gurdy.[2] The song features a harder rock sound then Donovan's usual material. It also features an Indian influence with the use of a tambura in it.
On page 7 of the 40-page booklet that came with Donovan's 1992 double CD, Troubadour: The Definitive Collection 1964-1976, it lists Allan Holdsworth and Jimmy Page as the electric guitar players and John Bonham and Clem Cattini as playing the drums on "Hurdy Gurdy Man". However, according to John Paul Jones, who arranged and played bass on the track (he also booked the session musicians), Clem Cattini played the drums and Alan Parker played the electric guitar.[3] The song was an anthem for free-spirited hippies at the time due to its psychedelic sound.
chart positions were #4 UK Singles Chart; #5 Billboard Pop Singles (US); #3 Cash Box (US)
According to songfacts.com[4], there is a lot of bad information about what musicians played on this. John Paul Jones, who became a member of Led Zeppelin, was the musical director, and many people thought Jimmy Page and John Bonham played on this as well. According to Clem Cattini, who really did play on this, here is the lineup:
- Donovan - Acoustic guitar
- John Paul Jones - Arrangement, musical director and bass guitar
- Alan Parker - Electric guitar
- Clem Cattini - Drums.
The session was produced by Mickie Most and engineered by Eddie Kramer. Says Cattini, "John Paul Jones told me this was recorded two years before he met John Bonham and he only ever used me on his sessions. In fact, we worked together in Lulu's band for two years. Also at the time I did a lot of work for Mickie Most who was the producer.
In interviews with Keith Altham for the NME (and Hit Parader) and Tony Wilson for Melody Maker [5] in 1968 Donovan explained he wrote "Hurdy Gurdy Man" as a gift for his friend and early guitar mentor Mac MacLeod. Donovan wanted Mac's band Hurdy Gurdy to record it. However, Donovan changed his mind of giving the song as gift and recorded the song himself and his version was a hit and the band never recorded the song. Donovan has stated in an interview with Little Steven Van Zandt that he had originally desired Jimi Hendrix to play on "Hurdy Gurdy Man," but as he was unavailable, he got Jimmy Page to play. Jimmy Page has often been credited as playing electric guitar on the track but Alan Parker has been named by Page, Jones and Cattini.
[edit] Cover versions
The song has been covered by many musicians over the years
- Steve Hillage
- The EDLOS, a contemporary a cappella group's version appearing on their 1990 album Loud is Good and their 2003 album Retropella.
- The song was also covered by the Butthole Surfers.
- As well as popular songstress Eartha Kitt.
- The song was covered by the American alternative band Wild Colonials on their "Life As We Know It EP 1/4" (2007).
- The song was covered by the sleaze rock band L.A. Guns on their covers album, Rips the Covers Off.
- The Losers, Howard Stern's band .
- The song was covered by Neil Pye, the hippie character from British comedy series The Young Ones in 1984 for an album called Neil's Heavy Concept Album.
[edit] Soundtrack appearances
"The Hurdy Gurdy Man" was most recently used as a framing device in David Fincher's 2007 film Zodiac; in the 2006 film Man of the Year , starring Robin Williams; in the 2006 film Bobby; in the 2005 film Edison; in the 2002 independent film Spun; in Michael Cuesta's 2001 film L.I.E. and in Barry Levinson's 1996 film Sleepers.
[edit] References
- ^ Donovan recording sessions listing
- ^ http://www.macmacleod.co.uk/images/Don-MM-copy1.gif
- ^ Clem Cattini - Drummer On 45 Number 1 Hit Singles
- ^ http://songfacts.com/detail.php?id=1097 songfacts.com: "Hurdy Gurdy Man"
- ^ http://www.macmacleod.co.uk/images/Don-MM-copy1.gif
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