Turquoise (song)
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| “Turquoise” | |||||
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| Single by Donovan | |||||
| B-side | "Hey Gyp (Dig the Slowness)" | ||||
| Released | October 30, 1965 (UK) | ||||
| Format | 7" | ||||
| Recorded | 1965 | ||||
| Genre | folk | ||||
| Length | 3:32 (Side A) 3:09 (Side B) (UK) |
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| Label | Pye 7N15984 | ||||
| Producer | Terry Kennedy, Peter Eden, Geoff Stephens | ||||
| Donovan UK singles chronology | |||||
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"Turquoise" is a song written and recorded by Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan. The "Turquoise" single was released in the United Kingdom on October 30, 1965 through Pye Records (Pye 7N 15984) and charted to #30. The "Turquoise" single was backed with "Hey Gyp (Dig the Slowness)" and only released in the United Kingdom. "Turquoise" was released as the b-side on "To Try for the Sun" in the United States.
"Turquoise" marked a significant drop-off in Donovan's chart success by only reaching #30 in the British charts, compared to the top 10 successes of "Catch the Wind", "Colours", and "Universal Soldier". While those previous singles have appeared in various formats throughout Donovan's catalog, live versions and re-recordings of "Turquoise" are conspicuously absent.
The relative lack of success in the United Kingdom most likely caused Hickory Records to select "You're Gonna Need Somebody on Your Bond" as Donovan's next single in the United States. Hickory Records later released "Turquoise" as the b-side to "To Try for the Sun" and made it the opening track to their 1966 compilation The Real Donovan.
The song was written about Donovan's friend Joan Baez, with whom he claimed he was in love. Baez recorded a version of the song in 1967 (album: Joan).
The lyric begins:
- “Your smile beams like sunlight
- On a gull’s wing; and the leaves
- Dance and play after you;
- Take my hand and hold it
- As you would a flower;
- Take care with my heart, Oh darling:
- She’s made of glass.”
