The Real Donovan

The Real Donovan
Compilation album by Donovan
Released	September 1966
Recorded	1965
Genre	folk
Label	Hickory
Producer	Terry Kennedy, Peter Eden, Geoff Stephens
Donovan chronology
Fairytale (1965) The Real Donovan (1966) Sunshine Superman (1966)

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The Real Donovan is the first compilation album from Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan. It was released in the U.S. (Hickory LPM 135 (monaural) /LPS 135 (stereo)) in September 1966.

History

When Donovan signed a contract with Epic Records, he became entangled in a legal dispute with Pye Records over the rights to his music. These legal proceedings withheld any new Donovan releases in the United Kingdom until late 1966. In the meantime, Pye Records' United States distributor Hickory Records compiled The Real Donovan from Donovan's Pye Records releases, choosing several songs that had not yet appeared on any United States release.

The Real Donovan was released within the same month as Donovan's first Epic Records album Sunshine Superman. Both albums were intended to capitalize on the success of the "Sunshine Superman" single, which hit #1 on the Billboard charts in the United States. While it did not match the Billboard chart success and sales of Sunshine Superman, The Real Donovan did chart, ultimately reaching #96.

Album origins of tracks

The following is a list explaining the original releases of each song. Tracks that were previously unreleased in the United States are noted with *, followed by explanations of their origin.

• "Turquoise" (UK single, released October 30, 1965; Released in U.S. as b-side to "To Try for the Sun" in January 1966)
• "Oh Deed I Do"* (from UK version of Fairytale, released October 22, 1965)
• "Catch the Wind" (from What's Bin Did and What's Bin Hid, released May 14, 1965)
• "Remember the Alamo" (from What's Bin Did and What's Bin Hid, released May 14, 1965)
• "Ballad of a Crystal Man"* (from The Universal Soldier EP, released August 15, 1965)
• "Colours" (from Fairytale, released October 22, 1965)
• "Hey Gyp (Dig the Slowness)"* (b-side of "Turquoise", released October 30, 1965)
• "Belated Forgiveness Plea" (from Fairytale, released October 22, 1965)
• "Ramblin' Boy" (from What's Bin Did and What's Bin Hid, released May 14, 1965)
• "The War Drags On"* (from The Universal Soldier EP, released August 15, 1965)
• "Josie" (from What's Bin Did and What's Bin Hid, released May 14, 1965)
• "To Try for the Sun" (from Fairytale, released October 22, 1965)

Track listing

All tracks by Donovan Leitch, except where noted.

Side one

1. "Turquoise"
2. "Oh Deed I Do" (Bert Jansch)
3. "Catch the Wind"
4. "Remember the Alamo" (Jane Bowers)
5. "Ballad of a Crystal Man"
6. "Colours"

Side two

1. "Hey Gyp (Dig the Slowness)"
2. "Belated Forgiveness Plea"
3. "Rambin' Boy"
4. "The War Drags On" (Mick Softley)
5. "Josie"
6. "To Try for the Sun"

External links

• The Real Donovan - Donovan Unofficial Site