Lead guitar on Donovan's Sunshine Superman?
Mister Charlie
Claims George Harrison played lead on Sunshine Superman! That's news to
me (so is a lot of things, but....)
Anyone ever hear this claim?
--
"...I don't want to spoil the party so I'll go,
I would hate my leitch to show..."
Lizz Holmans
<swam...@lycos.com> wrote:
>http://www.classicbands.com/donovan.html
>
>Claims George Harrison played lead on Sunshine Superman! That's news to
>me (so is a lot of things, but....)
>
>Anyone ever hear this claim?
Can't verify it at this point, although John Paul Jones of Led
Zeppelin did the arrangement. As Donovan also recorded 'Hurdy Gurdy
Man' with Jones and John Bonham, my guess would be Jimmy Page, but
right now it's only a WAG. Anyone?
Lizz 'And any fule know it's Jeff Beck on Barabajagal' Holmans
--
Boys is easier, and if you have sons it's worth trying for three.
Nanny Ogg
Dan Stanley
"Lizz Holmans" <di...@jackalope.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:nbk9luorj0pgiegva...@4ax.com...
> On Fri, 9 Aug 2002 23:21:20 -0700, "Mister Charlie"
> <swam...@lycos.com> wrote:
>
> >http://www.classicbands.com/donovan.html
> >
> >Claims George Harrison played lead on Sunshine Superman! That's news to
> >me (so is a lot of things, but....)
> >
> >Anyone ever hear this claim?
>
> Can't verify it at this point, although John Paul Jones of Led
> Zeppelin did the arrangement. As Donovan also recorded 'Hurdy Gurdy
> Man' with Jones and John Bonham,
I doubt it was Bonham. Jones and Page were very busy studio guys in those
days, and I recall hearing that Page did "Sunshine Superman." But I don't
know for sure.
> Lizz 'And any fule know it's Jeff Beck on Barabajagal' Holmans
Yep.
Dan
Jane Dermyer
about the beatles. Donavan was with theMahirashi [sic] at the same time
that the beatles were. They were pretty good friends I guess. Donavan
wrote Mellow Yellow as a little tribute to Yellow Submarine, and I do know
that Paul was in the backgroud chorus.
As for Sunshine Superman, I've never heard that George played in it. An
interesting thing about Hurdy Gurdy man though, is that Jimmy Page played
guitar, John Paul Jones played bass, and John Bonham played drums. That's
kind of wierd. (1968)
Caleb
www.mp3.com/the_gomorrah_lapse
"Mister Charlie" <swam...@lycos.com> wrote in message
news:aj2bfb$180sl2$1...@ID-63206.news.dfncis.de...
jweb
"Jane Dermyer" <ilov...@worldnet.att.net>
> As for Sunshine Superman, I've never heard that George played in it. An
> interesting thing about Hurdy Gurdy man though, is that Jimmy Page played
> guitar, John Paul Jones played bass, and John Bonham played drums. That's
> kind of wierd. (1968)
Jimmy Page played the guitar on "Sunshine Superman", according to this
source on cdnow.com:
A year and a half in the making, Sunshine Superman was inspired largely by
Donovan's muse, scenester Linda Lawrence, the former belle of Rolling Stones
founder Brian Jones. Lawrence inspired some of Donovan's best writing on the
album, from the expansive "Legend of a Girl Child Linda," to the pretty
closer, "Celeste." But Most keeps both the subject and the sonics nicely
balanced. The album divides evenly between romping, pre-psychedelic pop and
medievally derived acoustic folk songs. Most's pop received the most
commercial attention, and deservedly so. Such songs as the title cut, which
features beautifully textured guitar work from Led Zeppelin-member-to-be
Jimmy Page, and "Season of the Witch," represent some of vintage rock's
seminal hooks.
On the acoustic side, Donovan sinks his teeth into the Bert Jansch tribute
"Bert's Blues" and the baroque folk of such numbers as "Guinevere," "Three
King Fishers," and "Ferris Wheel." The former number, with its delicately
articulated lyrics and Camelot metaphor, captivated American audiences.
The triumph of Most's production, Lawrence's romantic presence, and
Donovan's own fast-flourishing artistry makes Sunshine Superman the artist's
early peak. It would signal the onset of a fabulously fertile time for the
Scotsman, one that would cement his reputation as singular artist, and out
of Dylan's shadow for good.
Bob Gulla
CDNOW Contributing Writer
DJ Greg
responding to questions.
BonusSpin7
>Donovan's own fast-flourishing artistry makes Sunshine Superman the artist's
>early peak. It would signal the onset of a fabulously fertile time for the
>Scotsman, one that would cement his reputation as singular artist, and out
>of Dylan's shadow for good.
Speaking of getting "out of Dylan's shadow for good", I watched the Bob Dylan
documentary "Don't Look Back" again the other evening, and it was interesting
to see Donovan calm Dylan and his entourage down with a wonderful song, after a
particularly uptight and upsetting night, when much to Dylan's chagrin someone
threw a glass out of a window onto the street from the posh hotel they were
staying in.
Lizz Holmans
wrote:
According to Dave Marsh's 'New Book of Rock Lists' (1) them's the
facts. Dou you have a countersite?
(1) Marsh, Dave and Bernard, James._The New Book of Rock Lists_, p.64.
New York: Simon and Schuster,1981. ISBN 0-671-78700-4
Lizz 'I learned it from a boook' Holmans
Lizz Holmans
>
> Speaking of getting "out of Dylan's shadow for good", I watched the Bob Dylan
>documentary "Don't Look Back" again the other evening, and it was interesting
>to see Donovan calm Dylan and his entourage down with a wonderful song, after a
>particularly uptight and upsetting night, when much to Dylan's chagrin someone
>threw a glass out of a window onto the street from the posh hotel they were
>staying in.
What an odd interpretation. What I saw was a callow youth trying to
impress The Master by playing some wimpy 'I'll sing fer yew' ditty,
after which Bob launched into a fiery 'It's All Over Now, Baby Blue.'
All through the film you see him reading and worrying about Donovan.
After that scene, he never frets again.
Heard Donovan do 'Hurdy Gurdy Man' on TV the other day. My God. He
sounded like a parody of himself. I mean, he's always had a wide
vibrato, but this sounded like Rolf Harris's wobble board.
Lizz 'But I still think the Donovan concert I went to in '70 is in my
All-Time Top Five' Holmans
Mister Charlie
Well, I never heard the George Harrison conection, and so I figured
someone was just misinformed. Now I'm sure of it. Thanks guys (and
ladies).
--
"...I don't want to spoil the party so I'll go,
I would hate my ignorance to show..."
Mister Charlie
>From: beatleg...@cs.comnostuff (DJ Greg)
>Date: 8/10/2002 7:55 AM Pacific Standard Time
>Message-id: <20020810105530...@mb-cm.news.cs.com>
>
>Go to his website Donovan.ie and ask the man himself. He's very nice about
>responding to questions.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Cool. Thanks. Maybe he'll give me the lyrics to the Trip while he's at it.
Can't find them suckers ANYwhere! :)
Dan Stanley
> >> Zeppelin did the arrangement. As Donovan also recorded 'Hurdy Gurdy
> >> Man' with Jones and John Bonham,
>
>
> >I doubt it was Bonham. Jones and Page were very busy studio guys in those
> >days, and I recall hearing that Page did "Sunshine Superman." But I don't
> >know for sure.
>
> According to Dave Marsh's 'New Book of Rock Lists' (1) them's the
> facts. Dou you have a countersite?
>
> (1) Marsh, Dave and Bernard, James._The New Book of Rock Lists_, p.64.
> New York: Simon and Schuster,1981. ISBN 0-671-78700-4
Whoa there! I wasn't trying to provoke an argument. I just kinda doubted,
like I said.
Could be true; it was '68, Bonham was around. Page and Jones had worked
plenty with Mickie Most and Donovan a lot in the past, and this was at the
time of Zep recording the first album. Page a/o Jones may have agreed to the
gig just to help paying the bills, or as a favor to Most or Donovan, and
brought along their new drummer friend.
The album with "Hurdy Gurdy Man" was released in Oct. '68. I think ( correct
me if I'm wrong) LZ 1 came out Jan. '69 or so.
I just don't think it's Bonham on those tracks.
Rock and roll is full of rumors that become "truth" after repeated use; and
if those truths end up in some "Book of Lists"..., well, that's just the way
it goes. I'm sure you can come up with dozens of similar stories re: The
Beatles. "Paul did this..." "RIngo did that...", but they are just not true,
despite being so widespread you read them in every publication out there.
In no bio of Zep I've read have I seen mention of this session ( at least as
far as I can tell, and I'm sort of a magnet for useless rock and roll
trivia...things like that usually get lodged in my brain forever, taking up
the valuable space I need to use so I can remember why I walked into the
kitchen, or the names of my children). If it's true, it's noteworthy ( Page,
Jones, Bonham's first appearance together on the same disc? Something like t
hat)
Anyway, unless there is a credit on the record, or Page or Jones or Most or
Donovan can be quoted as saying Bonham was there, I'm going to keep on kinda
doubting. In fact, given the times it was recorded, and the span between
then and now, I don't even think I'd take *their* word!
Dan
Jeff Troutman
> On 10 Aug 2002 15:56:37 GMT, bonus...@aol.com (BonusSpin7) wrote:
>
> >
> > Speaking of getting "out of Dylan's shadow for good", I watched the Bob
Dylan
> >documentary "Don't Look Back" again the other evening, and it was
interesting
> >to see Donovan calm Dylan and his entourage down with a wonderful song,
after a
> >particularly uptight and upsetting night, when much to Dylan's chagrin
someone
> >threw a glass out of a window onto the street from the posh hotel they
were
> >staying in.
>
> What an odd interpretation. What I saw was a callow youth trying to
> impress The Master by playing some wimpy 'I'll sing fer yew' ditty,
> after which Bob launched into a fiery 'It's All Over Now, Baby Blue.'
>
> All through the film you see him reading and worrying about Donovan.
> After that scene, he never frets again.
>
Is that the bit where, after Bob finishes, Donovan says "I once knew a girl
named Baby Blue", and is just roundly ignored?
Jeff Troutman
Jeff Troutman
>
> As for Sunshine Superman, I've never heard that George played in it. An
> interesting thing about Hurdy Gurdy man though, is that Jimmy Page played
> guitar, John Paul Jones played bass, and John Bonham played drums. That's
> kind of wierd. (1968)
>
Page and Jones were big-time session men at that point. It was during the
Hurdy Gurdy Man LP sessions that they first talked about forming a band.
Jeff Troutman
Dan Stanley
> On 10 Aug 2002 15:56:37 GMT, bonus...@aol.com (BonusSpin7) wrote:
>
> >
> > Speaking of getting "out of Dylan's shadow for good", I watched the Bob
Dylan
> >documentary "Don't Look Back" again the other evening, and it was
interesting
> >to see Donovan calm Dylan and his entourage down with a wonderful song,
after a
> >particularly uptight and upsetting night, when much to Dylan's chagrin
someone
> >threw a glass out of a window onto the street from the posh hotel they
were
> >staying in.
>
> What an odd interpretation. What I saw was a callow youth trying to
> impress The Master by playing some wimpy 'I'll sing fer yew' ditty,
> after which Bob launched into a fiery 'It's All Over Now, Baby Blue.'
Yeah, that's how I remember it, too.
At that moment, Dylan and his crew were pretty obviously toying with the
poor guy.
Donovan, right then and there, was the "Mr. Jones" who didn't know what was
going on.
Cruel bunch of folks, Dylan's coterie at the time.
Mister Charlie
Zep were recording Hurdy Gurdy with Donovan.
Dan Stanley
"Mister Charlie" <tenseven...@aol.combugger> wrote in message
news:20020811134614...@mb-mb.aol.com...
> It's fine to be precise, but it has been known for a very long time that
3/4 of
> Zep were recording Hurdy Gurdy with Donovan.
Where the HELL have I been! How come I never heard about it?
Really, do you have anything that backs it up? Pics? Credits listed?
Something, anything?
I'd like to be sure.
AFAIK, it isn't true, but is a one of these things that has always been said
it true.
Like how Alice Cooper was "Eddy" on "Leave it Beaver", or that the first
little boy on "The Partridge Family" blew up when he ate too many Pop-Rocks
or something.
Dan
Luc Landry
> "Mister Charlie" <tenseven...@aol.combugger> wrote in message
> news:20020811134614...@mb-mb.aol.com...
> > It's fine to be precise, but it has been known for a very long time that
> 3/4 of
> > Zep were recording Hurdy Gurdy with Donovan.
>
> Where the HELL have I been! How come I never heard about it?
> Really, do you have anything that backs it up? Pics? Credits listed?
> Something, anything?
>
> I'd like to be sure.
>
> AFAIK, it isn't true, but is a one of these things that has always been said
>
> Dan
OK. On the 1999 edition of Donovan's Greatest Hits, the booklet says of
Hurdy Gurdy Man the following:
3. Hurdy Gurdy Man (3:19)
Donovan, vocal, acoustic guitar and tambura; Allan Holdsworth and Jimmy
Page, electric guitars; John Paul John, bass; John Bonham and Clem
Clatini, drums.
Recorded April 1968
From the Epic LP The Hurdy Gurdy man (BN 26340)
Originally Released 1968v Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
The text that follow, written by Donovan, mention the following:
"I said, "Let's get Jimi [Hendrix] to play guitar." Jimi was gigging and
couldn't, so Jimmy Page came in with John Bonham, and John Paul John
arranged the track. Three future members of Led Zepplin."
I think that settle it: a direct confirmation from Donovan!
--
Luc Landry
Dan Stanley
"Luc Landry" <lucl...@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:1fgrc8g.16jgk6ynrt9uoN%lucl...@sympatico.ca...
> Dan Stanley <vze2...@verizon.net> wrote:
>
> > "Mister Charlie" <tenseven...@aol.combugger> wrote in message
> > news:20020811134614...@mb-mb.aol.com...
> > > It's fine to be precise, but it has been known for a very long time
that
> > 3/4 of
> > > Zep were recording Hurdy Gurdy with Donovan.
> >
> > Where the HELL have I been! How come I never heard about it?
> > Really, do you have anything that backs it up? Pics? Credits listed?
> > Something, anything?
> >
> > I'd like to be sure.
> >
> > AFAIK, it isn't true, but is a one of these things that has always been
said
> >
> > Dan
>
> OK. On the 1999 edition of Donovan's Greatest Hits, the booklet says of
> Hurdy Gurdy Man the following:
>
>
> 3. Hurdy Gurdy Man (3:19)
> Donovan, vocal, acoustic guitar and tambura; Allan Holdsworth and Jimmy
> Page, electric guitars; John Paul John, bass; John Bonham and Clem
> Clatini, drums.
> Recorded April 1968
> From the Epic LP The Hurdy Gurdy man (BN 26340)
> Originally Released 1968v Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Well, that's good enough for me. Thanks.
Allan Holdsworth, too!
> The text that follow, written by Donovan, mention the following:
>
> "I said, "Let's get Jimi [Hendrix] to play guitar." Jimi was gigging and
> couldn't, so Jimmy Page came in with John Bonham, and John Paul John
> arranged the track. Three future members of Led Zepplin."
>
> I think that settle it: a direct confirmation from Donovan!
Thanks again.
Dan
LeeRand
verses and/or played on Hurdy Gurdy Man. Always assumed it was true.
Mister Charlie
He did. It wasn't used on the recording but Donovan has included it
live for years.
--
"...I don't want to spoil the party so I'll go,
I would hate my disappearing prose to show..."