"1965" by DONOVAN – May 1965 UK Debut Album "What's Bin Did And What's Bin Hid" on Pye Records in Mono (June 1965 USA as "Catch The Wind" on Hickory Records with Different Artwork and Tracks) and October 1965 UK Second Studio LP "Fairytale" (also on Pye Records) Plus 45-Single Tracks and EP Cuts (September 2014 UK Sanctuary/BMG 2CD Compilation Reissue of the compilation "Summer Day Reflection Songs" from 2000 (also reissued 2005) with 1995 Remasters – 2LPs onto 2CDs Plus Bonuses) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Catch The Wind..."

What you have here is a reissue of a reissue of a reissue – literally - and that just brings us up to 2014.

 

Back in April 2000, Castle Music UK put out this 34-Track 2CD compilation as "Summer Day Reflection Songs" on their Essential label (ESDCD 861) – same track line-up but with different artwork. That then got reissued in May 2005 on their Sanctuary Records Midline range (SMEDD219), and what you have here is reissue number three for September 2014 credited and re-themed as “1965” – and again with different artwork.

 

Donovan released two albums in that seminal year - "What's Bin Did And What's Bin Hid" in May 1965 and "Fairytale" in October 1965 as well as three stand-alone 45s, one French EP exclusive and one 4-track British EP. The whole 34-song kit and caboodle is dealt with on "1965" (the jumble of different album names and track lists between the UK and USA - especially on the second LP - is sorted out below). Mucho details to dispense, so let's un-hide what was did/done back in Sunny Goodge Street...

 

UK released 29 September 2014 - "1965" by DONOVAN on Sanctuary/BMG BMGRM020CD (Barcode 5414939648120) is a 34-Track 2CD Compilation of Remasters in Mono that plays out as follows:

 

CD1 (42:07 minutes):

1. Catch The Wind (Single Version with Strings)

2. Why Do You Treat Me Like You Do

Tracks 1 & 2 are the Non-LP A&B-sides of his British debut 45-single released 12March 1965 on Pye Records 7N 15801

 

3. Every Man Has His Chain

Track 3 is exclusive on a 4-track EP for "Catch The Wind" released 1965 on Pye Disques PNV 24 138 in France (Track 2, Side 1 of the Extended Play)

 

4. Josie [Side 1]

5. Catch The Wind (Album Version)

6. Remember The Alamo (Album Version without Harmonica) - as "The Alamo" on the LP

7. Cuttin' Out 

8. Car Car

9. Keep On Truckin'

10. Goldwatch Blues [Side 2]

11. To Sing For You

12. You're Gonna Need Somebody On Your Bond

13. Tangerine Puppet

14. Donna Donna

15. Ramblin' Boy

Tracks 4 to 15 are his debut LP "What's Bin Did And What's Bin Hid" - released May 1965 in the UK on Pye Records NPL 18117 in Mono Only. Produced by GEOFF STEPHENS, PETER EDEN and TERRY KENNEDY - all songs by Donovan except - "The Alamo" by Jane Bower, "Car Car" by Woody Guthrie, "Goldwatch Blues" by Mick Softley with "Donna Donna", "Keep On Truckin'" and "You're Gonna Need Somebody On Your Bond" being Traditional Yiddish, Folk and Blues covers versions. 

The US LP was called "Catch The Wind" on Hickory DT 90697 in Mono with the same tracks but different artwork.

 

16. Colours (Original Single Version)

Track 16 is the Non-LP Version A-side to the UK 45-single Pye Records 7N 15866 released 28 May 1965 - its B-side is the album track "To Sing For You"

 

CD2 (53:33 minutes):

1. Universal Soldier [Side 1]

2. Ballad Of A Crystal Man (Universal Soldier EP Version)

3. Do You Hear Me Now [Side 2]

4. The War Drags On

Tracks 1 to 4 are the 4-Track UK Extended Play "The Universal Soldier" (EP) on Pye Records NEP 24219 released August 1965 in Mono

 

5. Colours (Album Version) [Side 1]

6. I'll Try For The Sun

7. Sunny Goodge Street

8. Oh Deed I Do

9. Circus Of Sour

10. Summer Day Reflection Song

11. Candy Man [Side 2]

12. Jersey Thursday

13. Belated Forgiveness Plea

14. Ballad Of A Crystal Man (Album Version)

15. The Little Tin Soldier

16. Ballad Of Geraldine

Tracks 5 to 16 are his 2nd studio album "Fairytale" – released October 1965 in the UK on Pye Records NPL 18128 in Mono Only. All songs are Donovan originals except "Universal Soldier" by Buffy Sainte-Marie, "Oh Deed I Do" by Bert Jansch, "The Little Tin Soldier" by Shawn Phillips, "Candy Man" by Mississippi John Hurt and "Circus Of Sour" by Paul Bernath.

 

NOTES on the "Fairytale" album and this 2CD set:

The British version was MONO-only on release, while the November 1965 US Edition on Hickory Records came in both MONO and STEREO with a slightly altered track configuration (dropped the Bert Jansch song "Oh Deed I Do" and added on a hit single – his cover of Buffy Sainte-Marie's "Universal Soldier").

 

The UK budget label Marble Arch Records also reissued the vinyl album "Fairytale" as a 10-tracker in 1969 dropping two key tracks – "Colours" and "The Little Tin Soldier". Luckily "1965" will allow fans to sequence all three 'Mono' variants. Here are the breezy details...

 

The British original LP is Tracks 5 to 16 as listed above. To sequence the US 1965 Mono LP variant of "Fairytale" (Hickory LPM-127), use the following tracks:

Side One: 1, 6, 7, 5, 9 and 10

Side Two: 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16

 

To sequence the UK 1969 Mono 10-track version of "Fairytale" (Marble Arch MAL 867) use the following tracks:

Side One: 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10

Side Two: 11, 12, 13, 14 and 16

 

17. Turquoise

18. Hey Gyp (Dig The Slowness)

Tracks 17 and 18 are the Non-LP A&B-sides of a 29 October 1965 UK 45-single on Pye 7N 15984

 

I suppose its a bit much to expect a budget reissue to sport original UK and US LP artwork never mind British and US 45s or Foreign EPs – all of which would have looked so tasty in this Fire Sale. Instead you get an 8-paged inlay with new June 2014 liner notes from MAX BELL who does a damn good job (in tiny print) of describing this debut yet transitional year for Donovan. England's very own Bob Dylan was on his way from the simple 1965 acoustic-guitar-driven Folk and Folk Rock to 1966 and 1967 California and Hurdy Gurdy Men and Mellow Yellow people and you can hear that on the second LP especially. There are no catalogue numbers as such or even breaks in the tracks to tell you what's what (you'll learn more from the above).

 

Bell does however point out good things like fellow folky Mick Softley providing Donovan with two absolute crackers - "Goldwatch Blues" and "The War Drags On" – the second (an EP track) being one of handful of 60ts tunes that I think are actually forgotten masterpieces. The Audio is care of PHIL KINRADE at Alchemy, but it doesn't really say whether these are the original 2000 versions done for the "Summer Day Reflection Songs" compilation. My copy of that sounds pretty much the same as this, but here in 2014 there is maybe a bit more oomph. Considering these are Mono 1965 recordings – the Audio is so good – the strum of his guitar and echo of his voice – each rendition done fast and for feel. For sure it wobbles in places, but in the main the Audio is warm and clean and its simplicity suits the songs. Besides, his melodies, his knack for an uplifting making-the-world-a-better-place song is evident throughout and that shines louder than everything else.

 

As it opens with the warm heart of your loving mind, Donovan tries to "Catch The Wind", while the single version adds strings to try and catch the Pop charts. Some people hate the ah-shucks syrupy effect of their addition, but the Audio is gorgeous and the song so evocative even now – approaching 60 years later. The talking version of "Every Man Has His Chain" warbles in speed and is probably taken off a clean EP – a shame.

 

The "What's Bin Did And What's Bin Hid" LP proper opens with "Josie" – Donovan promising he won't fail her. The Audio on that and the album cut of "Catch The Wind" is lovely – that Bass warm and clear. Stripped of those sliding-in strings, CTW feels epic in its beautiful simplicity – no wonder so many covered such a winner. The upright double bass of "Cuttin' Out" is fabulous - his lyrics hip and cool and street smart. Hard not to think of Dylan when the Harmonica is dragged out for "Car Car" – Woody Guthrie's "Ridin' In My Car" (not my fave I must admit). Signing on the dotted line and working pointlessly for fifty years consumes the brilliant "Goldwatch Blues" – a bit hissy for sure – but the song is so good – you forgive it. And on CD1 goes to the second gem in his catalogue - "Colours" – as sweet a song as the 60ts ever produced.

 

CD2 opens with a treat – 4-tracks from an EP that has embarrassingly good stuff on it. We get the LP-variant of "Colours" – gorgeous and then some. "Fairytale" features a lot of tracks like that - just Donovan and his acoustic guitar, banjo, harmonica  - more Folk than Pop really (it was dubbed by the artist as Songs For Sunshine People on the rear of the UK LP). In fact when you hear almost any track on this very hard-to-find LP - it's easy to see why Donovan was often referred to as Britain's Bob Dylan. And it wasn't just because of the similar vocal styles - they were both such good songwriters and commentators on their times. There are great lyrics in here as well as tunes.

 

Highlights include "The Ballad Of A Crystal Man" which is represented on this disc twice - the full album version (track 10) and the edited EP version (track 14) - it's a fantastically strong and emotive anti-Vietnam piece equal to anything his Bobness put out on the other side of the pond. Lyrically the other songs are equally clever and even witty too. There's a "...violent hash smoker..." in "Sunny Goodge Street" - while a quietly sinister "Jersey Thursday" gives us sly white powder references like "...on a tiny piece of coloured glass, my love was born...and reds, and golds and yellows were the colours of the dawn..." 

 

A very Nick Drake vibe oozes out off "Sunny Goodge Street" with its cello and brass and complimentary flute (flute by Harold McNair). "Oh Deed I Do" is a Bert Jansch original exclusive to the album (never appeared on one of his own albums to my knowledge) and it's easy to hear why Donovan loved it – a gorgeous acoustic strum that would make John Renbourn envious. Shawn Phillips provides 12-string guitar on the lovely "Jersey Thursday" and wrote "The Little Tin Soldier" which Pye put on the flipside of "Josie" – his fourth British 45 on Pye 7N 17067 in February 1966.

 

There is no doubt a far better release than this somewhere in the future that allows for all that UK and US artwork – proper booklet and so on. But for the moment, 1965 is a way cool to hear why Donovan elicits such affection...