Barabajagal

1969, BARABAJAGAL was the last collaboration of the Donovan Leitch and Mickie Most years, encompassing SUNSHINE SUPERMAN, MELLOW YELLOW, A GIFT FROM A FLOWER TO A GARDEN, HURDY GURDY MAN, and this one. In a sense, this was the last "classic" Donovan album for many fans. All of the aforementioned albums had a sense of cohesiveness to them even though every one of them was diverse musically, and as with all of them BARABAJAGAL is "diverse", yet it seemingly suffers from being too diverse, as if most of the songs came from extreme different sessions. This has left most reviewers and critics with a sense of calling the album jumbled or disconnected. I for one, have always been very fond of BARABAJAGAL and considered it a direct outgrowth of HURDY GURDY with more electrical rock songs and some jazzy, even a "lounge" number, items that would have fit nicely on the HURDY GURDY album. Granted there is a wide range of material present here, but on closer inspection, how can that be considered unusual with any Donovan album? Perhaps it was just the overall feel, or maybe it was due to the straining relationship between Donovan and Most. In any event, this album has its own uniqueness that can be appreciated as one of Donovan's best efforts, if not one of his best "collection" of songs. This album was being recorded about the same time as Donovan was assembling singles for a Greatest Hits album and that could have contributed to the "collection" sense of material. Donovan and engineers "re-channeled for stereo" Season Of The Witch and Sunshine Superman, the latter being extended in length as well. He also re-recorded Colours and Catch The Wind (much better in my opinion) which were inaccessible to Epic Records because of Pye Records legal holdings of those. Singles not appearing on albums (ie. Laleña, Epistle To Dippy, There Is A Mountain, etc) were assembled along with these remasters (a shame they did not re-channel Mellow Yellow for stereo at the time as it would have no doubt appeared on these EMI reissues of 2005, but all of the albums are completely remastered in stereo for the EMI 2011 reissues) for DONOVAN'S GREATEST HITS released in April 1969. Diversity on BARABAJAGAL more clearly is a result of various series of recording efforts that took place in several locations, studios, and with various personnel. The easiest way to "review" this album is to separate these efforts into groups. Happiness Runs and Where Is She were both recorded during the sessions that produced HURDY GURDY MAN and both songs would have fit perfectly onto that album. They are the two ethereal songs of this album and distinctly different from the rest of BARABAJAGAL. Where Is She is a soft-jazz melody reminiscent of the alternative jazz-rock music of the period. Harry Nilsson's "Without Her" which was recorded by Blood Sweat & Tears is cut from the same cloth. Happiness Runs is a row-row-row-your-boat song cycle round which beautifully incorporates his Pebble & Man (DONOVAN IN CONCERT) into a round sung by Donovan, Leslie Duncan (Elton John TUMBLEWEED CONNECTION, Pink Floyd DARK SIDE OF THE MOON, Alan Parson's Project EVE, and just about every 60's period Dusty Springfield song), Graham Nash, and Paul McCartney's younger brother Michael McCartney. Atlantis, I Love My Shirt, To Susan On The West Coast Waiting were recorded in November '68 after release of HURDY GURDY MAN. Immediately in the UK Atlantis was released backed with I Love My Shirt, a mundane and childish throw-away and the only really dispensable song on this album. Atlantis did not fare well as a single and when released in the states, it was the B-side of To Susan... however, radio play and fan requests soon elevated the release to becoming a doube A-side and Atlantis broke the top 10 in the USA despite the producers predictions (too long and not "radio-friendly"). There are rumors that Paul McCartney sung in the closing Hey Jude style coda of the song and played tambourine but Donovan has cleared that up as a myth. Donovan did not clearly keep track of session players on albums and so conflict even exists where Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and even Bonham played on his albums. Page insists he was there for Hurdy Gurdy Man and Jones says he was not. There is no doubt he was contracted for the album recordings but on which songs remains in dispute. Atlantis, with the fanciful counterculture anthem, has remained popular to this day, whereas To Susan On The West Coast Waiting (From Andy In Vietnam Fighting) has become predictably dated. The "rock songs" recorded in November '68 and May '69 are the real meat of BARABAJAGAL, a more contemporary rock album than any previous effort and featuring predominantly the backing of The Jeff Beck Group (also under Mickie Most's production and guidance at the time). The Jeff Beck Group included "vocals extraordinaire by Rod Stewart" in those days however I myself, and many reviewers/critics are hard pressed to find his voice on this record. Barabajagal, backed with Trudi, was released as the next single. In the UK it made it to #12, but only to #36 on the USA Billboard. Both songs are overtly sexual in nature, in fact Trudi was released as "Bed With Me" in the UK, and both are solid rockers featuring the main talents of Jeff Beck and his keyboardist Nicky Hopkins who has lent his sound to anyone and everyone in rock from The Stones, to The Beatles, to Led Zeppelin! Superlungs My Supergirl, finally released on this album after two previous attempts with tempo, instrumentation, and less refined lyrics and vocals, is a dead on straight rock number with cute innuendo lyrics and delivered with electric guitar lead in spades. You can find the early versions on the EMI reissues of SUNSHINE SUPERMAN and MELLOW YELLOW, the latter being the better of the two. The Love Song is a typical Donovan rocker fused with some carnival inspired barking and Pamela Jo is a burlesque/vaudeville piano rocker which descends into tavern song with a huge chorus of repeated lines ad infinitum. Many critics pan these songs, yet more reviewers, like myself, and fans, like myself, enjoy these treasures from the last set of Donovan and Most recordings. The whole album suffers only from the inclusion of I Love My Shirt which belongs on (and ends up on) one of his children's albums (Pied Piper). It would definitely not have fit on For Little Ones, as it is a slightly rock and roll jazz delivery. The lyrics are just so inane. Bonus material, including more songs with The Jeff Beck Group are heavily included in this last of the EMI reissues. Half of them are demos which would fill out early 70's albums, and the first half are all recordings that "should have been." The highlights of these are Lauretta's Cousin Laurinda which would have been a perfect song to replace I Love My Shirt with and might have elevated the album in sales. Swan The Lord Of Reedy River in its original form is also included. Donovan and Paul McCartney would provide this song, as well as guitars and voices, to Mary Hopkins first release on Apple Records. The best of the demo songs is the punishing Lord Of The Universe which would sit in a closet until 2004 when it was filled out and included on Donovan's BEAT CAFÉ album. Even with I Love My Shirt, this one still garners five full stars, it is the ending of an era of dominance in music and is as entertaining as rock and roll could get at the end of the 1960's. As a last word, the best word to describe BARABAJAGAL is "cool".

When Donovan became more of an electric artist in folk rock was when I became interested in his music. I am not really a folk music fan although I do like some songs that are of folk music. I had already purchased Mellow Yellow and Sunshine Superman. So, I purchased Barabajagal. Not only because I became a fan of his music, but, The Jeff Beck Group backed him on a few tracks. I really love Beck's music even when he was with the Yardbirds. Anyway this is a really good record, it has a little bit of everything on this disc,even jazz and some folk. One song that stands out for me is "Super Lungs-My Supergirl". Great song ande the other 2 versions can be found on the other 2 albums mentioned earlier. The Stromberg Twins is another favorite and features the JBG as well as Trudi and Barabajagal. You may want to pick up these 3 discs that is, of course, you like Donovan.

Donovan is one of the all time greats! (One of my favorite artists.) This is one of his best albums, too. Now for the packaging: this was BY FAR the best most securely packaged cd I have ever received by mail. I would definitely buy from this vendor again! Thanks for a super (lung) experience!

Barabajagal is a strange beast. It is a less coherent album than its predecessors, Sunshine Superman and Mellow Yellow, giving the impression that it may not have all been recorded at once but culled from various sessions. Nevertheless fans of Donovan will find many essential inclusions here, and again it showcases the amazing variety of Donovan's output. The opening title track is more like what one would expect from say Cream or Jimi Hendrix than from a folk-rock artist - not surprising since the track was laid down with the help of the Jeff Beck Group. By contrast, "Where Is She" is as gentle a yearning-for-love song as Donovan has ever written. In between the extremes there is "Superlungs My Supergirl", with a rhythm borrowed from early Kinks songs such as "You Really got Me"; "I Love My Shirt", a novelty song that I quite like, though some dismiss it as trivial; the hit single "Atlantis", a spoken-word story that morphs into a Hey Jude-like chant at the end; and "To Susan on the West Coast Waiting", a soft understated piece from a soldier in Vietnam yearning to be back home with his girlfriend. There is also "Happiness Runs", a song that starts off well but becomes somewhat annoyingly repetitive, and the fairly forgettable final two tracks, "Trudi" and "Pamela Jo". The bonus tracks are for the most part not as interesting as those on the Sunshine Superman and Mellow Yellow reissues. The exception is "The Swan (Lord of the Reedy River)", which surpasses many of the original album tracks in its sheer beauty and dreamlike quality. Overall, not as consistent an album as some of Donovan's earlier albums, but there is plenty to enjoy.

Everything Was fine

Great music, and very well done. The quality of the CD is exceptionally well presented, clear, and all one could hope for if you are a fan of Donovan's music.

Recibido en perfecto estado y en fecha.

Donovan e' un grande artista. Questo secondo me è uno dei suoi dischi migliori. Ascoltarlo e' un piacere.

DONOVAN'S BARABAJAGAL hit the shops with two or more of the best radio hits included on it and with a back up band led by JEFF BECK no less. HOW COULD IT LOSE? The two radio hits were ATLANTIS, and SUSAN ON THE WEST COAST. There were some other funny and trippy cuts on the LP as well such as I LOVE MY SHIRT, HAPPINESS RUNS and others. It was a disc that I personally had to own from the minute I heard ATLANTIS and I spent a large amount of time searching for it.

'Barabajagal' is a Donovan Leitch album which often divides the critics and fans alike, but I have always had a real soft spot it. This was the Scottish poet's final studio record of the 1960s, which was the man's most commercially successful decade as a recording artist, and initially, was only released in America, where it peaked in their charts at a respectable no. 23, but never in Britain, due to a running contractual dispute. The most famous song on this Mickie Most produced album has got to be the title track, which is a relatively heavy rocker, with it's backing provided by The Jeff Beck Group, and this was to become Donovan's last top 40 hit single in any country. Other gems include the upbeat rocker 'Superlungs (My Supergirl)', which was originally recorded during the 'Sunshine Superman' sessions but neglected, with it's fabulous psychedelic effect, the gentle, laid-back 'Where Is She', the pure joy which is the sing-along track 'Happiness Runs', the sheer brilliance of the song writing of the atmospheric anti-war tune 'To Susan on the West Coast Waiting', and 'Atlantis', which had Paul McCartney on backing vocals, and is a folky song so good that it's even mentioned on the front cover. The others aren't quite as noteworthy, but I do enjoy the very silly but charming 'I Love My Shirt', which was aimed at children, and really is lovely in it's innocence. Whilst not as strong as Donovan's previous offerings, there are plenty of little treats to taste on 'Barabajagal'. If I was to rate this album based on it's original listing, I would still have given it a five star review. However, this excellent 2005 re-issue from EMI, to celebrate the man's 40th anniversary, like all of the others, is a ten star release, with a booklet featuring detailed liner notes, rare pictures an memorabilia, but best of all - the generous inclusion of 13 previously unreleased bonus tracks which were hidden away for far too long. Some of these rarities are better than the album's final cuts which I haven't mentioned, namely the soothing 'The Swan (Lord of the Reedy River)', and two demos, the beautiful 'Marjorie (Margarine)', and 'Palais Girl', which, with the remaining 10, double the length of the record. Each track is digitally remastered, and they all sound superb. This was Donovan's final LP of his best decade, and one which doesn't deserve to remain so largely unheard.

I have liked this CD since I was a teenager. It is very up and inspiring. I'm happy to have it in my collection.