Donovan Greatest Hits CD

This 1999 reissue contains four bonus tracks not on the original release.

An expanded reissue of a 1969 best-of compilation, GREATEST HITS is still the best single-disc distillation of the magic that was Donovan. (1992's double-disc TROUBADOUR, however, is great for bigger fans or rarities buffs.) One of the classic love-him-or-hate-him artists of the '60s, Donovan Leitch's mixture of folky sincerity ("Colours"), hippie-dippie humanism ("Atlantis," "Epistle To Dippy") and just plain daffy surrealism ("Sunshine Superman," "Hurdy Gurdy Man," "Mellow Yellow"), set to Mickie Most's Swinging London arrangements, heavy on the horns and strings, epitomizes the Carnaby Street era like no one else can.

The handful of bonus tracks include Donovan's surprisingly cool collaboration with the Jeff Beck Group on "Barabajagal" and his theme for the Chuck Jones TV cartoon "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi." Novices should start here.

Epic/Legacy's 1999 reissue of Greatest Hits improves on the original 1969 collection in a number of ways. First of all, the original Hickory versions of "Catch the Wind" and "Colours" are included instead of re-recordings, which is enough to make this new edition preferable, but the compilers have also chosen to include the original mono version of these hits instead of the stereo cuts that were on the first edition. Plus, they've added four excellent bonus tracks: "Atlantis," "To Susan on the West Coast Waiting," "Barabajagal," and "Riki Tiki Tavi." All of that means that this expanded and updated Greatest Hits is a near-perfect single-disc summary of Donovan's most popular material and hit singles. As these songs prove, Donovan and producer Mickie Most could craft irresistible folk-rock and psychedelic pop singles. Some of the sounds and sentiments may sound a little dated, but the productions and the songs -- "Sunshine Superman," "Jennifer Juniper," "Wear Your Love Like Heaven," "Season of the Witch," "Mellow Yellow," "Hurdy Gurdy Man," "Epistle to Dippy," "There Is a Mountain," "Lalena," plus the aforementioned bonus tracks -- have proven to be classics of the era, and this is the best place to get them all on one collection. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Includes liner notes by Donovan Leitch.

All tracks have been digitally remastered.

Additional Tracks

Personnel includes: Donovan Leitch; Jimmy Page (guitar); Harold McNair (flute, saxophone); Danny Thompson (acoustic bass); John Bonham (drums).

Producers include: Terry Kennedy, Mickie Most.

Personnel: Donovan (vocals, whistling, acoustic guitar, banjo, harp, tamboura); Mike Thomson (vocals, guitar); Eric Leese, Eric Ford, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Allan Holdsworth (electric guitar); Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra (strings); Harold McNair (flute); Danny Moss (horns); Gabriel Mekler, John Cameron, Nicky Hopkins, Mike O'Neil (keyboards); Mike Carr (vibraphone); Cliff Barton (electric bass); Tony Carr (drums, percussion); Keith Webb, Bobby Orr, Clem Clatini, James Gordon, John Bonham, Tony Newman (drums); Lesley Duncan, Madeline Bell, Suzi Quatro (background vocals).

Liner Note Author: Donovan.

Recording information: 1964-1970.