Donovan ~ Barabajagal (1969) {Original US}
Donovan ~ Barabajagal
Vinyl rip in 24/96 & 16/44.1 | 1 LP | Artwork
Epic ~ BN 26481
Barabajagal is the seventh studio album and eighth album overall from British singer-songwriter Donovan. It was released in the United States on 11 August 1969 (Epic Records BN 26481 (stereo)), but was not released in the United Kingdom because of a continuing contractual dispute that also prevented Sunshine Superman, Mellow Yellow, and The Hurdy Gurdy Man from being released in the UK.
Donovan was in a tremendously creative phase during the latter part of 1968, owing to both a tour of the United States (which yielded a live album) and the chemical and social stimulation of his surroundings. Amid all of that activity and his subsequent recordings, his European performances, and the slightly late catch-up of his British career to his American success, Donovan's work blossomed in several different directions on the resulting album, Barabajagal. He still sounded like a folkie, but on the title track as well as "Superlungs My Supergirl," he was backed by the Jeff Beck Group and an outfit that included Big Jim Sullivan and John Paul Jones, respectively. With Barabajagal, Donovan intermingled soft, lyrical, spaced-out folk, hard psychedelia, children's songs, anthems to free love (along with a lusty appreciation of the fairer sex that runs throughout the album), and even antiwar sentiments ("To Susan on the West Coast Waiting"). The result was the most challenging album then issued by Donovan, but also one of his most successful, with album sales driven by the presence of the U.S. hit "Atlantis."
TRIVIA
- Barabajagal, and Trudi were recorded with the Jeff Beck group, at Olympic Studios, London. Rod Stewart was in the Jeff Beck group at the time but he does not sing on any of the songs.
- During the Barabajagal sessions Donovan began to distance from producer Mickie Most's musical ideas and after this album their working days were over. Donovan's success would never be the same.
- Donovan's friend Murray Roman (one of Tom Smothers comedy writer) does the DJ rap part in The Love Song. Donovan had to gag him with his hand because he wouldn't stop.
- The single To Susan On The West Coast Waiting/Atlantis was released in the US in March 1969. Atlantis ended up charting higher than its A side.
- Happiness Runs is a canon sung by Donovan, Graham Nash, Mike McCartney and Leslie Duncan. It's the final version of the previous Donovan song Pebble And The Man and its lyrics are inspired on some of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi teachings that Donovan learned in India.
- The female vocals in To Susan On The West Coast Waiting were recorded by three fans who had been waiting for days to see Donovan in the recording studio. He invited them to record the chorus for the song.
- The original album included a flyer, "Donovan's Isle", for a quarterly Newsletter magazine.
- The cover was designed by Donovan and Sid Maurer at the "Cottage", England. Sid Maurer was the photographer.
- This album was not released in the UK because of a continuing contractual dispute.
TRACKS
Side 1
01. Barabajagal (Love Is Hot)
02. Superlungs (My Supergirl)
03. Where Is She?
04. Happiness Runs
05. I Love My Shirt
Side 2
06. The Love Song
07. To Susan on the West Coast Waiting
08. Atlantis
09. Trudi
10. Pamela Jo
PERSONNEL
- Donovan: vocals, acoustic guitar
- Jeff Beck: electric guitar on tracks 01, 09
- Ron Wood: bass on tracks 01, 09
- Nicky Hopkins: piano on tracks 01, 09
- Tony Newman: drums on tracks 01, 09
- Big Jim Sullivan: electric guitar on track 02
- John Paul Jones: bass and arrangement on track 02
- Danny Thompson: bass on track 03
- Tony Carr: drums on track 03
- Richard 'Ricki' Polodor: electric guitar on track 08
- Bobby Ray: bass on tracks 05, 06, 07, 08 and 10
- Gabriel Mekler: piano on 05, 06, 08 and 10. Melodica on 07. Organ on 08
- Jim Gordon: drums on tracks 05, 06, 07, 08 and 10
- Alan Hawkshaw: piano on track 03
- Harold McNair: flute on track 03
- Graham Nash: backing vocals on track 04
- Mike McCartney: backing vocals on track 04
- Lesley Duncan: backing vocals on tracks 01, 04 and 09.
- Madeline Bell: backing vocals on tracks 01 and 09.
- Suzi Quatro: backing vocals on tracks 01, 04 and 09.
EQUIPMENT
-VPI HW-16.5 RCM
-Clearaudio Concept w/ Verify magnetic-bearing tonearm
-Clearaudio Concept MC Cartidge
-Musical Suroundings The Phonomena II preamp
-Zoom H4n
-Audioquest interconnects