Every Donovan Fan Should Own this Recording
Danielle Lane | Horseshoe, North Carolina | 07/21/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This record was originally released as "Donovan Rising" and was recorded live from several concerts from 1982 to 1986, but it was put together so beautifully that you'd never know. It's been released under several different names and on several different labels. But no matter what label, no matter what cover, no matter what they call it, this is still one fine recording. Listening to this CD, and I'm calling this a CD and not a record, because this was the first Donovan recording to come out on CD, everything before was put out on black vinyl first, you remember those big discs that played on turntables, whoops, I'm digressing, like I was saying, when you play this CD you can almost imagine Donovan as that eighteen-year-old teenager who burst upon the scene with "Catch the Wind" back in 1965. He sounds as young on these songs as he did then.
And you can tell that whoever put this together really cared, really understood Don's music, really went for quality of not only sound, but performance as well. Boy, what I wouldn't have given to be able to spend the hundreds of hours pouring through all the songs and performances, being there through all of that must have been glorious.
Here's a list of the songs on this beautiful disc, all of the songs were written by Donovan, unless noted:
1. "Jennifer Juniper" - 2:25
2. "Catch the Wind" - 2:50
3. "Hurdy Gurdy Man" - 6:04
4. "Sunshine Superman" - 3:57
5. "Sadness" - 2:56
6. "Universal Soldier" (Buffy Sainte-Marie) - 2:49
7. "Cosmic Wheels" - 4:05
8. "Atlantis" - 3:06
9. "Wear Your Love Like Heaven" - 2:17
10. "To Susan On The West Coast Waiting" - 1:39
11. "Colours" - 2:29
12. "Young Girl Blues" - 5:01
13. "Young But Growing" (traditional; arranged by Donovan) - 3:41
14. "Stealing" (traditional; arranged by Donovan) - 4:10
15. "Sailing Homeward" - 3:04
16. "Love Will Find A Way" - 2:44
17. "Laleña" - 3:16
18. "Make Your Mind Up" - 5:28
Donovan's recording of "Catch the Wind" here sends chills up your spine. His rendition of "Hurdy Gurdy Man" with George Harrison's missing verse is equally chilling. The acoustic versions of "Sunshine Superman" and "Cosmic Wheels" are stunning. The version of "Young Girl Blues" takes me right back to the "Mellow Yellow" period. It has always been one of my favorite songs. I could go on, keep gushing about this fine live record, but I'll stop now. Oh wait! I forget to tell you that this is a must own Donovan disc for anybody who is even remotely interested in his music. You gotta get this one, you really do!"
Track Listings (18) - Disc #1