Barabajagal

<i>Barabajagal</i>

Barabajagal

1969 studio album by Donovan

Barabajagal is the seventh studio album and eighth album overall from British singer-songwriter Donovan. It was released by Epic Records in the United States on 11 August 1969, 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. The album reached No. 22 in Canada[1] and the title single reached No. 20.[2]

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Production

"Where Is She" and "Happiness Runs" were recorded in May 1968 at Olympic Studios in London, while "I Love My Shirt", "The Love Song", "To Susan on the West Coast Waiting", "Atlantis" and "Pamela Jo" were recorded at American Recording Company in Los Angeles that November.[3] All of these songs except "Atlantis", "I Love My Shirt" and "To Susan on the West Coast Waiting" were shelved while Donovan's Greatest Hits was still high in the charts. "Atlantis" / "I Love My Shirt" was released as a single in November 1968 in the UK. In the US, "To Susan on the West Coast Waiting" / "Atlantis" was released in March 1969. "Atlantis" ended up charting higher than its A-side. Some of the songs recorded were originally meant to be included on the unreleased Moon in Capricorn album.

In May 1969, Mickie Most produced at least one session with Donovan fronting the Jeff Beck Group. "Goo Goo Barabajagal (Love Is Hot)" (also known as "Barabajagal (Love Is Hot)" and simply "Barabajagal") and "Trudi" (originally "Bed with Me") resulted from these sessions.[3] There were other songs recorded by Donovan and the Jeff Beck Group, but they remained unreleased until they appeared as bonus tracks on the 2005 UK reissue of the album. Rod Stewart was in the band at this time, but he does not sing lead on any of the songs that were released. Tony Newman is featured as drummer. It is during these sessions that Donovan's musical vision and work ethic began to diverge from that of producer Most, and the two eventually stopped working together, effectively ending Donovan's chart success.[citation needed]

"Goo Goo Barabajagal (Love Is Hot)" / "Trudi" was released as a single in June 1969 in the UK and in August 1969 in the United States. Following the pattern of Donovan's previous releases, his next album was named after the hit single of the time. The inclusion of "Atlantis" and "To Susan on the West Coast Waiting" helped make Barabajagal a strong seller in the United States.

"Happiness Runs" is a round sung by Donovan, Graham Nash, Michael McCartney, and Lesley Duncan and was originally released without the round as "Pebble and the Man" on Donovan in Concert. "Superlungs (My Supergirl)" was originally recorded during the Sunshine Superman sessions, but was not used for that album. That recording was released on Troubadour: The Definitive Collection 1964–1976. Donovan re-recorded the song for Barabajagal.

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Reissues

  • On 25 October 1990, Epic Records reissued Barabajagal (Epic 26481), in the US on CD.
  • On 16 May 2005, EMI reissued Barabajagal (EMI 8735692), in the UK on CD, with thirteen bonus tracks.
  • On 1 October 2018, The state51 Conspiracy reissued Barabajagal (CON236LP), in the UK and Ireland, on 180 gram vinyl.[8]

Track listing

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All tracks are written by Donovan Leitch

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2005 EMI CD bonus tracks

  2. "Stromberg Twins" – 4:40
  3. "Snakeskin" – 2:41
  4. "Lauretta's Cousin Laurinda" – 4:18
  5. "The Swan (Lord of the Reedy River)" – 3:08
  6. "Poor Man's Sunshine (Nativity)" – 5:19
  7. "New Year's Resolution (Donovan's Celtic Jam)" – 3:16
  8. "Runaway" (demo) – 3:03
  9. "Sweet Beverley" (demo) – 2:59
  10. "Marjorie (Margarine)" (demo) – 3:17
  11. "Little White Flower" (demo) – 2:09
  12. "Good Morning Mr. Wind" (demo) – 2:08
  13. "Palais Girl" (demo) – 2:26
  14. "Lord of the Universe" (demo) – 3:12

Personnel

Credits adapted from Troubadour (The Definitive Collection 1964–1976) CD box set liner notes,[9] except where otherwise noted.

  • Donovan – vocal, acoustic guitar

Additional musicians

Technical

References

  1. [1]
    "RPM Top 70 Albums - November 15, 1969" (PDF).
  2. [2]
    "RPM Top 100 Singles - September 6, 1969" (PDF).
  3. [3]
    Donovan (1969). Barabajagel (LP liner notes). Epic Records. BN 26481.
  4. [4]
    Eder, Bruce. Barabajagal at AllMusic. Retrieved 11 May 2005.
  5. [5]
    Christgau, Robert. "Donovan Consumer Guide Reviews". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 10 February 2006.
  6. [6]
    Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
  7. [7]
    The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 207.
  8. [8]
    "Donovan | Barabajagal | Album". Artrockstore.com. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  9. [9]
    Donovan (1992). Troubadour (The Definitive Collection 1964–1976) (CD box set liner notes). Epic Records. E2K 46986.
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