The Best of Donovan (1969 album)

Infobox Album |
Name = The Best of Donovan
Type = Compilation album
Artist = Donovan


Released = November 1969
Recorded = 1965
Genre = folk
Length =
Label = Hickory Records
Producer = Terry Kennedy, Peter Eden, Geoff Stephens
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|2|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:gm2zefykhgf5 link] |
Last album = "Barabajagal"
(1969)
This album = "The Best of Donovan"
(1969)
Next album = "Open Road"
(1970)|

"The Best of Donovan" is a compilation album from Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan. It was released in the US (Hickory LPS 149) in November 1969. "The Best of Donovan" marked the third Hickory Records compilation of Donovan's 1965 Pye Records material in the United States, following the "Like It Is, Was, and Evermore Shall Be" from 1968.

History

Strong sales of Donovan's material continued throughout the late 1960's, prompting many fans to desire a greatest hits compilation of the most popular hits. Donovan and Epic Records responded by releasing "Donovan's Greatest Hits" in January 1969, which went on to become Donovan's highest selling album, reaching #4 on the U.S. Billboard charts.

In response to the success of "Donovan's Greatest Hits", Hickory Records assembled another compilation of Donovan's 1965 Pye Records recordings and titled it "The Best of Donovan". Like "Like It Is, Was, and Evermore Shall Be", this compilation was released with psychedelic cover art that fit in with Donovan's late 1960's image rather than his 1965 image as a folk singer. Hickory's marketing strategy worked to a degree, as "The Best of Donovan" charted at #135 in the United States.

Though the collection presents some material (including "Jersey Thursday") in stereo for the first time, a technical flaw was also present. The pitch on several tracks appears to 'wind up to speed', because of the way the transfer machine handled the source tape's banding.

Track listing

All tracks by Donovan Leitch, except where noted.

ide one

#"Universal Soldier" (Buffy Sainte-Marie) – 2:13
#"Colours" – 2:44
#"Catch the Wind" – 2:53
#"Hey Gyp (Dig the Slowness)" – 3:05
#"Little Tin Soldier" (Shawn Phillips) – 2:58

ide two

#"Tangerine Puppet" – 1:50
#"Donna Donna" (Aaron Zeitlin, Sholom Secunda, Arthur S Kevess, Teddi Schwartz) – 2:55
#"Candy Man" (traditional; arranged by Donovan Leitch) – 3:25
#"Jersey Thursday" – 2:11
#"Ballad of Geraldine" – 4:35