Try for the Sun: The Journey of Donovan

Donovan

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Try for the Sun: The Journey of Donovan Review

by James Christopher Monger

Donovan Leitch's instantly recognizable vibrato may not appear until track six, but the casual "Hurdy Gurdy Man" fan has no business picking up this four-disc/sixty-song collection of the Scottish troubadour's four decades of whimsical pop confections and beatnik balladry. Sony's Try for the Sun: The Journey of Donovan includes a previously unreleased documentary from 1970, a lovely book that chronicles the singer/songwriter's storied career, complete with quotes of praise from current hipster bards like Devendra Banhart and the Polyphonic Spree's Tim DeLaughter, and 15 B-sides, rare demos, and live recordings, all housed in the finest faux-purple velvet box one could imagine. While there are some suspicious omissions ("Roots of Oak," "Age of Treason," "Cosmic Wheels"), there's enough here to satiate even the most rabid Donovan fan for weeks. Those interested in a less time-consuming biographical experience would do well with 1992's slightly superior -- and infinitely more cohesive -- Troubadour.

Track Listing - Disc 1

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	Catch the Wind Donovan	Donovan	02:17	Amazon
2	Josie	Donovan	03:27	Amazon
3	Co'dine	Donovan	04:47	Amazon
4	Colours	Donovan	02:45	Amazon
5	Universal Soldier	Donovan	02:12	Amazon
6	Sunny Goodge Street Donovan	Donovan	02:55	Amazon
7	Hey Gyp (Dig the Slowness)	Donovan	03:10	Amazon
8	Sunshine Superman Donovan	Donovan	04:33	Amazon
9	The Trip Donovan	Donovan	04:34	Amazon
10	Legend of a Girl Child Linda	Donovan	06:53	Amazon
11	Three King Fishers	Donovan	03:17	Amazon
12	Season of the Witch	Donovan	04:56	Amazon
13	Guinevere	Donovan	03:41	Amazon
14	The Fat Angel	Donovan	04:12	Amazon
15	Mellow Yellow	Donovan	03:43	Amazon
16	Sand and Foam	Donovan	03:17	Amazon
17	Young Girl Blues	Donovan	03:46	Amazon
18	Museum	Donovan	02:56	Amazon
19	Hampstead Incident	Donovan	04:42	Amazon
20	Sunny South Kensington	Donovan	03:49	Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 2

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	Epistle to Dippy	Donovan	03:10	Amazon
2	Preachin' Love	Donovan	02:39	Amazon
3	There Is a Mountain	Donovan	02:35	Amazon
4	Wear Your Love Like Heaven	Donovan	02:25	Amazon
5	Oh Gosh	Donovan	01:48	Amazon
6	Isle of Islay	Donovan	02:22	Amazon
7	Epistle to Derroll	Donovan	05:43	Amazon
8	To Try for the Sun	Donovan	03:20	Amazon
9	Someone's Singing	Donovan	03:55	Amazon
10	The Tinker and the Crab	Donovan	03:06	Amazon
11	Jennifer Juniper	Donovan	02:42	Amazon
12	Poor Cow	Donovan	02:57	Amazon
13	Hurdy Gurdy Man	Donovan	03:20	Amazon
14	Get Thy Bearings	Donovan	02:53	Amazon
15	Lalena	Donovan	02:56	Amazon
16	Barabajagal (Love Is Hot)	Donovan feat: Jeff Beck Group	03:24	Amazon
17	Lord of the Reedy River	Donovan	03:04	Amazon
18	Moon in Capricorn	Donovan	02:03	Amazon
19	To Susan on the West Coast Waiting	Donovan	03:13	Amazon
20	Atlantis	Donovan	05:08	Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 3

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	Celia of the Seals	Donovan	03:00	Amazon
2	The Song of the Wandering Aengus William Butler Yeats	Donovan	03:55	Amazon
3	The Ferryman's Daughter	Donovan	01:49	Amazon
4	She Moved Through the Fair	Donovan	02:52	Amazon
5	The Traveling People	Donovan	01:50	Amazon
6	Riki Tiki Tavi	Donovan	02:55	Amazon
7	Clara Clairvoyant	Donovan	02:52	Amazon
8	Young But Growing Traditional	Donovan	04:33	Amazon
9	Keep on Truckin' Traditional	Donovan	02:53	Amazon
10	Stealin'	Donovan	04:09	Amazon
11	I Like You	Donovan	05:17	Amazon
12	Maria Magenta	Donovan	02:12	Amazon
13	A Working Man	Donovan	03:09	Amazon
14	Tinker Tune	Donovan	02:50	Amazon
15	Sailing Homeward	Donovan	02:57	Amazon
16	Your Broken Heart	Donovan	03:33	Amazon
17	Dark-Eyed Blue Jean Angel	Donovan	03:52	Amazon
18	Please Don't Bend	Donovan	04:12	Amazon
19	Love Floats	Donovan	04:20	Amazon
20	Happiness Runs	Donovan	03:43	Amazon