The Jukebox Rebel

He had just turned 19 by the time his first LP was issued, and he sounds fired up and ready to go; the first four tracks are a knockout and, although the rest of the LP can’t quite maintain the potency, there is a good level of consistency throughout. Album opener “Josie” is a love ballad which has a beautiful simplicity to it: “God bless ye darling Josie with your sparkling eyes so bright and clear, Josie I won’t fail you, have no fear“ with a late twist that spins a different complexion: “give me one more chance, the day is near“. One man, a mouth organ and an infectious repetition in the picking – it’s a winner all day long for me. His sweet talking serenades continue with the sublime “Catch the Wind”, re-recorded especially for the album, dropping the single’s strings and adding a harmonica solo. Although it sounds suspiciously close to Dylan’s “Chimes of Freedom” melodically, it’s a million miles away in lyrical terms. The daydreaming youth, yet a single man, is wonderfully portrayed as a hopeless romantic: “In the chilly hours and minutes, of uncertainty, I want to be, in the warm hold of your loving mind. To feel you all around me, and to take your hand along the sand, ah, but I may as well try and catch the wind” As if to prove that he’s not going to be a big drip for the rest of his life, Donovan digs back into American history with the first of six covers on the album, “Remember the Alamo”: “Jim Bowie lay dying, his blood and his powder were dry, but his knife at the ready to take him a few in reply, young Davy Crocket lay laughing and dying, the blood and the sweat in his eyes. For Texas and freedom a man was more willing to die. Hey Up Santa Anna, they're killing your soldiers below, so the rest of Texas will know, and remember the Alamo.“ Contrast is always good and, in terms of imagery, rarely can it ever have been so visually stark from track to track on any album! Taking the contrast down a different path in musical terms, “Cuttin’ Out” is a super-cool laid back jazz-blues, extremely whistle-able, and with more than just a passing resemblance to the old “St James Infirmary Blues” standard. Young Donovan is clearly well versed in the ways of the folk traditions already : – )

The Jukebox Rebel
05–Jun–2007

A1	[03:28] Donovan - Josie (Donovan Leitch) Folk
A2	[02:56] Donovan - Catch The Wind (Donovan Leitch) Folk
A3	[03:04] Donovan - Remember The Alamo (Jane Bowers) Folk
A4	[02:19] Donovan - Cuttin’ Out (Donovan Leitch) Blues / Rhythm n Blues
A5	[01:31] Donovan - Car Car (Woody Guthrie) Folk
A6	[01:50] Donovan - Keep On Truckin’ (Traditional) Folk
B1	[02:33] Donovan - Gold Watch Blues (Mick Softley) Folk
B2	[02:45] Donovan - To Sing For You (Donovan Leitch) Folk
B3	[04:04] Donovan - You’re Gonna Need Somebody On Your Bond (Traditional) Blues / Rhythm n Blues
B4	[01:51] Donovan - Tangerine Puppet (Donovan Leitch) Folk
B5	[02:56] Donovan - Donna Donna (Aaron Zeitlin, Arthur S. Kevess, Sheldon Secunda, Teddi Schwartz, Sholom Secunda) Folk
B6	[02:33] Donovan - Ramblin’ Boy (Donovan Leitch) Folk

ratings by TJR