Poke at the Pope

With the Pope calling it quits and all, I thought I'd pull out Donovan's song from  1970 or so, Poke at the Pope.  Growing up I listened to the Open Road album a lot. This is NOT about Pope John Paul II...he came
in the late 70's.

If you study the map, my bet is looking pretty good.  I still feel the next Pope will be from Italy. However, the actual odds on favorite is Peter Turkson....but that is a scary thought itself because it plays into the Malachi Prophesies. I guess we will all know when the white smoke rises.

I Love My Shirt- Donovan

Catch the Wind

Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame announcements today! Congratulations Donovan!

Riki Tiki Tavi

Congrats to Donovan for his nomination into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame!!

Young Girl Blues

Marianne Faithfull does a haunting version of this song. Donovan wrote and recorded it long ago.

It's on the Mellow Yellow album from 1967.

Season of the Witch

The video from an old 1920's movie added to this Donovan Classic is just surreal.
I love it.

Hurdy Gurdy Man

Intergalactic Laxative by Donovan

". . .oh the Intergalactic Laxative will get you from here to Mars."

Since NASA had such a successful mission with the Mars Landing this past week, I wanted to post something.

Donovan Leitch's Catch the Wind

Donovan's 62nd birthday is today.I've had a sort of life long love affair with his music. Catch the Wind was his first hit and is also one of my favorite songs of all time. I like this version a lot. The Donovan singing here is how I remember him from my childhood. That distinctive guitar, the 70's garb, the gentle minstrel. Below is a picture I took of him when I saw him in the late 1980's. Looking right at me, by the way. :)


To me, the best songs speak directly from the heart of the musician. Writing and sharing your music are deeply personal experiences. Maybe that is why I don't watch American Idol. I have no interest in watching people rehash versions of other people's work in hopes of gaining some fleeting stardom. A paint-by-numbers Mona Lisa would illicit a similiar response from me. I want the real thing.

Old Records, Old Friends

Maybe I've held on to my youth longer than some. I've got all of the record albums I managed to accumulate in my life since Donny and Marie were popular. Pop, disco, new wave, rock, classic rock, lounge music, blues, soul, novelty, Christmas music, country music, polkas and even a few movie soundtracks. I found stuff I didn't know I had.... The question is.... what am I gonna DO with them all?

I pared down my 45's, at least. Gave away most back in the early 90s... down to about 50 or so now. Yes, I had Alice Cooper's Eighteen. Stolen from my sister, I think.

But these albums.... I flip through some of them, and can remember where I was when I got them. Or I find myself singing lyrics I hadn't thought of in 20 years. Remembering how it felt to have the world ahead of me. Or when all I wanted was a car...and a cassette player.

I keep thinking maybe someday I'll have a real music room in my big house I plan to buy when I'm rich. I'll frame some of the album covers that haven't completely fallen apart--- and won't they look great on the walls! The Stones, Queen, Jethro Tull, Janis Joplin, Donovan, Elton John, Billy Joel, Alice Cooper, Cher, Three Dog Night.

I don't play them now. They are worn out. Crackly. I have a turntable, but rarely use it.

I asked friends what to do. One gave away her albums years ago, seemed suprized I still was lugging that stuff around... move to move. Another fellow offered to put them on Ebay for me. Neither seems right. To me it would be as painful as giving away family photographs. It sounds a bit odd, but that's how I feel.

So, back in the crates they go. I suppose they will be staying awhile longer.

Not Just Silly Pranks, Teens and Talking Parrots

I've been spending a lot of time on YouTube lately. Now, I know you are thinking, this woman doesn't have a life if she is sitting in a dark room in front of a computer, in this sweltering heat, in front of the fan, watching videos of a stupid roommate prank and some goofy Leprechaun siting. Well, I've done that, but... and here's the thing.... there is sooo much more than that.

Let me explain. For years now I have been part of this sub-culture trading these grainy second and third generation videos of various recording artists...whether it is TV shows that aired in other countries, or concerts and videos that simply were not available anywhere at all, other than if you knew someone. Just because we loved them. It was an enormous effort by those involved. And I give sincere thanks to my friends...-- and you know who you are.

But now this stuff is OUT THERE for the world. A simple YouTube search will call up Leonard Cohen's Closing Time, or Van Morrison with Bob Dylan doing Crazy Love... Janis on the Dick Cavett Show, or... my latest find... a 1964 clip of Donovan singing Catch the Wind! ... I would never have seen something like this one ever, if it hadn't been for YouTube. And that is why it is so great. I encourage everyone, if you haven't explored there, to do it.

You may just find something that strikes a chord in you.

and... PS ....the Leprechaun Sighting is pretty funny too if you are into goofy things. Over 3.8 million hits so far there BTW.