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DONOVAN
A Gift From A Flower To A Garden
USA - yellow EPIC RECORDS - B2N 171
STILL IN THE ORIGINAL FACTORY CELLOPHANE including the RARE information sticker on outer cellophane - harder to find than one may expect, but realize the cellophane has to come off to get to the two records inside and there went the sticker
TOP COPY
Original 1967 first pressing DOUBLE LP in BOX set
Includes the illustrated/lyrics 12 page insert in special folder
Rock music s first two-LP box set, A Gift from a Flower to a Garden stands out as a prime artifact of the flower-power era that produced it. The music s sheer range of subjects and influences make this a surprisingly rewarding work. Essentially the double album was recorded simultaneously in the summer of 1967, the electric tracks include Jack Bruce among the session players. The acoustic tracks represent Donovan to getting back to his old sound being folkier and bluesier in an English folk sense than much of his recent work, like the heavily electric singles Sunshine Superman, etc. and albums he d been doing. Donovan started composing these songs when he retired to the English woods in the spring of 1967, with his American girlfriend Enid Stulberger, who was pregnant with their first child.
A few notes about the album:
Although Mickie Most was credited as producer of the entire album he did produced the single Wear Your Love Like Heaven/Oh Gosh it was actually Donovan who produced the majority of the songs. Most was credited to increase sales.
The album cover shows an infrared photo of Donovan on the moat in front of Bodiam Castle, England, by Karl Ferris, who was his and Jimi Hendrix s personal photographer. It required six colour separations for printing, instead of the usual four separations.
The box set is a very special item for collectors. The first box included the lyrics to the first album printed on a light green background and a Donovan s poem: Oh, What A Dawn Youth Is Rising To. This explains the meaning of the title of the album: the gift is the album, the message of love from the songs. Donovan is the flower and is presenting his gift to all the other flowers, the people in the world, who make up the garden . The second box included an orange folder containing twelve inserts for the twelve songs on the second record. Each one has a slightly different colour and has the lyrics with a drawing illustrating the song. Every one is a beautiful interpretation of Donovan s poetry. The design of all the inserts was created by Mick Taylor and Sheena McCall.
In the album s notes Donovan explained his intention of creating two different albums: one for the present generation and the other for the dawning generation , and denounced the use of drugs. In his new songs Donovan promoted the use of meditation and other techniques.
Mad John s Escape is dedicated to a friend who escaped from a mental institution and is about his escape and adventures.
Donovan composed two different songs named The Land Of Doesn t Have To Be: one of them was an out-take from the Sunshine Superman album, and the other one is included in A Gift From A Flower To A Garden.
Donovan: vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica, banjo and whistling.
Eric Leese: electric guitar.
Cliff Barton: electric bass.
Ken Baldock: string bass.
Jack Bruce: electric bass.
Keith Webb: drums.
Mike O Neil: keyboards.
Harold McNair: flute.
Tony Carr: drums, bells, conga, turkish and finger cymbals.
Candy John Carr: conga and bongo.
Mike Carr: vibraphone.
Album 1:
Side 1:
Wear Your Love Like Heaven
Mad John s Escape
Skip-A-Long Sam
Sun
There Was A Time
Side 2:
Oh Gosh
Little Boy In Corduroy
Under The Greenwood Tree
The Land Of Doesn t Have To Be
Someone Singing
Album 2:
Side 1:
Song Of The Naturalist s Wife
The Enchanted Gypsy
Voyage Into The Golden Screen
Isle Of Islay
The Mandolin Man And His Secret
Lay Of The Last Tinker
Side 2:
The Tinker And The Crab
Widow With Shawl A Portrait
The Lullaby Of Spring
The Magpie
Starfish-On-The-Toast
Epistle To Derroll
CONDITION: The cover: rated: M- IN FACTORY CELLOPHANE ...the original owner clear-taped the original shrink wrapper to the box so you can still open the box up, and both front back of box cover is under cellophane essentially mint ... plus RARE information sticker on outer cellophane ... bright original colors, no delete marks, no bends, no writing, no split seams ... top copy
The vinyl: Rated: M- all clean over all 4 sides of both albums ...as well, the 12 page lyrics/illustrations inserts are all top copy ... the records will play beautiful....
A cool addition to anyone s music library
SEE: SELLERS OTher items for similar cool sounds for head people...
EFFICIENT/CAREFUL GRADING
All imperfections are noted both cover record
