JDIZZY's 365 # 339: Isle Of Islay

Isle Of Islay - Donovan (1967)

This guy was a lot more than the sum parts of Saffron, electric bananas and Mellow Yellow.

Even there though, you had an effervescent pop concoction that featured the folky Scot jamming with Macca and John Paul Jones!

Famously made fun of by Dylan in DA Pennebaker's Don't Look Back, Donovan should be remembered for how much he brought to late 60's music, combining folk and psychedelia far more convincing than any of his peers and/or his followers in the modern freak folk movement. He reached his apex in 1967 with the double album A Gift From A Flower To A Garden. Even among that sea of song pearls, "Isle Of Islay" stands out. It is an achingly beautiful sketch, grasping for a zen like nostalgia while forging ahead far away from the fabled land. By the time he reaches the haunting line of"Felt Like A Tide Left Me Here", the listener is stunned, until they are able to gather the strength to hit the reset button.

In-between recording Johnny Cash's American Recordings albums, Rick Rubin found the time to produce Donovan.

If that doesn't speak volumes for the Mr. Leitch's talent, depth and longevity, I don't know what does.