Hurdy Gurdy Man

Originally released on Epic 10345. This track is one of the most interesting in Donovan's catalogue, and one of my personal favorites. Here is a description from the wordiq.com website:\r\n

Released in May 1968, his next single was the swirling psychedelic nugget 'The Hurdy Gurdy Man', a song he originally intended for his old friend and guitar mentor Mac MacLeod who had a heavy rock band called Hurdy Gurdy. Donovan had also considered giving it to Jimi Hendrix, but when Mickie Most heard it, he convinced Donovan that the song was a sure-fire single and that he should record it himself. Donovan tried to get Hendrix to play on the recording, but he was on tour and unavailable for the session.

\r\nDetails of the session are murky, with those present making conflicting claims. Some (including Donovan) insist that it was Jimmy Page on guitar, some assert it was the young British guitarist, Allan Holdsworth, and John Paul Jones, who arranged the session, claims it was guitarist Alan Parker. John Paul Jones, who shortly afterward joined with Jimmy Page and John Bonham to form Led Zeppelin, did indeed play bass on the session, but whether John Bonham is on drums is in dispute. Again, according to wordiq.com, "Both Jones and Page have stated that the idea of Led Zeppelin was formed during the Hurdy Gurdy Man sessions."\r\n

Sadly, this fine reissue, featuring the Stereo version rather than the Mono on the original single, is out of print.