The Hurdy Gurdy Man
| The Hurdy Gurdy Man | ||||
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| Studio album by Donovan | ||||
| Released | October 1968 | |||
| Recorded | November 1967 - April 1968 | |||
| Genre | Rock, psychedelic rock, raga rock, folk rock | |||
| Length | 35:02 | |||
| Label | Epic | |||
| Producer | Mickie Most | |||
| Donovan chronology | ||||
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| Singles from "The Hurdy Gurdy Man" | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic (Original release) |
   [1]
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| Allmusic (2005 reissue) |
[2]
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| Trax Magazine | |
The Hurdy Gurdy Man is the sixth studio album (seventh overall) by Scottish singer/songwriter Donovan, released in the US in October 1968 (Epic Records BN 26420 (stereo)), but not in the UK, because of a continuing contractual dispute that also prevented Sunshine Superman and Mellow Yellow from a UK release. A songbook of lead sheets to the album was nonetheless issued in both countries.
Donovan wrote and recorded much of The Hurdy Gurdy Man in late 1967 not long after recording the songs that would form A Gift from a Flower to a Garden. The rest of The Hurdy Gurdy Man was recorded in April 1968, after he visited Rishikesh, India to study under Maharishi Mahesh Yogi; John Lennon, Cynthia Lennon, George Harrison, Pattie Boyd, Paul McCartney, Jane Asher, Ringo Starr, Mia Farrow, Prudence Farrow, and Mike Love were there as well. Donovan has since said in concerts that Harrison wrote a verse for "Hurdy Gurdy Man" when they were in India, but it wasn't recorded for the studio version. On his 1973 live album Live in Japan: Spring Tour 1973 and his 1990 live album Rising, Donovan explains the story and sings the previously omitted verse. The last verse of "Hurdy Gurdy Man" written by George Harrison is: "When the truth gets buried deep, beneath a thousand years of sleep, time demands a turn around, and once again the truth is found".
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Wikipedia