 | This article needs additional citations for
verification. (June 2011) |
| "Colours" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Dutch (Pye / Negram) sleeve | ||||
| Single by Donovan | ||||
| from the album Fairytale | ||||
| B-side |
| |||
| Released | 28 May 1965 (UK) June 1965 (United States) | |||
| Recorded | 1965 | |||
| Genre | Folk [1] | |||
| Length | 2:44 (Side A) 2:46 ("To Sing For You") 3:29 ("Josie") | |||
| Label |
Pye 7N15866 (UK) Hickory 45-1324 (United States) | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Donovan Leitch | |||
| Producer(s) | Terry Kennedy, Peter Eden, Geoff Stephens | |||
| Donovan UK singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Donovan USA singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Colours" is a song written and recorded by British singer-songwriter Donovan. [2] The "Colours" single was released in the United Kingdom on 28 May 1965 through Pye Records (Pye 7N 15866) and a few months later in the United States through Hickory Records (Hickory 45-1324). The "Colours" single was backed with "To Sing for You" (previously included on What's Bin Did and What's Bin Hid) on the United Kingdom release and " Josie" (from What's Bin Did and What's Bin Hid) on the United States release.
Release and reception
Donovan followed up the success of " Catch the Wind" with "Colours", which featured a similar folk style. The single matched the success of "Catch the Wind" in the United Kingdom, reaching No. 4 on the charts. [3] In the United States, "Colours" reached No.61, [4] and marked a decline in the artist's popularity relative to "Catch the Wind". A different mix of the song (without harmonica) was released on his second album Fairytale. Billboard praised the "intriguing lyric and melody." [5] Cash Box described it as a "tender, slow-moving, rhythmic pledge of romantic devotion sold by the songster in his distinctive Bob Dylan-ish style." [6]
When
Epic Records was compiling
Donovan's Greatest Hits, they were either unable or unwilling to secure the rights to the original recordings of "Catch the Wind" and "Colours". Donovan re-recorded both songs in the studio with
Big Jim Sullivan playing guitar,
John Paul Jones on bass and keyboards and
Clem Cattini on drums, produced by
Mickie Most. The re-recordings were included on the greatest hits album.
Other versions by Donovan
- A live duet with Joan Baez from the 1965 Newport Folk Festival [2] is included on the 1995 compilation Folk Music at Newport, Part 1.
- The 2002 album Pied Piper features a re-recorded version by Donovan with new lyrics for children.
- The 2002 film The Rules of Attraction features a re-recorded version by Donovan which would after be used in various television commercials.
References
- ^ Stanley, Bob (13 September 2013). "An English Pastoral: Folk Rock". Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop. Faber & Faber. p. 299. ISBN 978-0-571-28198-5.
- ^ a b "Show 48 – The British are Coming! The British are Coming!: With an emphasis on Donovan, the Bee Gees and the Who. [Part 5] : UNT Digital Library". Digital.library.unt.edu. Retrieved 28 June 2014.
- ^ "officialcharts.com". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 251.
- ^ "Spotlight Singles" (PDF). Billboard. 24 July 1965. p. 14. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
- ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 24 July 1965. p. 12. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
External links
- Colours (Single) – Donovan Unofficial Site Archived 18 August 2010 at the Wayback Machine
| This article needs additional citations for
verification. (June 2011) |
| "Colours" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Dutch (Pye / Negram) sleeve | ||||
| Single by Donovan | ||||
| from the album Fairytale | ||||
| B-side |
| |||
| Released | 28 May 1965 (UK) June 1965 (United States) | |||
| Recorded | 1965 | |||
| Genre | Folk [1] | |||
| Length | 2:44 (Side A) 2:46 ("To Sing For You") 3:29 ("Josie") | |||
| Label |
Pye 7N15866 (UK) Hickory 45-1324 (United States) | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Donovan Leitch | |||
| Producer(s) | Terry Kennedy, Peter Eden, Geoff Stephens | |||
| Donovan UK singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Donovan USA singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Colours" is a song written and recorded by British singer-songwriter Donovan. [2] The "Colours" single was released in the United Kingdom on 28 May 1965 through Pye Records (Pye 7N 15866) and a few months later in the United States through Hickory Records (Hickory 45-1324). The "Colours" single was backed with "To Sing for You" (previously included on What's Bin Did and What's Bin Hid) on the United Kingdom release and " Josie" (from What's Bin Did and What's Bin Hid) on the United States release.
Release and reception
Donovan followed up the success of " Catch the Wind" with "Colours", which featured a similar folk style. The single matched the success of "Catch the Wind" in the United Kingdom, reaching No. 4 on the charts. [3] In the United States, "Colours" reached No.61, [4] and marked a decline in the artist's popularity relative to "Catch the Wind". A different mix of the song (without harmonica) was released on his second album Fairytale. Billboard praised the "intriguing lyric and melody." [5] Cash Box described it as a "tender, slow-moving, rhythmic pledge of romantic devotion sold by the songster in his distinctive Bob Dylan-ish style." [6]
When
Epic Records was compiling
Donovan's Greatest Hits, they were either unable or unwilling to secure the rights to the original recordings of "Catch the Wind" and "Colours". Donovan re-recorded both songs in the studio with
Big Jim Sullivan playing guitar,
John Paul Jones on bass and keyboards and
Clem Cattini on drums, produced by
Mickie Most. The re-recordings were included on the greatest hits album.
Other versions by Donovan
- A live duet with Joan Baez from the 1965 Newport Folk Festival [2] is included on the 1995 compilation Folk Music at Newport, Part 1.
- The 2002 album Pied Piper features a re-recorded version by Donovan with new lyrics for children.
- The 2002 film The Rules of Attraction features a re-recorded version by Donovan which would after be used in various television commercials.
References
- ^ Stanley, Bob (13 September 2013). "An English Pastoral: Folk Rock". Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop. Faber & Faber. p. 299. ISBN 978-0-571-28198-5.
- ^ a b "Show 48 – The British are Coming! The British are Coming!: With an emphasis on Donovan, the Bee Gees and the Who. [Part 5] : UNT Digital Library". Digital.library.unt.edu. Retrieved 28 June 2014.
- ^ "officialcharts.com". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 251.
- ^ "Spotlight Singles" (PDF). Billboard. 24 July 1965. p. 14. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
- ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 24 July 1965. p. 12. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
External links
- Colours (Single) – Donovan Unofficial Site Archived 18 August 2010 at the Wayback Machine