Must Be the Season of the Leitch: The Rise of Donovan
The lovable little Scottish boy who became a pop sensation and defined the 60s era with his poetic lyrics that celebrated the hippie lifestyle — Donovan Leitch. Donovan is responsible for some of my favorite songs, as well as timeless classics like “Season of the Witch.” He first gained notoriety from his Dylan-esque approach to music, often fitted with a harmonica harness, a denim jacket, and a guitar that read “This Machine Kills.” But in the beginning, he was just a boy from Scotland.
Donovan was born on May 10, 1946, in Glasgow. He spent his childhood frolicking freely through the streets that had been ravaged by air raids in the Second World War, leaving sewers and drainage systems completely exposed. It was a breeding ground for nasty illnesses, and at the age of three, Donovan contracted polio. He spent days sick in bed, his small body riddled with pain, but his father remained by his side, often reading poetry to his boy. These poetic tales would spark the young, raven-haired boy’s love for language and the written word, placing him on his now-famous path. Although, he would walk that path rather unsteadily, as he was left with a permanent limp.
The Leitchs would soon decide that Glasgow was, evidently, not a safe place for children. So, they packed their bags and moved to the vast grassy green hills of Hertfordshire, England, where Donovan would spend much of his time painting and writing. Never seen without a pencil in hand, he would write anything from horrifying tales of ghosts to poems filled with whimsy. Eventually, he picked up a guitar at the age of fourteen, and the rest is history. His undying passion for music and lyricism would only continue to bloom, slowly becoming the embodiment of a modern-day bard. When he was soon faced with the age-old “it’s time to get a job” talk, he was steadfast in his refusal. The prospect of working as a tailor wasn’t in line with the life he’d envisioned for himself. So, determined to live out his beatnik dreams, he abandoned school to become a singer, working odd jobs to save money. He worked any job he could, which came to include working in a toothpaste factory, making cardboard boxes, and even manufacturing plastic toy soldiers — anything was better than tailoring. Eventually, he saved enough to hitchhike all over England while composing songs and strumming his guitar. He traveled to Manchester with his aptly named friend, Gypsy Dave, in 1964. Together, they spent the summer in Torquay, Devon with Mac MacLeod. There, Donovan took up busking on the streets and studying the guitar intently.
When he was only 18, Donovan was ‘discovered’ — he was, rather quickly, offered a management and publishing contract, as well as a performing spot on the popular English TV show, Ready Steady Go. He soon recorded his first ten-track demo — and was immediately slammed with Bob Dylan comparisons, often labeled a Dylan-clone. The comparisons would stick for years, as devout Dylan fans hailed their Messiah and criticized anyone who sounded the slightest bit like him. Donovan gained exposure, however, and soon had two hit singles — “Catch the Wind” and “Colours.” While recording his demo, Donovan met and befriended Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones, who happened to have been working in a studio around the corner. He had recently met Jones’ ex-girlfriend Linda Lawrence, sparking the beginnings of an on-again-off-again relationship, which was apparent in his music over the next five years. She became his muse as he fell madly in love with her, but she refused to marry him and instead packed up and moved to the United States.
In 1966, Donovan began to truly come into his own, shedding his protest singer denim in favor of beads and flowing robes, becoming the picture of the flower-power hippie movement. He wore brightly colored clothes and sang songs that felt like Celtic fairy tales. His music blossomed as he moved on from the Dylan/Guthrie style and immersed himself in jazz, blues, and Eastern music. He welcomed the psychedelic era with open arms, evidently clear in his music, especially his hit tracks, “Mellow Yellow” and “Sunshine Superman,” — some of the first-ever psychedelic pop records. But, as everything goes up, it must come down, and that same year, he experienced a life-changing arrest for possession of marijuana. Donovan would be the first high-profile musician targeted in a string of arrests that soon followed.
In 1968, he made the journey to India to study under Maharishi Mahesh Yogi — at the same time as all four of the Beatles, their partners, one Beach Boy, Mia Farrow, and her sister. He immersed himself in the philosophy, adopting vegetarianism, a Buddhist lifestyle, and even learning Hindu. He became a harbinger of spirituality and peace. Not only that, but he spoke out against the use of drugs, largely because of his arrest, and pushed the idea that meditation would bring about a natural high far better than any drug could.
Donovan spent his days in India strumming his guitar, meditating, and often sitting in circles writing songs with the much older Beatles. He would teach John and Paul a finger-picking guitar technique called the clawhammer (which would be found on many of their songs, including “Dear Prudence,” “Mother Nature’s Son,” “Julia,” and more). He bonded especially well with fellow mystic George Harrison and taught him another technique that he hadn’t taught the others. George also collaborated with Donovan on his song, “Hurdy Gurdy Man,” volunteering to write a verse.
Donovan’s music reached peak popularity in 1968 and 1969, coinciding with the peak of the hippie movement. With his troubadour-like way, happy songs, and message of peace, he was the embodiment of what they stood for.
In 1970, after the end of his relationship with Enid Karl (with whom he had two children — Donovan Leitch Jr. and Ione Skye, both actors), he met his muse Linda once more. This time, their love story got its happy ending as the duo married later that year. He would welcome two more daughters with Linda (Oriole Nebula and Estrella Celeste) and officially adopt her son, Julian Brian Jones. Donovan would briefly retire to Ireland, like the Celtic bard he was, and he spent most of his time composing movie scores. He has continued to work through the decades, releasing albums even this year, and had a widely successful career, still upholding his peaceful ideals and long curly hair. He remains the epitome of the adorable flower-power hippie who won over the world with his poetic lyrics, angelic voice, beautiful melodies, and cheeky Scottish accent.
