JPF Home Page Forums General Messages General Message Forum Donovan's "Catch The Wind"

This has always been a favorite song of mine. This is an example to me of a writer who had a career-maker and then not much more to follow. Of course, he went on to have other hits like Hurdy Gurdy Man, Mellow Yellow (yuk) and Atlantis but this is the one I remember. I think he was in the zone on this one.

Note how the girls went nuts. Gosh, I wish I would have started writing in my teens instead of waiting until I was an old fart.

Also note in this particular rendition how he has this country yodelly thing going on a few notes here and there. And also how much he sounded a bit like Dylan. And it was 1964, so, Dylan was a pretty big deal.

I never did like the phrase "warm hold." I don't think it sings well at all and in fact, for decades, I never understood what he was singing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BS8RZsOZ1Dw

In the chilly hours and minutes,
Of uncertainty, I want to be,
In the warm hold of your loving mind.

To feel you all around me,
And to take your hand, along the sand,
Ah, but I may as well try and catch the wind.

When sundown pales the sky,
I wanna hide a while, behind your smile,
And everywhere I'd look, your eyes I'd find.

For me to love you now,
Would be the sweetest thing, 'twould make me sing,
Ah, but I may as well, try and catch the wind.

BRIDGE

When rain has hung the leaves with tears,
I want you near, to kill my fears
To help me to leave all my blues behind.

For standin' in your heart,
Is where I want to be, and I long to be,
Ah, but I may as well, try and catch the wind.

Bill, this is one of my all time favorites. I can vividly recall sitting in my bedroom with this on the record player, working out the chords and the lead part. This is the song that introduced me to the F add 9, years before I learned the name of the chord. I used to do this song along with "Why Do You Do Me Like You Do," and "Colours," but I didn't sing "Universal Soldier" because I had too many buddies who went to Viet Nam, and the lyrics of that song, quite naively, blamed the soldiers themselves. I got to meet Donovan years later at a concert put on by the Old Town School of Folk Music where I worked. Nice guy. Great singer and songwriter.

I hadn't thought of that song for a long time.
It takes me back to college at least.
I think the version I heard was a cover, however.

Somehow I missed this song growing up. Heard it for the first time in a TV commercial about a year ago. Sounded like Dylan to me but I pretty much knew his entire catalog so I knew it wasn't....

Got up on the web and googled a few phrases of the lyric to find out who it was. One minute later a visit to itunes and it was on my iPod. Technology is great......

Has become one of my favorites too...

Scott

Yep, the song was in a commercial that played often. Each time I would hear it, it would catch my attention. I googled it and found a commercial for GE, promoting wind energy. But I recall it as being more subtle. The GE commercial is straight forward, plays the first two verses. Maybe there was another commercial. In the past couple of years, it seems.

This song is even better than "Barabajagal".

This is an earlier one when he was still the new Dylan, a great song. I think Donovan is underrated, even though a lot of his stuff is so "of the times". Exploring his catalog is like discovering hidden treasure. He's pretty marvelous.

I heard Catch The Wind being sung in a restaurant on Wednesday evening. A great song. Lots of people in the audience were singing along.

WOW...This brings back great memories!
Catch the wind was one of the first songs I learned on the guitar with finger picking!! it is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful songs of that time...

Emily

I remember Donovan. Never was into this type of acoustic stuff. He was described as a poor man's Dylan and considering I am no great Dylan fan this poor copy of Dylan style never turned me on.
Cliff Richard was the poor man's Elvis ( a very inferior Elvis )
There were hundreds of great British groups at the time producing some ground breaking stuff. Donovan, Cliff and even the Beatles were not on my list of favourite bands at that time.

Yes there is another commercial but I don't remember what it is right now. "Catch The Wind" has been rediscovered recently and I imagine that he is making quite a few sales just from the TV ads. I like his electric stuff, "Hurdy Gurdy Man", "Season of the witch".

DONOVAN is real cool !

Calvin


http://www.soundclick.com/bands/0/calvinstewart

I never thought about it but I guess this song is about the guy who wants the girl but she's resisting him.

Interesting that this song has no real chorus, just a refrain. And a dee-dee-dee bridge to break it up, but no chorus.

My favorite Donovan song is "Sunshine Superman"

This is one of my all time favorite songs. I still have the LP, but haven't had a turntable for 20 years. I played that album constantly and loved all the songs on it. Gold Watch Blues is another one that I really liked. Thanks for the memory.

Rick

Geeze, I allus thought that WAS a Dylan Song!

Is a good'n'..tho I liked "Mellow Yellow" & "Hurdy-Gurdy Man" best of Donovan's catalogue when I was younger (& hairier!)...

Also liked Arlo Guthrie...who seemed to have Donovan's attitude at the time. "Comin' In To Los Angeles" bein' my fave..of that era.

& Cat Stevens.."Peace Train"...

Ah..those Were The Days...heh!

Thanks for the Lookback, Bro!
Big Guy-Hug,
Stan

Yes, I think that song was his biggest hit. Anybody who could mention the "Green Lantern" in his lyrics is cool with me. Donovan is also Ione Skye's father. She was John Cusack's love interest in that movie where he's holding that boom box over his head.