Catch the Wind

The early folk recordings of Scottish troubadour Donovan are a true expression of simple, unadorned performance and songwriting. Although in his early days he was championed as a challenger to Bob Dylan's folk-singer throne, Donovan was far lighter and more melodic. His take on Buffy Sainte-Marie's "Universal Soldier," Mick Softley's "The War Drags On," and Bert Jansch's "Do You Hear Me Now" may exemplify the protest movement, but they don't define his style. "Why Do You Treat Me Like You Do" is a sweet, brokenhearted love song, while "Colours" and "Turquoise" (a love song for Joan Baez, who later covered both tracks) are poetic and expressive. Two versions of "Catch the Wind," including the abbreviated single edit with strings, are here, along with earlier material ("To Sing for You," "Donna Donna") and a peek at his soon-to-be psychedelic period with "Sunny Goodge Street."