'Sunshine Superman'

Donovan’s career is a tough one to chart. In the grand scheme of things, he was a musician, whose songs have been heard more in film soundtracks than those buying his albums. 

I first heard his name when I immersed myself in Beatles lore and knew that he had gone to India to study and meditate under the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. I first heard his album Sunshine Superman a few months ago and quickly realized that I heard far more Donovan than I had thought. 

His drug-tinged, hippie-anthem singles have infiltrated popular culture in just about every way possible outside of his album selling a trillion copies. 

Reading about Donovan, he was a guy waiting in the wings. He’s almost a footnote in 1960s rock music. He befriended Brian Jones, eventually marrying the Rolling Stones’ ex-girlfriend and having two kids. He taught John Lennon how to fingerpick. He rubbed elbows with Bob Dylan. He added lyrics to “Yellow Submarine.” The list of interactions with The Beatles, Rolling Stones and just about any noted musician or band from the 1960s had some sort of run-in with Donovan. 

Then he disappeared. The peak of his popularity was probably a well-documented drug bust that was followed by a series of stings against famous rock musicians. 

He broke up with his long-time producer. The flower power movement faded and folkies like Donovan faded into the background as more aggressive genres became the basis for anti-establishment music. 

Now he's a name in anecdotes and someone that sells the use of his song in movies.