1969.
Già gli acidissimi bendings di chitarra con cui si apre la prima canzone che dà il nome all'album ("Barabajagal" per l'appunto...) ci fanno capire che qualcosa è cambiato in Donovan. La prima traccia è una filastrocca giocosa e sensuale dal ritmo accattivante, con un ritornello che non si schioda più dalla testa e per di più inpreziosita dalla fender stratocaster di un certo Jeff Beck. Si, è cambiato davvero qualcosa...
Si avvicinano i '70, la psichedelia comincia a svanire, e il nostro Donovan cerca di stare al passo coi tempi. Senza però dimenticare le sue origini, le sue peculiarità che l'hanno fatto conoscere e apprezzare dal grande pubblico. "Superlungs My Supergirl" riprende la sensualità della traccia precedente, e l'amplifica a sua volta grazie a un riff di basso e ad un cantato incisivo che fa letteralmente sciogliere l'ascoltatore. Il testosterone è troppo alto. Ci pensa la dolcissima "Where Is She" con i suoi flauti magici, il ritmo lento e fluido, la voce che sembra rompersi in un pianto, a quietare i bollenti spiriti. A questo punto, ecco l'apogeo. "Happiness Runs" vale l'intero disco. Dopo un'introduzione melanconica ed eterea il ritmo si velocizza per poi trasformarsi in una sublime ninna nanna / filastrocca che ci riporta al '67 e al folk-psichedelico del "vecchio" Donovan. Stupenda. Si cambia ancora. Dalla melanconia si va alla più sfrenata spensieratezza: "I Love My Shirt" è un fantastico pezzo freak, con una linea vocale giocosa che resta impressa. Il ritornello poi è da cantare a squarciagola in totale serenità, magari durante un bizzarro tea party nella campagna inglese.
"The Love Song" è una canzoncina leggera, diciamo la più easy-listening dell'album, che non fa altro che riprendere lo stile fanciullesco di Donovan. "To Susan On The West Side Waiting" ci riporta ad atmosfere più soffuse, ricercate, intimistiche. Bella. E poi arriva "Atlantis". Semplicissima, epica, tesa verso il cielo, o forse verso il più profondo oceano. Donovan parla di mitologia, di marinai, di re anti-diluviani mentre un climax ascendente pieno di pathos fa innalzare il tutto fino ad un'esplosione: e poi il ritornello, immediato ma non banale, che sembra via via ripetersi all'infinto. Anch'esso da cantare a squarciagola! Ci stiamo avvicinando alla fine e "Trudi" in un certo senso rompe la magia, riportando l'ascoltatore a ritmi più ballabili e chitarre un po' jazzy (N.B. la parte strumentale è sempre firmata da Beck e dal suo Group). "Pamela Jo" chiude l'album nel modo migliore possibile. Facendoci sorridere. Testo immediato, semplice ed efficace melodia, un pezzo tutto da cantare che mette ancora una volta in risalto la capacità che ha Donovan nello scrivere piccole canzoni gioiello che trasmettono spensieratezza e festosità.
Davvero un gran bel disco, sottostimato come d'altronde lo è purtroppo il suo autore.
Elenco tracce testi e video
01 Barabajagal (03:23)
She came, she came to meet a man, she found an angel.
Goo goo, goo goo Barabajagal was his name now,
Goo goo, goo goo Barabajagal was his name now,
Goo goo, goo goo Barabajagal was his name now.
He very wise in the herbal lore 's got young cure now.
She came, she came to free the pain with his wild flower.
Goo goo, goo goo Barabajagal was his name now,
Goo goo, goo goo Barabajagal was his name now.
Goo goo, goo goo Barabajagal was his name now,
Goo goo, goo goo Barabajagal was his name now.
Fine fine, fine fine Acelandine be prepared for her.
Tea tea, tea tea to make her free while incense burned.
In love pool eyes float feathers after the struggle.
The hopes burst and shot joy all through the mind
Sorrow more distant than a star.
Multi colour run down over your body,
Then the liquid passing all into all
Love is hot truth is molten.
True true, true true the song he sang her while the leaves cooked
Ting ting, ting little bell he rang her, sleepily she looked.
He filled, he filled a leather cup, holding her gaze
She took, she took a little sip while this song he sang:
Goo goo, goo goo Barabajagal was my name now,
Goo goo, goo goo Barabajagal was my name now.
Goo goo, goo goo Barabajagal was my name now,
Goo goo, goo goo Barabajagal was his name now.
Goo goo, goo goo Barabajagal was my name now,
Goo goo, goo goo Barabajagal was his name now.
Goo goo, goo goo Barabajagal was my name now,
Goo goo, goo goo Barabajagal was my name now.
Goo goo, goo goo Barabajagal was his name now,
Goo goo, goo goo Barabajagal was my name now.
Goo goo, goo goo Barabajagal was my name,
Was my name, was my name,
Goo goo, goo goo Barabajagal was my name now.
Goo goo, goo goo Barabajagal was my name now,
Goo goo, goo goo Barabajagal was my name now.
Goo goo, goo goo Barabajagal was my name now,
Goo goo, goo goo Barabajagal was my name now.
Goo goo, goo goo Barabajagal was my name now.
Goo goo, goo goo Barabajagal
02 Superlungs My Supergirl (02:42)
You see this kind of chick in every town.
Whenever there's a scene she's always hanging around
She's so naïve and innocent, stares at to it all
She's only fourteen but she knows how to draw.
Supergirl, supergirl.
Supergirl, supergirl.
Supergirl She's my supergirl and I love her
Supergirl She's my supergirl and I love her
Supergirl She's my supergirl and I love her
Supergirl She's my supergirl and I love her.
She never gets involved with blowing her cool
She's to visit painting sky with her classmates in school
Teachers they ignore, they would if they could
She ain't quite grown up yet but her credence's real good.
Supergirl She's my supergirl and I love her
Supergirl She's my supergirl and I love her
Supergirl She's my supergirl and I love her
Supergirl She's my supergirl and I love her.
04 Happiness Runs (03:27)
From the album barabajagal
Little pebble upon the sand
Now you're lying here in my hand,
How many years have you been here ?
Little human upon the sand
From where I'm lying here in your hand,
You to me are but a passing breeze.
The sun will always shine where you stand
Depending in which land
You may find yourself.
Now you have my blessing, go your way.
Happiness runs in a circular motion
Thought is like a little boat upon the sea.
Everybody is a part of everything anyway,
You can have everything if you let yourself be.
Happiness runs, happiness runs.
Happiness runs, happiness runs.
Happiness runs, happiness runs.
Happiness runs, happiness runs.
Happiness runs in a circular motion
Thought is like a little boat upon the sea.
Everybody is a part of everything anyway,
You can have everything if you let yourself be.
Happiness runs, happiness runs.
Happiness runs, happiness runs.
Happiness runs, happiness runs.
Happiness runs, happiness runs.
Happiness runs in a circular motion
Thought is like a little boat upon the sea.
Everybody is a part of everything anyway,
You can have everything if you let yourself be.
Happiness runs, happiness runs.
Happiness runs, happiness runs.
Happiness runs, happiness runs.
Happiness runs, happiness runs.
Why ? Because.
Why ? Because.
Why ? Because.
Why ? Because.
Happiness runs in a circular motion
Thought is like a little boat upon the sea.
Everybody is a part of everything anyway,
You can have everything if you let yourself be.
You can have everything if you let yourself be.
You can have everything if you let yourself be.
You can have everything if you let yourself be.
You can have everything if you let yourself be.
You can have everything if you let yourself be.
You can have everything if you let yourself be.
You can have everything if you let yourself be.
You can have everything if you let yourself be.
You can have everything if you let yourself be.
You can have everything if you let yourself be.
You can have everything if you let yourself be.
You can have everything if you let yourself be.
You can have everything if you let yourself be
07 To Susan on the West Coast Waiting (03:15)
From the album barabajagal
Dear Susan, I know you love me so
But I want to hear it in my ear.
You know I'd be there working at my craft
Had it not been for the draft.
Dry up your tear and feel no fear,
You're here with me like I'm there with you.
To Susan on the West Coast waiting,
>From Andy in Vietnam fighting.
To Susan on the West Coast waiting,
>From Andy in Vietnam fighting.
I'm writing a note beneath a tree,
The smell of the rain on the greenery.
Our fathers have painfully lost their way,
That's why, my love, I'm here today
Hear me when I say there will come a day
When Kings will know and love can grow.
To Susan on the West Coast waiting,
>From Andy in Vietnam fighting.
To Susan on the West Coast waiting,
>From Andy in Vietnam fighting.
To Susan on the West Coast waiting,
>From Andy in Vietnam fighting.
To Susan on the West Coast waiting,
>From Andy in Vietnam fighting.
Susan, I know you love me so
But I'd like to hear it in my ear.
You know I'd be there working at my craft
Had it not been for the draft.
Dry up your tear and feel no fear,
You're here with me like I'm there with you.
To Susan on the West Coast waiting,
>From Andy in Vietnam fighting.
To Susan on the West Coast waiting,
>From Andy in Vietnam fighting.
To Susan on the West Coast waiting,
>From Andy supposedly hating.
To Susan on the West Coast waiting,
>From Andy in Vietnam fighting.
08 Atlantis (05:05)
The continent of Atlantis was an island
Which lay before the great flood
In the area we now call the Atlantic Ocean.
So great an area of land,
That from her western shores
Those beautiful sailors journeyed
To the South and the North Americas with ease,
In their ships with painted sails.
To the East Africa was a neighbour,
Across a short strait of sea miles.
The great Egyptian age is
But a remnant of The Atlantian culture.
The antediluvian kings colonised the world
All the Gods who play in the mythological dramas
In all legends from all lands were from far Atlantis.
Knowing her fate,
Atlantis sent out ships to all corners of the Earth.
On board were the Twelve:
The poet, the physician, The farmer, the scientist,
The magician and the other so-called Gods of our legends.
Though Gods they were -
And as the elders of our time choose to remain blind
Let us rejoice
And let us sing
And dance and ring in the new Hail Atlantis!
Way down below the ocean where I wanna be she may be,
Way down below the ocean where I wanna be she may be,
Way down below the ocean where I wanna be she may be.
Way down below the ocean where I wanna be she may be,
Way down below the ocean where I wanna be she may be.
My antediluvian baby, oh yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah,
I wanna see you some day
My antediluvian baby, oh yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah,
My antediluvian baby,
My antediluvian baby, I love you, girl,
Girl, I wanna see you some day.
My antediluvian baby, oh yeah
I wanna see you some day, oh My antediluvian baby.
My antediluvian baby, I wanna see you
My antediluvian baby, gotta tell me where she gone
I wanna see you some day Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up,
oh yeah Oh club club, down down, yeah
My antediluvian baby, oh yeah yeah yeah yeah
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