Catch The Wind by Donovan

Album: Catch The Wind (1965)

Charted: 4 23

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Songfacts®:

This was Donovan's debut single - it was released after his third appearance on British TV. In an interview with Dierdre O'Donoghue on KCRW Radio, Los Angeles, Donovan said: "'Catch The Wind,' I wrote it for Linda (Lawrence, who he married in 1970), although I hadn't really met her yet. It is a song of unrequited love, yet I hadn't really met her, so how could I miss her? And I seem to write prophetic songs in the sense of the Celtic poet and I wrote this song before I met Linda, of a love I would like to have had and lost."

Donovan had a fleeting love affair with model Linda Lawrence, who was then the girlfriend of the Rolling Stones' Brian Jones soon after writing this song. He bumped into her four years later and they married in 1970. Donovan said in an interview with the Guardian newspaper May 24, 2005: "Linda's in all the songs. 'Sunshine Superman,' 'Hampstead Incident,' 'Young Girl Blues'... Linda's the muse."
Despite having a similar title to Bob Dylan's "Blowin' In The Wind" and being played on an acoustic guitar with harmonica fills with a similar melody to Dylan's "Chimes Of Freedom," Donovan didn't object and they became friends on his UK tour. Donovan and Dylan also made their UK chart debut in the same week, Donovan with this song and Dylan with "The Times They Are A Changin'." Donovan was often dubbed the British answer to Bob Dylan.
The single version featured Donovan's vocals with echo and a string section. The song was recorded again for Donovan's first album What's Bin Did and What's Bin Hid without the vocal echo and strings. >>>
Suggestion credit:
Martin - Rostock, Germany
In the US, this was used in a TV commercials for Volvo and General Electric. >>>
Suggestion credit:
Bertrand - Paris, France

Comments: 16

Jennifur Sun from RamonaLoved the sound of his guitar on this song. Still have my old 45.
Peter Piper from LondonCorrection to Barry's comment "Donovan performed "Catch The Wind" on the BBC-TV program 'Ready Steady Go!'."
Ready Steady Go! was a Rediffussion London production (ITV) and not a BBC programme
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn February 12th 1965, Donovan performed "Catch The Wind" on the BBC-TV program 'Ready Steady Go!'...
Just over five weeks later on March 21st the song entered the United Kingdom's Top 40 chart at position #22; three weeks later on April 11th it would peak at #4 {for 1 week} and it stayed on the Top 40 for 9 weeks...
{See next post below}.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn February 12th 1965, Donovan performed "Catch The Wind" on the U.K. TV program 'Ready, Steady, Go!'...
Three months later on May 9th it entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #85; and on June 27th it peaked at #23 (for 1 week) and spent 10 weeks on the Top 100...
Between 1965 and 1973 he had seventeen records on the Top 100; with four making the Top 10 and one reaching #1 ("Sunshine Superman" was #1 for one week in 1966; his next release just missed the top spot, "Mellow Yellow" reached #2 for three weeks)
Donovan, born Donovan Philips Leitch, celebrate his 68th birthday in three months on May 10th (2014).
Randy from Fayettevile, Ar"Catch The Wind"----oh my, I've loved the song since '65 when I was a senior in high school & on into my freshman year in college. The melody is just so captivating. This song is what started me off as a long-time Donovan fan. What a ride! Here it is 2014 and I still love all of Donovan's material.
Ken from Philadelphia, PaOf all the topics and themes used by songwriters, I bet the MOST popular is that of unrequited love.... and of all the songs about unrequited love ever written, you will be hard pressed to find one as amazing and heartfelt as this one.
Frank from San Jose , CaThe Blues Project has a haunting version of this song...I am pretty sure they use a Hammond B3 in it.
Sara from Silver Spring, MdAmong the many artists who have covered this: Cher, Flatt & Scruggs, Chet Atkins, Dottie West, Bruce Springsteen with The Castiles, The Godsin Brothers, Kathy Jones (who had a Top 50 country hit with the song), Joan Baez and Mimi Farina (at the 1967 Newport Folk Festival), Katy Segal, Lana Catrell (whose version made the Australian easy listening charts), Katy Sagal, Lian Clancy,
Roky Erickson, The Kingston Trio, The Letterman, The Platters, We Five, etc. Despite what people believe Bob Dylan never
sang it and the closet thing he really came to a Bob Dylan song was "The Most of Which is Least" which he never
sang but Marianne Faithfull did.
Sara from Silver Spring, MdBruce Springsteen sang this during his 1960s concerts.
David from Youngstown, OhWhat an absolutely beautiful song from one of music's most underrated performers. This song, more than any other Donovan did, sounds very, very similar to Dylan. Even the vocals sound like Donovan doing Dylan. Donovan quickly showed that he was a brilliant singer/songwriter writing so many other great songs. But this one stands out as one of Donovan's five best. That says a lot because he has about 15-20 songs I would consider masterpieces.
Dane from Oak Harbor, WaI first heard this song on sold old album my parents had when I was kid. I really liked it. Then it was some episode of The Wonder Years...the one where Kevin's sister ran away...they used the version with the echo. I went out the next day and found a Donovan CD with the track on it. How can you not like this song...its heartfelt emotion and simple tune makes is a classic. I have it rated as 5 stars on my playlist.
Susan from Westchestertonfieldville, VaCodiene by Donovan is also good..listen to it
Jezebel from Lincoln, MoI agree
Fred from Laurel, MdThis, 'Josie,' 'Try for the Sun,' 'Oh Deed I Do,' and 'Colors,' all by Donovan, are 5 of my favorites to play, and among the earliest I learned back in '66-'67 when I was first learning folk guitar. One of the greatest compliments I ever got was when I was sitting outside on the grass at college one fine spring day, playing Josie, and someone came up to listen, then asked, "Did you write that?" I now believe that remark was a greater compliment to Donovan. These songs are just that simple, yet captivating, so that a novice like I was could, and would want to, learn them. Donovan, like Beethoven, had a genius for simplicity. Now if we could just get those other 4 songs on this site...
Matt from Los Angeles, CaGreatest song ever.
Luke from Kokomo, InIf there were to be a cd entitled Luke Cross: The Album, this would be one of the tracks. In short, I really, really like this song.

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