Ballad of a Crystal Man
1965 · Pye 7N 17088 · UK: Scotland
- Artist
- Donovan
- Title
- Ballad of a Crystal Man
- Release
- Remember the Alamo / The Ballad of a Crystal Man
- Year
- 1965
- Label
- Pye # 7N 17088
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- UK: Scotland
- Genre
- Folk · Contemporary Folk
- Primary theme
- Peace, Protest & Anti-War
Annotation
Donovan, born Donovan Philips Leitch on 10 May 1946 in Glasgow, United Kingdom, was a popular contemporary folk singer in the 1960s, and into the 70s. He released several war and Vietnam-related songs in the period, featured on this list, including three cover songs in 1965: "Do You Here Me Now", "Universal Soldier", and "The War Drags On". He also had two original compositions: "Ballad of a Crystal Man" (1966), and "To Susan on the West Coast Waiting" (1969).The song "Ballad of a Crystal Man" (Pye Records # 7N 17088) featured on the album Fairytale (Pye Records # NPL 18128). Through a series of verses it pointed out possible hypocrisies in US government policy, ending with the line: "I don't want your freedom in a lie". Released in several countries.
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Annotation — European Songs
Donovan, born Donovan Philips Leitch on 10 May 1946 in Glasgow, United Kingdom, was a popular contemporary folk singer in the 1060s, and into the 70s. He released several war and Vietnam-related songs in the period, featured on this list, including three cover songs in 1965: "Do You Here Me Now", "Universal Soldier", and "The War Drags On". He also had two original compositions: "Ballad of a Crystal Man" (1966), and "To Susan on the West Coast Waiting" (1969). Th is EP, Universal Soldier (Pye Records # NEP 24219), focused entirely on war. It included the "Ballad of a Crystal Man" discussed immediately below, as well as two songs about war in general - "Do You Here Me Now" from the 1965 album Bert Jansch and "Universal Soldier" by Buffy Sainte-Marie from It's My Way!. Finally, it included Mick Softley's Vietnam War song "The War Drags On" from Songs for Swingin' Survivors.
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
About the artist
born Donovan Philips Leitch on 10 May 1946 in Glasgow, United Kingdom