Lyrics to "Mellow Yellow"

[Ronald]

I made the mistake of trying to listen to the vocals of Donovan Leitch's "Mellow Yellow" while it was background music at a restaurant. Could anyone tell me what "Mellow Yellow" is? The song was released in 1966 so it cannot be about the Coca-Cola TM based drink Mello Yello ;) ...

Is it a drug? Refrigerator? Rice cooker? Banana? Car? Zucchini?

[David R. Modny]

Originally posted by Ronald
I made the mistake of trying to listen to the vocals of Donovan Leitch's "Mellow Yellow" while it was background music at a restaurant. Could anyone tell me what "Mellow Yellow" is? The song was released in 1966 so it cannot be about the Coca-Cola TM based drink Mello Yello ;) ...

Is it a drug? Refrigerator? Rice cooker? Banana? Car? Zucchini?



Something about smoking banana peels.

[Gary]

Some radio announcer mentioned that Donovan used to smoke.... ummm... not banana peels.... not cigarettes.... something you can roll - your - own ;) on an hourly basis.

That was in the '60's! :eek: Is he still sane? Whatever happened to him?

[Joseph]

Ahh Donovan...one of my guilty pleasures...always liked the guy.

Yes he's still around and quite sane. Did an album with Rick Rubin producing (on American Recordings label) in 1996.

Recently picked up a great live recording, Donovan The Classics Live (1991).
The version of Hurdy Gurdy Man goes into a part where he talks about the trip to India to see the Guru (and where he wrote Hurdy Gurdy Man). The Beatles and Mia Farrow were there at the same time. While he was writing the song, George Harrison volunteers to write a verse which Donovan adds for the live concert version:

"When the truth gets buried deep
Beneath a thousand years of sleep
Time demands I turn around
and once again the truth is found"

George Harrison