Lady of the Stars
Encyclopedia
Lady of the Stars is the seventeenth studio album
, and nineteenth album overall, from Scottish
singer-songwriter
Donovan
. It was released in the UK
(RCA PL 70060) and the US
(Allegiance Records AV 437) in January 1984.
and none in the US
. His popularity had steadily decreased throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, and mainstream record companies were not convinced that Donovan's albums could generate enough record sales to warrant release. Donovan decided that to win over the record companies and reach his American and British fans, he would record new versions of both "Sunshine Superman
" and "Season of the Witch
" for inclusion on his next album. Both songs were released on the Sunshine Superman
album in 1966 and Donovan's Greatest Hits
in 1969. The name recognition of these two songs would give the record companies marketing leverage and guarantee release.
In addition to "Sunshine Superman" and "Season of the Witch", Donovan updated three other songs from his canon. Two of these songs, "Lady of the Stars" (written for Donovan's wife Linda Lawrence) and "Local Boy Chops Wood" (written about Brian Jones
) were originally released on Donovan
in 1977. The other song, "Boy for Every Girl" was released on his 1973 album Essence to Essence
. Donovan also included five new songs and titled the album Lady of the Stars for his wife Linda.
Although Lady of the Stars was released directly through RCA
in the UK, the company did not distribute the album in the US. Allegiance Records did pick up the album, however, and it became the first Donovan album to receive a US release since Donovan in 1977.
Guest appearances on this album include Graham Nash
, Pete Carr, Jim Horn
, Bonnie Bramlett
, Wilton Felder
, and Dave Mason
.
reissues since its original release. The reissues sometimes feature a different track order, and the album has rarely gone under its original title. One of the reissues even has the name Sunshine Superman, yet has little in common with the 1966 album Sunshine Superman
.
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, and nineteenth album overall, from Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Donovan
Donovan
Donovan Donovan Donovan (born Donovan Philips Leitch (born 10 May 1946) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Emerging from the British folk scene, he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music...
. It was released in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
(RCA PL 70060) and the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(Allegiance Records AV 437) in January 1984.
History
By 1983, Donovan's albums were receiving little distribution in the UKUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and none in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. His popularity had steadily decreased throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, and mainstream record companies were not convinced that Donovan's albums could generate enough record sales to warrant release. Donovan decided that to win over the record companies and reach his American and British fans, he would record new versions of both "Sunshine Superman
Sunshine Superman
"Sunshine Superman" is a song written and recorded by Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan. The "Sunshine Superman" single was released in the United States through Epic Records in July 1966, but due to a contractual dispute the United Kingdom release was delayed until December 1966, where it...
" and "Season of the Witch
Season of the Witch
Season of the Witch, also known as Hungry Wives, and Jack's Wife, is George A. Romero's third horror film. Filmed in 1971 and released in 1972, the film is about a housewife who becomes involved in witchcraft...
" for inclusion on his next album. Both songs were released on the Sunshine Superman
Sunshine Superman (album)
Sunshine Superman is the third album from Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan. It was released in the United States in September 1966. but was not released in the United Kingdom because of a contractual dispute. In June 1967, a compilation of the Sunshine Superman and Mellow Yellow albums was...
album in 1966 and Donovan's Greatest Hits
Donovan's Greatest Hits
Donovan's Greatest Hits is the first greatest hits album from Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan. It was released in the United States in January 1969 , and in the United Kingdom in March 1969 . Donovan's Greatest Hits was a major seller, reaching #4 in the US...
in 1969. The name recognition of these two songs would give the record companies marketing leverage and guarantee release.
In addition to "Sunshine Superman" and "Season of the Witch", Donovan updated three other songs from his canon. Two of these songs, "Lady of the Stars" (written for Donovan's wife Linda Lawrence) and "Local Boy Chops Wood" (written about Brian Jones
Brian Jones
Lewis Brian Hopkins Jones , known as Brian Jones, was an English musician and a founding member of the Rolling Stones....
) were originally released on Donovan
Donovan (album)
Donovan is the fourteenth studio album, and sixteenth album overall, from Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan. It was released in the US in August 1977 and in the UK with a different track order in October 1977.-History:...
in 1977. The other song, "Boy for Every Girl" was released on his 1973 album Essence to Essence
Essence to Essence
Essence to Essence is the eleventh studio album, and thirteenth album overall, from Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan. It was released in both the UK and the U.S. in December 1973.-History:...
. Donovan also included five new songs and titled the album Lady of the Stars for his wife Linda.
Although Lady of the Stars was released directly through RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
in the UK, the company did not distribute the album in the US. Allegiance Records did pick up the album, however, and it became the first Donovan album to receive a US release since Donovan in 1977.
Guest appearances on this album include Graham Nash
Graham Nash
Graham William Nash, OBE is an English singer-songwriter known for his light tenor vocals and for his songwriting contributions with the British pop group The Hollies, and with the folk-rock band Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Nash is a photography collector and a published photographer...
, Pete Carr, Jim Horn
Jim Horn
Jim Horn is an American saxophonist and woodwind player. He was born in Los Angeles, and after replacing saxophonist Steve Douglas in 1959, he toured with member Duane Eddy for five years, playing sax and flute on the road, and in the recording studio...
, Bonnie Bramlett
Bonnie Bramlett
Bonnie Bramlett is an American singer and sometime actress known for her distinctive vocals in rock and pop music. This began in the mid 1960s as a backing singer, forming the husband-and-wife team of Delaney & Bonnie, and continuing to the present day as a solo artist.-Life and career:Bramlett...
, Wilton Felder
Wilton Felder
Wilton Lewis Felder is both a saxophone and bass player, and is best known as a founding member of The Crusaders, initially called the Jazz Crusaders. Felder, Wayne Henderson, Joe Sample, and Stix Hooper founded the group while in high school in Houston...
, and Dave Mason
Dave Mason
David Thomas "Dave" Mason is an English singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Worcester, who first found fame with the rock band Traffic...
.
Reissues
Lady of the Stars has been the focus of many CDCompact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
reissues since its original release. The reissues sometimes feature a different track order, and the album has rarely gone under its original title. One of the reissues even has the name Sunshine Superman, yet has little in common with the 1966 album Sunshine Superman
Sunshine Superman (album)
Sunshine Superman is the third album from Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan. It was released in the United States in September 1966. but was not released in the United Kingdom because of a contractual dispute. In June 1967, a compilation of the Sunshine Superman and Mellow Yellow albums was...
.
- Wonderful Music of DonovanWonderful Music of DonovanWonderful Music of Donovan is a compilation album from Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan. It was released by Remember Records and in Portugal in 1996.-History:...
(contains tracks from Lady of the Stars) (Remember Records 1993, Wonderful Music 1996) - Till I See You Again, released in July 1994 (Success 22534CD).
- Sunshine Superman, released November 29, 1994 (Charly Records CDCD 1206). Shuffled track order. The album cover is from the same photo session as Donovan's 1967 album Wear Your Love Like Heaven.
- Golden Hits, (original track order) released February 23, 1996 (Masters Music MACD 61075-2, Holland/Intercontinental Records 1075, US).
- Sunshine Superman, released June 3, 1997, (Remember Records). Same track order as Charly Records release.
- Forever Gold, rel. January 18, 2000, St. Clair Records, St. Clair 5818
- Golden Tracks, August 22, 2000 (Cleopatra 852)
Side one
- "Lady of the Stars" – 4:37
- "I Love You Baby" – 3:28
- "Bye, Bye Girl" – 3:22
- "Every Reason" – 3:05
- "Season of the Witch" – 5:27
Side two
- "Boy for Every Girl" – 4:39
- "Local Boy Chops Wood" – 3:29
- "Sunshine Superman" – 4:06
- "Living for the Love Light" – 3:44
- "Till I See You Again" – 3:14