According to Krassner’s version of the myth’s origin, the editors of the paper were discussing the mechanics of LSD and serotonin in the brain, and then began to wonder if something more natural could produce the same effect. That’s why people fell for it.”Īs relayed in an extensive 2012 article by the Local East Village about the history of the craze, the counterculture publisher Paul Krassner claims that the rumor began in the publishing offices of The East Village Other. Bananas were cheap, so if banana scrapings worked, this would be a really cheap high. “But pot cost money, and hippies had little money. It was a highly experimental era driven perhaps most by LSD and by growing pot use,” says the historian William Rorabaugh, who’s written multiple books about the 1960s including American Hippies. “Young people in the ’60s were looking for new ways to get high. Rumors of bananas as narcotics began swirling around the hippie scene in the mid-1960s. But few of these viral blips approach the lasting influence, and outright silliness, of that time in the 1960s when people started smoking banana peels. Even today, mythical ways of getting high, from the gross-out nonsense that was Jenkem to the digital absurdity of “ i-dosing,” are still popping up in the popular consciousness. A recent Nick Drake biography, Darker Than The Deepest Sea: The Search For Nick Drake claims that the Mellow Yellow album was a significant influence on him.Anybody got a light? Alexas_Fotos/Public Domainĭrug scares are a dimebag a dozen, but the hysteria surrounding fake drugs is always fascinating to behold.This song wasn't included in any LP album and was release as a single in February 1967. Dippy was in the army in Malaysia by then, and when he heard the song, he contacted Donovan and asked him for help. Epistle To Dippy was an open letter from Donovan to an old friend from school.A small part of the lyrics mentions female masturbation, which was very shocking those days. Young Girl Blues was inspired by Linda Lawrence, and it's about her days working as a model in America.This was the third Donovan album in a row with a song that paid tribute to this British folk musician.

House Of Jansch is dedicated to his friend Bert Jansch.

Donovan was hurt and confused and wrote the song Bleak City Woman, which said goodbye to Linda and welcome Enid Stulberger, his new American girlfriend.

By the time Donovan composed the album Mellow Yellow, Linda Lawrence had refused to marry him.

Sand And Foam is about a trip Donovan and Gypsy Dave made to the west coast of Mexico.

He also clarifies Paul contribution to the song: you can hear him cheering at the end of the song, with other people gathered in the recording studio.

Although it has been said that the words 'quite rightly' in Mellow Yellow are whispered by Paul McCartney, in his autobiography The Hurdy Gurdy Man Donovan claims it was actually him, not Paul.

In a recent interview Donovan said that Mellow Yellow came up in a party in a hotel room, where he started making up the chords and lyrics so that all his friends could sing along.

The title song, Mellow Yellow, was released as a single the previous November, and became a huge hit in both sides of the Atlantic.

All this problems that prevented the release of Donovan's music in the UK led him to write resigned songs like Writer In The Sun, where he sadly weighs up the possibility of his own forced retirement from the music business at age 20.

In June 1967 a mix of both albums was released as Sunshine Superman (PYE Records NPL 18181) in the UK, to keep the English fans up to date.

The Mellow Yellow album was not released in the UK due to the same contractual dispute that also prevented Sunshine Superman from a UK release.

Paul McCartney: uncredited backing vocals on track 01.

Harold McNair: flute on tracks 02, 04, 0 and Writer In The Sun and There Is A Mountain.Tony Carr: percussion drums on Epistle To Dippy.John Paul Jones: bass and arrangement on track 01.Jimmy Page: electric guitar on Epistle To Dippy.Big Jim Sullivan: electric guitar on track 05.John Cameron: arrangements on tracks 02, 04, 05, 06, 09 and Epistle To Dippy (both versions), Preachin' Love, Good Time and Superlungs piano on tracks 04, 05, 10 and Preachin' Love, Good Time and Superlungs harpsichord on track 10 and Epistle To Dippy organ on track 10 celesta on tracks 02 and 06.John McLaughlin: rythm guitar on track 01.you're my singer, let me be your song.Įpistle To Dippy (Alternative Arrangement) *

Song mellow yellow meaning