I was lunching with two of Horslips – originators of Celtic rock – yesterday and much badinage was exchanged, with the conversation turning to things ‘that Donovan invented’ (i.e. things he didn’t). ‘Obviously, he invented Celtic rock,’ I said, to chortles all round. And then I vaguely remembered something. ‘Hang on… y’know, I think he *did’ record a track called ‘Celtic Rock’… Jim locked it up on his gadget – sure enough, in 1970, a year before Horslips began, Donovan recorded ‘Celtic Rock’. Gobsmackery all round. Situations in which one realises that, yes, the Don *really did* invent something must be rare indeed! 😀
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8sylRHOg40
hubert rawlinson says
Are you sure it wasn’t a song about a seaside speciality with Celtic running through the middle?
Colin H says
Now that you say that…
Jaygee says
Given the year of Celtic Rock’s recording and release is it not more likely that it’s a tribute to the Celtic football club on its second appearance in the European Cup final?
Sadly, like the Bhoys’ capitulation to Feyenoord, our Don’s song pales into insignificance when compared to his earlier 60s triumphs.
Kaisfatdad says
What a story! And it’s a catchy little tune. I Googled.
From the 1970 album Open Road
Mike O’Neil’s keyboards rock away very nicely!
Some background…
.http://donovan-unofficial.com/music/albums/open_road.html
Vincent says
Though I want to laugh at Donovan’s feyer moments, I find I can’t. I think he is sincere in his hippy dippenis (steady on!). I find something beguiling in, for example, “Brother Sun, Sister Moon”. I should find it emetic. By comparison, I find Marc Bolan’s work in Tyrannosaurus Rex utterly insincere, and one of the best excuses for violence ever invented.
Vulpes Vulpes says
I’m with you @vincent. While Don was actually there – even in India – the Child of Rarn was at stage school, taking notes.
Vincent says
Thanks, Foxy, I didn’t know that. It explains much. I still love the T. Rex singles though. I’m not a complete rotter.
Vincent says
Brace yourselves:
Blue Boy says
Wait, what??!!!! ‘I was lunching with two of Horslips’ must be the most insouciantly Afterword sentence ever. Come on, Colin, you can’t leave that hanging – tell us more!
Colin H says
Err… well, I could… but then I’d have to kill you 😀
Maybe we were plotting and scheming… maybe we were just lunching… 😉
Vulpes Vulpes says
I’m holding out the hope that they recorded some of their mid-70s college gigs. There’s just a tiny possibility I might once again be able to hear their gig at Exeter University in about 75 or 76, which was stonkingly brilliant.
Blue Boy says
Liverpool Uni at the same time would be good to hear, especially as they went on so late I had to leave half way through to get the last train home…
Colin H says
‘They literally started the whole Celtic Rock style…’ says Brian Balfe in the intro. Donovan would have been apoplectic 😀
(Incidentally, the YouTube poster says this is the full film. It’s not.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNhsskTbAZU
Jaygee says
He’s got some terrific clips on his channel whoever he is