Sunshine Superman (song)

"Sunshine Superman"
Single by Donovan
from the album Sunshine Superman
B-side"The Trip"
Released1 July 1966 (1966-07-01)
Recorded19 December 1965 (1965-12-19)[1]
StudioEMI, London
Genre
Length
  • 3:15 (single/album version)
  • 4:34 (full-length version)
LabelEpic
Songwriter(s)Donovan
Producer(s)Mickie Most
Donovan singles chronology
"Remember the Alamo"
(1966) 		"Sunshine Superman"
(1966) 		"Mellow Yellow"
(1967)

"Sunshine Superman" is a song written and recorded by Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan. It was released as a single in the United States through Epic Records (Epic 5–10045) in July 1966, but due to a contractual dispute the United Kingdom release was delayed until December 1966, where it appeared on Donovan's previous label, Pye Records (Pye 7N 17241). The single was backed with "The Trip" on both the US and UK releases. It has been described as "[one of the] classics of the era",[9] and as "the quintessential bright summer sing along".[10][11]

"Sunshine Superman" reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States (Donovan's only single to do so) and subsequently became the title track of his third album.[12] When finally released in the UK, it reached No. 2. A different mix of "The Trip" (without harmonica) is also included in the album. The single version of "Sunshine Superman" was edited down from its original four-and-a-half minutes to just over three, and this version was also used on the album; the full-length version made its debut on the Donovan's Greatest Hits LP in 1969.

  1. ^ Houghton 2011, p. 11.
  2. ^ Bell, Robin (13 February 2016). The History of British Rock and Roll: The Beat Boom 1963 - 1966. Lulu Press, Inc. p. 263. ISBN 978-91-981916-6-0.
  3. ^ Grunenberg, Christoph; Harris, Jonathan; Harris, Jonathan P. (2005). Summer of Love: Psychedelic Art, Social Crisis and Counterculture in the 1960s. Liverpool University Press. p. 140. ISBN 978-0-85323-919-2.
  4. ^ Editors Rolling Stone (8 November 2001). Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll: Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll. Touchstone. p. 276. ISBN 978-0-7432-0120-9. {{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  5. ^ Unterberger, Richie. "Great Moments in Folk Rock: Lists of Author Favorites". www.richieunterberger.com. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
  6. ^ Davud Burger (23 January 2012). "Sundance music: Donovan to headline BMI Snowball with Dawes". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 18 July 2013. "Donovan will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this spring and is best known for psychedelic folk songs such as 'Sunshine Superman' and 'Catch the Wind'."
  7. ^ Marvin E. Paymer (1993). Garland Publishing Inc. (ed.). Facts behind the songs: a handbook of American popular music from the nineties to the '90s. p. 248. ISBN 978-0824052409. "[Donovan] later proved himself a talent with the release of his original psychedelic folk [single] "Sunshine Superman""
  8. ^ Greene, Doyle (2014). The Rock Cover Song: Culture, History, Politics. McFarland. p. 150. ISBN 978-1-4766-1507-3.
  9. ^ Erlewine., Stephen Thomas. "Donovan's Greatest Hits". AllMusic.
  10. ^ Bush, John (2002). AllMusic Guide to Rock (Bogdanov et al ed.). p. 330. ISBN 0-87930-653-X.
  11. ^ "Donovan: Sunshine Superman (US)". AllMusic.
  12. ^ Gilliland, John (1969). "Show 48 - The British are Coming! The British are Coming!: With an emphasis on Donovan, the Bee Gees and the Who. [Part 5]" (audio). Pop Chronicles. University of North Texas Libraries.