Jump to content

Mellow Yellow: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
unsupported / WP:STICKTOSOURCE
Rescuing 7 sources and tagging 0 as dead. #IABot (v1.4beta)
Line 34: Line 34:
The song was rumoured to be about smoking dried banana skins, which was [[Bananadine|believed to be a hallucinogenic drug]] in the 1960s, though this aspect of bananas has since been debunked.<ref>{{cite web|first= Cecil |last= Adams |title= Will smoking banana peels get you high? |publisher= [[The Straight Dope]] |url= http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2389/will-smoking-banana-peels-get-you-high |date= 26 April 2002 |accessdate= 9 June 2014}}</ref> According to Donovan's notes, accompanying the album ''[[Donovan's Greatest Hits]]'', the rumour that one could get high from smoking dried banana skins was started by [[Country Joe McDonald]] in 1966, and Donovan heard the rumour three weeks before "Mellow Yellow" was released as a single. According to ''The [[Rolling Stone]] Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock and Roll'', he admitted later the song made reference to a [[Vibrator (sex toy)|vibrator]]; an "electrical banana" as mentioned in the lyrics.<ref>{{cite book|editor-first= Holly |editor-last= George-Warren |title= The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll |publisher= [[Simon & Schuster|Fireside]] |edition= 3rd, Revised and updated for the 21st century |year= 2001 |isbn= 0-7432-0120-5 |page= 276}}</ref> This definition was re-affirmed in an interview with ''[[NME]]'' magazine: "it's about being cool, laid-back, and also the electrical bananas that were appearing on the scene - which were ladies' vibrators."<ref>{{cite journal|title= The Aftershow |magazine= [[NME]] |date= 18 June 2011 |page= 66}}</ref>
The song was rumoured to be about smoking dried banana skins, which was [[Bananadine|believed to be a hallucinogenic drug]] in the 1960s, though this aspect of bananas has since been debunked.<ref>{{cite web|first= Cecil |last= Adams |title= Will smoking banana peels get you high? |publisher= [[The Straight Dope]] |url= http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2389/will-smoking-banana-peels-get-you-high |date= 26 April 2002 |accessdate= 9 June 2014}}</ref> According to Donovan's notes, accompanying the album ''[[Donovan's Greatest Hits]]'', the rumour that one could get high from smoking dried banana skins was started by [[Country Joe McDonald]] in 1966, and Donovan heard the rumour three weeks before "Mellow Yellow" was released as a single. According to ''The [[Rolling Stone]] Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock and Roll'', he admitted later the song made reference to a [[Vibrator (sex toy)|vibrator]]; an "electrical banana" as mentioned in the lyrics.<ref>{{cite book|editor-first= Holly |editor-last= George-Warren |title= The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll |publisher= [[Simon & Schuster|Fireside]] |edition= 3rd, Revised and updated for the 21st century |year= 2001 |isbn= 0-7432-0120-5 |page= 276}}</ref> This definition was re-affirmed in an interview with ''[[NME]]'' magazine: "it's about being cool, laid-back, and also the electrical bananas that were appearing on the scene - which were ladies' vibrators."<ref>{{cite journal|title= The Aftershow |magazine= [[NME]] |date= 18 June 2011 |page= 66}}</ref>


[[Paul McCartney]] can be heard as one of the background revellers on this track, but the "quite rightly" whispering answering lines in the chorus is not McCartney but rather Donovan himself.<ref>{{webarchive|title= Mellow Yellow |date= 5 March 2016 |url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160305055557/http://donovan-unofficial.com/music/albums/mellow_yellow.html}}. Donovan Unofficial.</ref> Donovan had a small part in coming up with the lyrics for "[[Yellow Submarine (song)|Yellow Submarine]]", and McCartney played [[bass guitar]] (uncredited) on portions of Donovan's ''[[Mellow Yellow (album)|Mellow Yellow]]'' album.<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title= [[The Paul McCartney World Tour booklet]] |year= 1989}}</ref>
[[Paul McCartney]] can be heard as one of the background revellers on this track, but the "quite rightly" whispering answering lines in the chorus is not McCartney but rather Donovan himself.<ref>{{|= Mellow Yellow |= |=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305055557/http://donovan-unofficial.com/music/albums/mellow_yellow.html}}. Donovan Unofficial.</ref> Donovan had a small part in coming up with the lyrics for "[[Yellow Submarine (song)|Yellow Submarine]]", and McCartney played [[bass guitar]] (uncredited) on portions of Donovan's ''[[Mellow Yellow (album)|Mellow Yellow]]'' album.<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title= [[The Paul McCartney World Tour booklet]] |year= 1989}}</ref>


In 2005, the track was [[remaster]]ed by [[EMI|EMI Records]] for the ''Mellow Yellow'' album re-issue.<ref>{{webarchive|title= Mellow Yellow (reissues) |date= 14 March 2016 |url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160314234550/http://donovan-unofficial.com//music/albums/mellow_yellow_reissues.html}}. Donovan Unofficial.</ref>
In 2005, the track was [[remaster]]ed by [[EMI|EMI Records]] for the ''Mellow Yellow'' album re-issue.<ref>{{|= Mellow Yellow (reissues) |=2016 |= https://web.archive.org/web/20160314234550/http://donovan-unofficial.com//music/albums/mellow_yellow_reissues.html}}. Donovan Unofficial.</ref>


==Covers and adaptations==
==Covers and adaptations==
Line 43: Line 43:
In 1970, a [[Czech language|Czech]] version of the song was issued by Czech singer and actor [[Václav Neckář]] on the [[Supraphon]] label.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.discogs.com/V%C3%A1clav-Neck%C3%A1%C5%99-Motejl-Modrejl-Goo-Goo-Barabajagal/release/5854635 |title= Václav Neckář - Motejl Modrejl / Goo-Goo Barabajagal (Vinyl) |publisher= [[Discogs]] |accessdate= 26 July 2014}}</ref>
In 1970, a [[Czech language|Czech]] version of the song was issued by Czech singer and actor [[Václav Neckář]] on the [[Supraphon]] label.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.discogs.com/V%C3%A1clav-Neck%C3%A1%C5%99-Motejl-Modrejl-Goo-Goo-Barabajagal/release/5854635 |title= Václav Neckář - Motejl Modrejl / Goo-Goo Barabajagal (Vinyl) |publisher= [[Discogs]] |accessdate= 26 July 2014}}</ref>


In 1999, "Mellow Yellow" was sung by a group of young adults, among whom were then-unknowns [[Alex Greenwald]], [[Rashida Jones]] and [[Jason Thompson (actor)|Jason Thompson]], in [[Gap Inc.|Gap's]] "Everybody in [[Corduroy|Cords]]" commercial directed by Pedro Romhanyi. The music mix was done by the [[Dust Brothers]].<ref>{{webarchive|title= Mind the Gap |date= 18 February 2009 |url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090218234146/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,270600,00.html}}. ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''. ([[Time Inc.]]) (502). 10 September 1999.</ref> In 2015 the song was covered by Spanish singer [[Abraham Mateo]] for the soundtrack and promotion of the film ''[[Minions (film)|Minions]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title= Abraham Mateo pone música a 'Los Minions' |url= http://www.lasprovincias.es/culturas/cine/201506/25/abraham-mateo-pone-musica-20150625161938.html |newspaper= [[Las Provincias]] |date= 25 June 2015 |accessdate= 29 June 2015 |language= es}}</ref> In Brazil [[Michel Teló]] covered the song, adapted to Portuguese, also for the movie.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://g1.globo.com/pop-arte/cinema/noticia/2015/06/minions-michel-telo-conta-como-adaptou-musica-tema-do-filme.html |title= 'Minions': Michel Teló conta como adaptou música tema do filme |publisher= [[Globo.com]] |date= 22 June 2015 |accessdate= 29 June 2015 |language= es}}</ref>
In 1999, "Mellow Yellow" was sung by a group of young adults, among whom were then-unknowns [[Alex Greenwald]], [[Rashida Jones]] and [[Jason Thompson (actor)|Jason Thompson]], in [[Gap Inc.|Gap's]] "Everybody in [[Corduroy|Cords]]" commercial directed by Pedro Romhanyi. The music mix was done by the [[Dust Brothers]].<ref>{{|= Mind the Gap |= |=https://web.archive.org/web/20090218234146/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0.html}}. ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''. ([[Time Inc.]]) (502). 10 September 1999.</ref> In 2015 the song was covered by Spanish singer [[Abraham Mateo]] for the soundtrack and promotion of the film ''[[Minions (film)|Minions]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title= Abraham Mateo pone música a 'Los Minions' |url= http://www.lasprovincias.es/culturas/cine/201506/25/abraham-mateo-pone-musica-20150625161938.html |newspaper= [[Las Provincias]] |date= 25 June 2015 |accessdate= 29 June 2015 |language= es}}</ref> In Brazil [[Michel Teló]] covered the song, adapted to Portuguese, also for the movie.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://g1.globo.com/pop-arte/cinema/noticia/2015/06/minions-michel-telo-conta-como-adaptou-musica-tema-do-filme.html |title= 'Minions': Michel Teló conta como adaptou música tema do filme |publisher= [[Globo.com]] |date= 22 June 2015 |accessdate= 29 June 2015 |language= es}}</ref>


One of the oldest [[Cannabis coffee shop|coffeeshops]] in [[Amsterdam]] is called "Mellow Yellow".<ref>{{cite web|title= Amsterdam Coffeeshop Directory – Mellow Yellow coffee shop |url= http://www.coffeeshop.freeuk.com/Mellow.html |publisher= Coffeeshop.freeuk.com |accessdate= 16 January 2012}}</ref>
One of the oldest [[Cannabis coffee shop|coffeeshops]] in [[Amsterdam]] is called "Mellow Yellow".<ref>{{cite web|title= Amsterdam Coffeeshop Directory – Mellow Yellow coffee shop |url= http://www.coffeeshop.freeuk.com/Mellow.html |publisher= Coffeeshop.freeuk.com |accessdate= 16 January 2012}}</ref>
Line 59: Line 59:
|align="center"|7
|align="center"|7
|-
|-
|Australia ([[Kent Music Report]])<ref>{{cite web|title= Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Chart Positions Pre 1989 Part 3 |publisher= Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien |accessdate= 9 June 2014 |url= http://australian-charts.com/forum.asp?todo=viewthread&id=30148&pages=5}}</ref>
|Australia ([[Kent Music Report]])<ref>{{cite web|title=Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Chart Positions Pre 1989 Part 3 |publisher=Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien |accessdate=9 June 2014 |url= http://australian-charts.com/forum.asp?todo=viewthread&id=30148&pages=5}}</ref>
|align="center"|8
|align="center"|8
|-
|-
Line 66: Line 66:
{{singlechart|Flanders|7|artist=Donovan|song=Mellow Yellow|accessdate=9 June 2014}}
{{singlechart|Flanders|7|artist=Donovan|song=Mellow Yellow|accessdate=9 June 2014}}
|-
|-
|Canada ([[CHUM Chart|''CHUM'']])<ref>{{webarchive|title= CHART NUMBER 511 – Monday, December 05, 1966 |date= 29 July 2007 |url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070729173636/http://www.1050chum.com/index_chumcharts.aspx?chart=511}}. [[CHUM (AM)|CHUM]].</ref>
|Canada ([[CHUM Chart|''CHUM'']])<ref>{{|= CHART NUMBER 511 – Monday, December 05, 1966 |= |=https://web.archive.org/web/20070729173636/http://www.1050chum.com/index_chumcharts.aspx?chart=511}}. [[CHUM (AM)|CHUM]].</ref>
|align="center"|1
|align="center"|1
|-
|-
Line 92: Line 92:
|align="center"|2
|align="center"|2
|-
|-
|US [[Cashbox (magazine)|''Cash Box'']]<ref>{{webarchive|title= CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending DECEMBER 17, 1966 |date= 5 October 2012 |url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121005021938/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/60s_files/19661217.html}}. [[Cashbox (magazine)|''Cash Box'' magazine]].</ref>
|US [[Cashbox (magazine)|''Cash Box'']]<ref>{{|= CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending DECEMBER 17, 1966 |= |=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005021938/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/60s_files/19661217.html}}. [[Cashbox (magazine)|''Cash Box'' magazine]].</ref>
|align="center"|3
|align="center"|3
|-
|-
|US ''[[Record World]]''<ref>{{webarchive|title= RECORD WORLD 1966 |date= 1 May 2003 |url= https://web.archive.org/web/20030501211850/http://www.geocities.com/muggy59/1966.html}}. ''[[Record World]]''. Geocities.com.</ref>
|US ''[[Record World]]''<ref>{{|= RECORD WORLD 1966 |= |=https://web.archive.org/web/20030501211850/http://www.geocities.com/muggy59/1966.html}}. ''[[Record World]]''. Geocities.com.</ref>
|align="center"|1
|align="center"|1
|}
|}

Revision as of 05:14, 8 June 2017

This article is about the song. For the album it appears on, see Mellow Yellow (album). For the Coca-Cola branded soft drink, see Mello Yello. For the Amsterdam cannabis shop, see Mellow Yellow coffeeshop.

"Mellow Yellow"
Song
A-side"Mellow Yellow"
B-side
  • "Sunny South Kensington" (USA)
  • "Preachin' Love" (UK)

"Mellow Yellow" is a song written and recorded by Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan.[5] It reached No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1966 and No. 8 in the UK in early 1967.

Content

The song was rumoured to be about smoking dried banana skins, which was believed to be a hallucinogenic drug in the 1960s, though this aspect of bananas has since been debunked.[6] According to Donovan's notes, accompanying the album Donovan's Greatest Hits, the rumour that one could get high from smoking dried banana skins was started by Country Joe McDonald in 1966, and Donovan heard the rumour three weeks before "Mellow Yellow" was released as a single. According to The Rolling Stone Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock and Roll, he admitted later the song made reference to a vibrator; an "electrical banana" as mentioned in the lyrics.[7] This definition was re-affirmed in an interview with NME magazine: "it's about being cool, laid-back, and also the electrical bananas that were appearing on the scene - which were ladies' vibrators."[8]

Paul McCartney can be heard as one of the background revellers on this track, but the "quite rightly" whispering answering lines in the chorus is not McCartney but rather Donovan himself.[9] Donovan had a small part in coming up with the lyrics for "Yellow Submarine", and McCartney played bass guitar (uncredited) on portions of Donovan's Mellow Yellow album.[10]

In 2005, the track was remastered by EMI Records for the Mellow Yellow album re-issue.[11]

Covers and adaptations

"Mellow Yellow" was covered in 1967 by soul singer Big Maybelle on her album Got a Brand New Bag.[12] It was also covered in 1968 by British R&B singer/keyboardist Georgie Fame on his album The Third Face of Fame.[13]

In 1970, a Czech version of the song was issued by Czech singer and actor Václav Neckář on the Supraphon label.[14]

In 1999, "Mellow Yellow" was sung by a group of young adults, among whom were then-unknowns Alex Greenwald, Rashida Jones and Jason Thompson, in Gap's "Everybody in Cords" commercial directed by Pedro Romhanyi. The music mix was done by the Dust Brothers.[15] In 2015 the song was covered by Spanish singer Abraham Mateo for the soundtrack and promotion of the film Minions.[16] In Brazil Michel Teló covered the song, adapted to Portuguese, also for the movie.[17]

One of the oldest coffeeshops in Amsterdam is called "Mellow Yellow".[18]

Chart performance

References

  1. ^ Laing, Dave (1975). The Electric Muse: the story of Folk into Rock. Methuen. p. 151. ISBN 0-413-31860-5. Donovan (...) did change styles to make a couple of enormously successful pop singles, "Mellow Yellow" and "Sunshine Superman", before disappearing from the front ranks.
  2. ^ Willis, Ellen (2011). Out of the Vinyl Deeps: Ellen Willis on Rock Music. University of Minnesota Press. p. 14. ISBN 978-0-8166-7283-7. Donovan wrote medieval fantasies and pop collages like "Sunshine Superman" and "Mellow Yellow."
  3. ^ Buckley, Peter (2003). The Rough Guide to Rock. Rough Guides. p. 305. ISBN 978-1-8435-3105-0. A further move into psychedelic pop spawned another million-seller in "Mellow Yellow" — [Donovan's] best-known song
  4. ^ Ellis, Iain (2012). Brit Wits: A History of British Rock Humor. Intellect Books. p. 42. ISBN 978-1-8415-0565-7. Hits like "Mellow Yellow" (1967) and "Hurdy Gurdy Man" (1968) saw Donovan become the public face of fanciful British psychedelic pop in the latter part of the decade.
  5. ^ 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] : UNT Digital Library" (audio). Pop Chronicles. University of North Texas Libraries.
  6. ^ Adams, Cecil (26 April 2002). "Will smoking banana peels get you high?". The Straight Dope. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
  7. ^ George-Warren, Holly, ed. (2001). The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll (3rd, Revised and updated for the 21st century ed.). Fireside. p. 276. ISBN 0-7432-0120-5.
  8. ^ "The Aftershow". NME: 66. 18 June 2011.
  9. ^ "Mellow Yellow". Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help). Donovan Unofficial.
  10. ^ The Paul McCartney World Tour booklet (Media notes). 1989.
  11. ^ "Mellow Yellow (reissues)". Archived from the original on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help). Donovan Unofficial.
  12. ^ "Big Maybelle – Got a Brand New Bag". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
  13. ^ Thompson, Dave. "Georgie Fame – Third Face of Fame". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
  14. ^ "Václav Neckář - Motejl Modrejl / Goo-Goo Barabajagal (Vinyl)". Discogs. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  15. ^ "Mind the Gap". Archived from the original on 18 February 2009. Retrieved 15 March 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help). Entertainment Weekly. (Time Inc.) (502). 10 September 1999.
  16. ^ "Abraham Mateo pone música a 'Los Minions'". Las Provincias (in Spanish). 25 June 2015. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
  17. ^ "'Minions': Michel Teló conta como adaptou música tema do filme" (in Spanish). Globo.com. 22 June 2015. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
  18. ^ "Amsterdam Coffeeshop Directory – Mellow Yellow coffee shop". Coffeeshop.freeuk.com. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  19. ^ "Go-Set Australian charts – 11 January 1967". Go-Set. Poparchives.com.au. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  20. ^ "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Chart Positions Pre 1989 Part 3". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 9 June 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  21. ^ "Donovan – Mellow Yellow" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
  22. ^ "Donovan – Mellow Yellow" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
  23. ^ "CHART NUMBER 511 – Monday, December 05, 1966". Archived from the original on 29 July 2007. Retrieved 9 June 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help). CHUM.
  24. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5781." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  25. ^ "Le Détail par Artiste" (in French). InfoDisc. Select "Donovan" from the artist drop-down menu. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
  26. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Mellow Yellow". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  27. ^ a b "I singoli più venduti del 1967" (in Italian). Hit Parade Italia. Creative Commons. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  28. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Donovan - Mellow Yellow" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
  29. ^ "Donovan – Mellow Yellow" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
  30. ^ "Donovan – Mellow Yellow". VG-lista. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
  31. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  32. ^ "Mellow Yellow – Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  33. ^ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending DECEMBER 17, 1966". Archived from the original on 5 October 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help). Cash Box magazine.
  34. ^ "RECORD WORLD 1966". Archived from the original on 1 May 2003. Retrieved 9 June 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help). Record World. Geocities.com.
  35. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1967" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mellow_Yellow&oldid=784410869"