Psychedelic Pop Music

The song “Mellow Yellow” by Donovan has stirred up speculation regarding what the song was actually about. Donovan has replied, “Quite a few things. Being mellow, laid-back, chilled out.” However, that never stopped the interpretations about drugs in general and smoking banana skins in particular, which were supposed to get you high (and didn’t). And then there was talk about an electrical banana, which was a vibrator… Anyway, “Mellow Yellow,” written and performed by singer/songwriter Donovan ( born Donovan Leitch in Maryhill, Glasgow, Scotland), went to #2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1966 and #8 in the U.K. in early 1967.

Early in his career, Donovan was compared to Bob Dylan. While they had some of the same influences (e.g, Woody Guthrie and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott), Donovan was not a copy of Dylan. His work is a combination of folk rock, psychedelic folk, psychedelic rock, and psychedelic pop put forth his own anti-war, counter-culture message.

Here are the lyrics to “Mellow Yellow” by Donovan:

“I’m just mad about Saffron
Oh Saffron’s mad about me
I’m just mad about Saffron
She’s just mad about me

They call me mellow yellow
(Quite rightly)
They call me mellow yellow
(Quite rightly)
They call me mellow yellow

I’m just mad about Fourteen
Oh Fourteen’s mad about me
I’m just mad about Fourteen
She’s just mad about me

They call me mellow yellow
They call me mellow yellow
(Quite rightly)
They call me mellow yellow

Born high forever to fly
Oh wind velocity nil
Wanna high forever to fly
If you want your cup our fill

They call me mellow yellow
(Quite rightly)
They call me mellow yellow
(Quite rightly)
They call me mellow yellow
(So mellow, he’s so yellow)

Electrical banana
Is gonna be a sudden craze
Electrical banana
Is bound to be the very next phase

They call it mellow yellow
(Quite rightly)
They call me mellow yellow
(Quite rightly)
They call me mellow yellow

Saffron, yeah
I’m just mad about her
I’m just mad about Saffron
She’s just mad about me

They call me mellow yellow
(Quite rightly)
They call me mellow yellow
(Quite rightly)
They call me mellow yellow
(Oh so yellow, oh so mellow)”

Check Out The Groove Pad for More 1960s Music

The Pass the Paisley Groove Pad is a resting stop, a place to chill out and listen to the featured song on the stereo. If the mood strikes you, click on the juke box to access and listen to the 50+ commercial free online songs there. The TV has several channels, with selections updated twice a week. Every now and then, Pass the Paisley hosts an all-request of 1960s and 1970s songs for a Be-In at the juke box in the Groove Pad. Keep on truckin’. Hope you enjoyed “Mellow Yellow” by Donovan.