How Jimmy Page replaced Jimi Hendrix on a classic Donovan track
The 1960s was a time of great musical exploration and collaboration, with many of the day’s most successful artists rubbing shoulders with one another. In a demonstration of this free-flowing creativity, future Led Zeppelin members Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones were two of London’s most sought-after session musicians, playing on a number of classic tracks by prominent contemporaries before they converged to form the band that outsold The Beatles.
One classic song Page and Jones worked on is Donovan’s 1968 piece of psychedelic folk, ‘Hurdy Gurdy Man’. However, for a period of time, things weren’t meant to be this way, with Donovan later revealing that Jimi Hendrix was originally meant to play guitar on the song. The thought of Hendrix playing on the hit is a fascinating one, but unfortunately, due to other commitments, he couldn’t make it. Instead, London’s most trusted guitarist stepped in instead at the suggestion of producer Mickie Most.
Speaking to Uncut in 2008, Donovan reflected on the recording of ‘Hurdy Gurdy Man’ and noted the importance of Page, Jones, and him working together. Donovan even mentioned that the future Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham claimed he was also present at the session. “Many people have said over the years how important that session of John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page, and me — and maybe [John] Bonham, who said he was there — doing ‘Hurdy Gurdy Man’ was,” he said.
“I was developing a story-telling thing, and I wanted power chords because I’d obviously heard Dave Davies (The Kinks) and Hendrix and knew Pete Townshend,” Donovan continued. “Originally, I wanted to give ‘Hurdy Gurdy Man’ to Hendrix, but he couldn’t come in. So (producer) Mickie Most suggested Jimmy.”
Donovan then explained what Page learned from the session for ‘Hurdy Gurdy Man’. He said: “(Musical director) John Cameron told him, ‘All you’ve got to do is listen to Donovan’s guitar. Although it’s acoustic, the way he’s hitting it is the way the power chords would go. Rather than plug-in, I was hitting driving chords on the acoustic in such a way that they buzz. So I guess Page listened.”
To conclude, the Scotsman offered a brief account of Page and Jones’ legacy with Led Zeppelin. “Jimmy added power and pagan rock,” he asserted. “To this day, everyone wants that sound. And John Paul Jones arranged it, he gave the shapes to those sounds.” Donovan also believes that Led Zeppelin “became the greatest pagan British rock band”.
