There Is an Ocean

2005 film

There Is an Ocean

Directed by| Nigel Lesmoir-Gordon
Written by| Donovan P. Leitch
Produced by| Nigel Lesmoir-Gordon
Starring|

* Donovan P. Leitch
* "Candy" John Carr
* Mike Thomson

Cinematography| David Reid and Chris O'Dell
Edited by| Nigel Lesmoir-Gordon
Music by| Donovan and Open Road
Distributed by| Small Smile Productions

Release date

* 2005 (2005)

Running time

| 35 minutes
Language| English

There Is an Ocean is a film documenting the Scottish songwriter Donovan during his time spent in Greece with his band Open Road in 1970. The film remained unreleased until 2005 when it was included in the box set Try for the Sun: The Journey of Donovan.

## Background

[edit]

In 1969 Donovan left the United States at the height of his popularity, leaving his longtime producer Mickie Most, and returned home to explore new directions in his music. With drummer "Candy" John Carr and bassist/guitarist Mike Thomson, he formed a band called Open Road, who released an eponymous album in 1970. Donovan's plan was to tour the world with the band for one year, primarily by boat, as a "tax exile" from the UK. In order to avoid Britain's exorbitant taxes, he needed to be gone from the 5th of April one year to the 5th of April the next, so at the onset of spring, Donovan flew to Greece where he met up with friends, family, bandmates, and his yacht, christened Vagrant.[1]

The band stayed on the island of Crete where they rehearsed for upcoming dates in France, Italy, and Japan, and sailed to various fishing villages on the islands of Sikinos, Ios, and Ithaca to play pop-up gigs for locals and tourists. It is these impromptu concerts, along with the beauty of Greece's landscapes and views of the Aegean and Ionian Seas, that There Is an Ocean documents.

The film was directed, edited, and produced by British filmmaker Nigel Lesmoir-Godon, who had also made a film about Syd Barrett during the early days of Pink Floyd.[2]

## Songs

[edit]

Although Donovan and Open Road had electric instruments in their rehearsal space on Crete, these sessions do not appear on film. All songs are performed by Mike Thomson and Donovan playing acoustic guitars and John Carr on bongo drums and bells. Sometimes the group use microphones, sometimes not. Donovan also sings "The Pee Song" with his three-year-old son.

At the time of filming, none of the songs featured in There Is an Ocean had appeared on any of Donovan's albums, with the exception of "Riki Tiki Tavi". Most other songs would appear on subsequent releases between 1971 and 2010.

## Song list

[edit]

1. "Sailing Homeward"c
2. "Two Types of People"
3. "Sailing Homeward"c (reprise)
4. "The Pee Song"b (with Donovan Leitch, Jr.)
5. "Love Seed"e
6. "The Garden"d
7. "Electric Moon"f
8. "It's Got to Be Gas"
9. "Barabajagal Came to Blythe Fair"
10. "Sailing Homeward"c (re-reprise)
11. "Your Love Is Taking Me Higher"
12. "Riki Tiki Tavi"a
13. "When the Big Moon Rise"
14. "Happy Birthday"/"Ocean"
15. "Moon Dance" (Grecian bagpipe music)
16. "The Journey to Ithaca" (poem by Constantine Cavafy)
17. "There Is an Ocean"c

### Studio versions

[edit]

Studio recordings of the songs in the film appear on the following Donovan albums:

a Open Road (1970)
b HMS Donovan (1971)
c Essence to Essence (1974)
d Sutras (1996)
e Ritual Groove (2010)
f Lyrics appear in Donovan's autobiography (2007)[1]

## Personnel

[edit]

* Donovan Leitch – narration, guitar, vocals
* Mike Thomson – guitar, vocals
* "Candy" John Carr – percussion, vocals
* David Reid – photography
* Chris O'Dell – photography
* Robbie Laurie – assistant
* Greg Bailey – sound recording
* Nigel Lesmoir-Gordon – director, editing, producer

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Leitch, Donovan (2007). The Autobiography of Donovan: The Hurdy Gurdy Man. Macmillan.
2. ^ Makey, Julian (1 Nov 2012). "Trip of a lifetime". Cambridge News. Archived from the original on 21 December 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2016.

* v
* t
* e

Donovan

* Discography

Studio albums|

* What's Bin Did and What's Bin Hid (Catch the Wind)
* Fairytale
* Sunshine Superman
* Mellow Yellow
* A Gift from a Flower to a Garden
* The Hurdy Gurdy Man
* Barabajagal
* Open Road
* HMS Donovan
* Cosmic Wheels
* Essence to Essence
* 7-Tease
* Slow Down World
* Donovan
* Neutronica
* Love Is Only Feeling
* Lady of the Stars
* Sutras
* Pied Piper
* Sixty Four
* Brother Sun, Sister Moon
* Beat Cafe
* Shadows of Blue

Live albums|

* Donovan in Concert
* Live in Japan: Spring Tour 1973
* Rising
* Rising Again
* Greatest Hits Live: Vancouver 1986

Songs|

* "Catch the Wind"
* "Colours"
* "Universal Soldier"
* "Turquoise" / "Hey Gyp (Dig the Slowness)"
* "You're Gonna Need Somebody On Your Bond"
* "To Try for the Sun"
* "Josie"
* "Remember the Alamo"
* "Sunshine Superman"
* "Mellow Yellow"
* "Epistle to Dippy"
* "There Is a Mountain"
* "Wear Your Love Like Heaven"
* "Jennifer Juniper"
* "Hurdy Gurdy Man"
* "Atlantis"
* "Laléna"
* "Barabajagal"
* "Rock 'n' Roll with Me"
* "Season of the Witch"
* "Billion Dollar Babies"
* "I Am the Shaman"

Compilation
albums|

* The Best of Donovan (1969)
* Catch the Wind (1971)
* Catch the Wind (1986)
* Atlantis Calling
* Donovan's Greatest Hits
* Donovan's Greatest Hits and More
* The Collection
* Colours (1972)
* Colours (1991)
* Definitive Collection
* Donovan File
* Universal Soldier
* Wonderful Music of Donovan
* Early Treasures
* The Early Years
* This Is Donovan
* A Touch of Music a Touch of Donovan
* Sunshine Superman: The Very Best of Donovan
* Sunshine Superman: 18 Songs of Love and Freedom
* The Real Donovan
* Peace and Love Songs
* Minstrel Boy
* Mellow
* Love Is Hot, Truth Is Molten
* Like It Is, Was, and Evermore Shall Be
* Storyteller
* Summer Day Reflection Songs
* Eco-Song
* The Essential Donovan

Box sets|

* Troubadour: The Definitive Collection 1964–1976
* Try for the Sun: The Journey of Donovan

Family|

* Linda Lawrence (wife)
* Donovan Leitch (son)
* Ione Skye (daughter)
* Kirsty Hume (daughter-in-law)
* Ben Lee (son-in-law)
* Ad-Rock (son-in-law)

Related|

* There Is an Ocean
* The Sports Play Dylan (and Donovan)
* Island of Circles
* Open Road
* One Night in Time
* The Sensual Donovan

* Category

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