“Epistle to Dippy” (1967) – Donovan * Written by Donovan Leitch * 45: “Epistle to Dippy” / “Preachin’ Love” * Produced by Mickie Most * Label: Epic
If the term “hippy dippy” has a theme song, this 1967 Donovan single is it. That’s not an insult—fun factors abound in the arrangement, with its harpsichord and bassoon, while Donovan’s enunciation drifts into made-up language territory. The song’s high chart position (#20 in Billboard) indicates Mr. Leitch knew exactly what he was doing. A few years later, “Epistle to Dippy” would open up the 1969 Donovan’s Greatest Hits album, although the studio version of “Preachin’ Love,” the flipside, languished in out-of-print vinyl prison until the digital reissue era.