Daily Jam - The Hurdy Gurdy Man

For the longest time, I didn’t know what a hurdy-gurdy was. I just assumed it was some sort of nonsense phrase created by The Butthole Surfers for their song “Hurdy Gurdy Man” from 1991’s Piouhgd. I also did not realize (until college!) that it was a cover of a song originally recorded in the 60’s by psych rock troubadour Donovan.

I later found out that a hurdy-gurdy is a musical instrument.

And that’s just boring.

For some reason, I had a really sinister notion as to what a “Hurdy Gurdy Man” was supposed to be. Donovan’s psych classic, from the 1968 album of the same name, has such an undercurrent of menace to me, that I just assumed it was about a stalker, or killer, or monster of some kind or another. That trippy tremolo effect creating this kind of spooky dissonance (an effect The Buttholes went a little wild with on their own version), lyrics about “shadows cast” and “the crying of humanity,” and the all too serene, chilled vibe of the song make for a disarming kind of siren’s call, a luring lullaby before the serial killer stabs you in the belly, or the beast eats you whole.

But no, it’s really just a minstrel of sorts…singing songs of love.

Sigh.

“Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy gurdy.”

Listen below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam (October Edition) - Wild Witch Lady

Getting deeper into October.  Must be the season of the witch.  Here's Donovan with "Wild Witch Lady," our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - The Hurdy Gurdy Man

I love that when the Butthole Surfers covered Donovan's "The Hurdy Gurdy Man," they kept things pretty faithful, really just emphasizing the weirder aspects of the song that were already there.  And it just folds into their repertoire perfectly.  Listen below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam (October Edition) - Season of the Witch

Here's some Donovan.  Listen to "Season of the Witch" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam (Covers Week) - Hurdy Gurdy Man

Patrick Cowley was a disco pioneer and early synthesizer enthusiast, responsible for a handful of disco club hits as well as some musical cues used in gay porn films.  Throughout the late '70s, and before his death in 1982, Cowley recorded a number of songs with singer Jorge Socarras that never saw release until a few years ago via Dark Entries on a collection called "Catholic."  The whole thing is great, a set of kind of post punk and new wave inspired pop songs, but today we're focused on the album closing cover of Donovan's "Hurdy Gurdy Man."  Cowley's and Socarras's version is ridiculously good, ahead of its time, and worthy of your ears this morning.  Your Daily Jam...