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TL;DR:

  • Paul McCartney was present at the recording of Donovan’s “Mellow Yellow.”
  • Donovan helped inspire the instrumentation of The Beatles’ “Dear Prudence.”
  • “Mellow Yellow” was more popular in the United States than it was in the United Kingdom.
"Mellow Yellow" singer Donovan in a hat
Donovan | Evening Standard / Stringer

One of the most striking classic rock songs from the 1960s is Donovan’s “Mellow Yellow.” Donovan explained Paul McCartney’s role in recording the song. In addition, Donovan revealed he influenced the production of The White Album.

Paul McCartney added a clap and a giggle to Donovan’s ‘Mellow Yellow’

Donovan is known for songs like “Hurdy Gurdy Man,” “Season of the Witch,” “Sunshine Superman,” and “Atlantis.” Paul was rumored to have sung backup on “Atlantis.” During a 2008 interview with Goldmine, Donovan was asked if that was the case. “No,” Donovan replied, chuckling.

Subsequently, Donovan discussed some of his actual collaborations with Paul. “Paul did the ‘Mellow Yellow’ session and added the clap and the giggle,” he recalled. “The only thing we ever got close doing was that Mary Hopkin album.” For context, Donovan and Paul both contributed to Hopkin’s debut album, Post Card. That record includes Hopkin’s signature hit: “Those Were the Days.”

How Donovan inspired the guitar playing on The Beatles’ ‘The White Album’

In the same interview, Donovan revealed he influenced the music of The White Album. Notably, the Fab Four wrote many songs from the album while on a retreat with Donovan in Rishikesh, India.

“George brought the instruments, of course, Indian and otherwise, and the tablas … they were for Ringo,” he said. “We were constantly playing. Whenever there was a guitar around, it was never out of hand, and I was performing all the time, constantly. So, the three songwriters, John, Paul and George, were constantly hearing folk styles that maybe they hadn’t heard, maybe they hadn’t known, so they hadn’t learned them.

“So, the styles I was playing came out, and when they picked up their guitars there, they were experimenting with that style,” Donovan continued. “Country-rock things that Paul was doing, and then this fingerstyle, which is the main story everybody remembers me telling. John turned around one day and said, ‘How do you do that?’ I said, ‘What?'” Donovan then taught John to play as he did, and John incorporated that style in songs like “Julia” and “Dear Prudence.”

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‘Mellow Yellow’ hit the pop charts in the United States and the United Kingdom

“Mellow Yellow” became one of Donovan’s biggest hits in the United States. It hit No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, staying on the chart for 12 weeks. The tune appeared on the album of the same name. Mellow Yellow reached No. 14 on the Billboard 200, staying on the chart for 21 weeks.

The Official Charts Company says “Mellow Yellow” reached No. 8 in the United Kingdom, staying on the chart for eight weeks. Meanwhile, Mellow Yellow never charted in the U.K. However, the track appeared on the compilation album The Best of Donovan: Sunshine Superman. That album reached No. 47 in the U.K. and stayed on the chart for four weeks.

“Mellow Yellow” is one of Donovan’s great songs and it wouldn’t be the same without Paul.

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