If the sheer number of people who stake a claim to the title ‘the fifth Beatle’ is anything to go by, then The Beatles weren’t quite the closed camp they are often made out to be.
From the very earliest days of the legendary outfit, in the dingy clubs of Hamburg, it was never just John, Paul, George, and Ringo. Whether it was Tony Sheridan launching the band’s recording career, Brian Epstein scoring them a deal with EMI, or George Martin carving out the basis of their entire sound from the studios of Abbey Road, the title of the Fab Four never really did justice to the essential group of influences which surrounded the group throughout their tenure.
Nevertheless, those influences rarely made it into the studio in a physical sense. Aside from a few notable exceptions in the form of Billy Preston or Eric Clapton, The Beatles tended not to rely on session musicians or hired help – at least not to the extent of some of their contemporaries in 1960s London. Even if he never made it onto one of their LPs, though, the influence of somebody like Donovan is still unavoidable on the band’s discography.
Having been introduced to the band via Bob Dylan, the young songwriter ended up fostering a particularly close relationship with The Beatles, even teaching John Lennon the distinctive finger-picking guitar style that went on to inspire tracks like ‘Dear Prudence’. According to Donovan himself, though, his influence stretched far beyond those few finger-picking tracks.
During a 2009 chat with Classic Rock, Donovan reflected on that enduring connection between himself and the band. “Martin Lewis, the legendary Beatleographer, told me: ‘You don’t know this, Don, but you had more social, musical and spiritual contact with these four guys than anyone of your generation,’” the songwriter claimed. “At the time, of course, we were young and crazy, and we didn’t know how long it was going to last.”
Whether or not that description is entirely accurate, The Beatles’ spiritual awakening is undeniably linked to Donovan and his own spirituality. “George and I were closest because of our spiritual paths and the books we were both reading,” he affirmed, with the pair sharing a deep interest in the kind of Eastern philosophy and spirituality which went on to have a colossal impact on the counterculture era.
“John was fascinating to be around; he didn’t suffer fools gladly,” he continued in his assessment of the group. “Paul was full of light and energy and jokes, and we would constantly be jiving each other. We tried to write songs together, but it was impossible, because every idea I had sparked him off and every idea he had sparked me off.” He didn’t mention Ringo Starr.
It was during The Beatles’ infamous trip to India that they grew ever closer to Donovan, who was also there studying the ways of the Maharishi. As a result, perhaps unsurprisingly, Donovan’s spiritual and songwriting impact is palpable on the projects which arose from that fateful trip. “George said later that you can hear me all over the White Album,” he shared. “We only had the acoustic guitars, and that’s when we really got to know each other.”
The Beatles came into contact with countless musicians and external influences during their tenure, but few had the same tangible impact as Donovan, changing the sonic direction of the band and, particularly in the case of George Harrison, changing the course of his life entirely.
