Sunshine Superman

Album: Sunshine Superman (1966)
Charted: 2 1
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  • The Man of Steel first showed up in comics in 1938. Superman was born Kal-El on the planet Krypton, sent to earth in a rocket, landed in Smallville, adopted by the Kents. Disguised as Clark Kent, a mild-mannered reporter at the Daily Planet, Superman is more powerful than a locomotive, faster than a speeding bullet, and can leap tall buildings at a single bound.

Comments: 17

  • Randy from HawaiiIn addition to Jimmy Page, I understand another Zeppelin member, John Paul Jones played bass guitar on Sunshine Superman.
  • Clare from UkIs he referring to what I think he's referring to when he sings "I can make like a turtle and dive for your pearls in the sea"?
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyHere's some obscure trivia:
    On February 12th 1940, 'The Adventures of Superman', with future television game show host Bud Collyer in the title role, began its 11-year run on radio as a syndicated show on New York City's WOR. It became a network show on Mutual in August 1942 as a 15-minute serial airing three to five times a week...
    Ten records with 'Superman' in it's title have made Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart:
    1. Sunshine Superman by Donovan, peaked at #1 in 1966
    2. Black Superman - Muhammad Ali by Johnny Walkelin & the Kinshasa Band, peaked at 21 in 1975
    3. Superman by Herbie Mann, peaked at #26 in 1979
    4. Superman by Ides of March, peaked at #64 in 1970
    5. Theme from 'Superman' - Main Title by John Williams, peaked at #81 in 1979
    6. I'm Your Superman by All Sports Band, peaked at All Sports Band
    7. Superman by Dino, Desi, and Billy, peaked at #94
    And
    Three peaked at #41; Superman by Donna in 1973, Superman by Celi Bee & the Buzzy Bunch in 1977, and (Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman by the Kinks in 1979
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn July 24th 1966, "Sunshine Superman" by Donovan entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #90; and on August 28th, 1966 it peaked at #1 (for 1 week) and spent 13 weeks on the Top 100...
    It reached #2 in Canada and Australia...
    Between 1965 and 1973 he had seventeen Top 100 records; four made the Top 10 with "Sunshine Superman" being his biggest hit...
    He just missed having a second #1 when "Mellow Yellow" peaked at #2 (for 3 weeks) on December 4th, 1966 (during its 1st week at #2, "Good Vibrations" by the Beach Boys was #1; and for its 2nd & 3rd week at #2, the #1 record was "Winchester Cathedral" by the New Vaudeville Band...
    Donovan Philips Leitch celebrated his 68th birthday two months ago on May 10th, 2014.
  • Jf from Montreal, QcGreat number... We had a blast doing the cover & clip...

    :: STEVE JOB'S CONFESSION !
    A very interesting little nugget of info from Apple's visionary is found somewhere in our clip about it all...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYtt8e4MisY

    Did you know about it ?
    Donovan knew ;)

  • Steve from Whittier, CaThis song was not only no more than 3:15 on single BUT on LP, AND the LP FOLLOWED, a sign of how recording artists still did things in mid 60s, yet there WAS indeed a longer version first heard in 1969 on a Greatest Hits LP, and even longer more recently. Of course, that longer version is the dominant one on US radio now..
  • Sara from Silver Spring, MdThe YouTube video shows clips of Sue Lyons because there was a rumor somewhere that Donovan had an affair with her at one point.
  • Sara from Silver Spring, MdDonovan re-recorded the song on his 1983 album Lady of the Stars which sold so poorly it was reissued several times even with the title "Sunshine Superman"! Now you know why Donovan's career sank in the eighties!
  • Sara from Silver Spring, MdThe song that also mentions Green Lantren another DC Comics hero.
    Among the artists who have covered it: Jewel (in the I Shot Andy Warhol OST in favor of Mel Torme's rather bizarre version), Rickie Lee Jones on the Party of Five OST, Melba Moore and some group called "The Films" on an album called
    Songs of Superman.
  • Pennell from Kansas City, MoEarly Jimmy Page. Wow, you can tell he matured a lot four years after this song with Zeppelin.
  • Teresa from Mechelen, BelgiumMy favourite song of Donovan, very TOP!
  • Benjamin from Milwaukie (oak Grove), OrSinger/violinist Imani Coppola sampled the melody of this song on her lone Top 40 single "Legend of a Cowgirl" (it made only #36 US).
  • Brian from Dnever, CoI have heard of both Sunshine and Superman types of acid. is the song named after the LSD? Or is the LSD named after the song?
  • Meredith from Wauwatosa, WiI may not always understand what Donovan sings, but I love this song!
  • Rasmus from Odense, DenmarkThis hit #1 at the US chart septemper 1966
  • Wik from Brooklyn, Ny'Sunshine' and 'Superman' are the first words in the first and second verses respectively.
  • Steven from Concord, MaI distinctly remember seeing a Manhattan Phone Book (white pages) from that era and noticing the bold print name headers on page 1200 or the like being "SUNSHINE" on the left and "SUPERMAN" on the right. I presume Donovan saw this once too, and voila, the song title was born.
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