Deep Purple: Lalena

Here’s a cover going back to 1969 from Deep Purple’s self-titled third LP. This album is my favorite of the four Tetragrammaton albums by the band; however, I have to admit – my copy is a UK import on Harvest Records. It has the strangest cover of any album by the band as it features a black and white photo of Hieronymus Bosch's painting “The Garden of Earthly Delights.”

My favorite tune on the album is their interpretation of Donovan’s ballad “Lalana” which is pronounced “Laleña .“ Rod Evans voice is just perfect and Ritchie Blackmore’s subtle use of a volume pedal at the end of the tune almost sounds like a sitar. This was the only cover on an album that featured primarily original material by the band. It was also the last album to feature the original lineup of the band.

I realize that I used this tune back last year in a post dealing with the "Deep Purple before Smoke on the Water"; however, I felt that this cut deserved a bit more exposure.

Donovan’s Original Version

Although it wasn’t a hit, Donovan’s original of “Lalena” was my favorite song of his. Here’s his original recoding of the tune.