June, 1969.

Well isn’t this just wonderfully groovy for a Monday morning? I’m liking it.

Written by songwriter Donovan Leitch, this was the lead track from the 1969 album of the same name and was one of a number of songs recorded with The Jeff Beck Group. It was the only one of those recordings ever released as a single though, the others would later be included on the 2015 Barabajagal album re-release.

The title of the song is simply a made up name for the seductive lover referred to in the song, inspired by the lyrics ‘goo goo ga joob‘ from The Beatles’ song I Am the Walrus. The original UK release used the full title of the song Goo Goo Barabajagal (Love is Hot) but subsequent pressings shortened the name to just Barabajagal.

On its release, this gave Donovan a top forty hit in the US, reaching number thirty-six, whilst here in the UK it spent nine weeks on the chart and peaked at number twelve. 

It would turn out to be his last top forty hit in both countries, although a novelty cover version of Jenifer Jupiter, recorded with Trevor and Simon and entitled The Singing Corner Meets Donovan, did make it to number sixty-eight on the UK charts in 1990.