UNIVERSAL SOLDIER (Donovan)
“Universal Soldier” is a song written and recorded by Canadian singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie. By 1965 the song had caught the attention of budding folk singer Donovan, who recorded it using a similar arrangement to Buffy Sainte-Marie’s original recording. Donovan’s recording was released on an EP titled The Universal Soldier in the United Kingdom (15 August 1965, Pye NEP 24219). The EP continued Donovan’s run of high charting releases in the UK by reaching #5 on the charts. (More from Wikipedia)
Like many of Bob Dylan’s protest songs, another song on It’s My Way!, “Universal Soldier” has a different target from what one might expect. Rather than railing at politicians and tyrants, Buffy Sainte-Marie points out that ultimately, the common soldiers are the ones doing the fighting: “He’s the Universal Soldier and he really is to blame”. “Universal Soldier” was an early hit for Donovan.
(August 2013)
