Colours (song)
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{{Infobox Single <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Songs -->
| Name = Colours
| Cover = Donovan-Colours_single.jpg
| Caption = UK (Pye) sleeve
| Artist = [[Donovan]]
| from Album = [[Fairytale (album)|Fairytale]]
| Released =May 28, [[1965]] <small>(UK)</small><br>June [[1965]] <small>(US)</small>
| B-side = "To Sing for You"<small> (UK)</small><br>"[[Josie (Donovan song)|Josie]]"<small> (USA)</small>
| Format = [[vinyl record|7"]]
| Recorded = [[1965]]
| Genre = [[folk (music)|folk]]
| Length =2:44 (Side A)<br>2:46 ("To Sing For You")<br>3:29 ("Josie")
| Label = [[Pye Records|Pye]] 7N15866<small> (UK)</small><br>Hickory 45-1324<small> (USA)</small>
| Writer = Donovan Leitch
| Producer = Terry Kennedy, Peter Eden, Geoff Stephens
| Chronology = [[Donovan]] UK singles
| Reviews =
| Last single = "[[Catch the Wind (song)|Catch the Wind]]"<br>(1965)
| This single = "Colours" <br>(1965)
| Next single = "[[Turquoise (song)|Turquoise]]" <br> (1965)
| Misc = {{Extra chronology 2
| Artist =[[Donovan]] USA singles
| Type =singles
| Last album ="[[Catch the Wind (song)|Catch the Wind]]"<br>(1965)
| This album ="Colours" <br>(1965)
| Next album ="[[Universal Soldier (song)|Universal Soldier]]"<br>(1965)
}}
}}
"'''Colours'''" is a song written and recorded by [[Scotland|Scottish]] [[singer-songwriter]] [[Donovan]]. The "Colours" single was released in the United Kingdom on May 28, 1965 through [[Pye Records]] (Pye 7N 15866) and a few months later in the United States through [[Hickory Records]] (Hickory 45-1324). The "Colours" single was backed with "To Sing for You" (previously included on ''[[What's Bin Did and What's Bin Hid]]'') on the United Kingdom release and "Josie" (from ''What's Bin Did and What's Bin Hid'') on the United States release.
[[Image:Donovan-Colours_single_Sweden.jpg|left|thumbnail|200px|Swedish release of "Colours" single.]]
Donovan followed up the success of "[[Catch the Wind (song)|Catch the Wind]]" with "Colours", which featured a similar folk style. The single matched the success of "Catch the Wind" in the United Kingdom, reaching #4 on the charts. In the United States, "Colours" reached #61 and marked a decline in popularity from "Catch the Wind". A different mix of the song (without harmonica) was released on his second album ''[[Fairytale (album)|Fairytale]]''.
When [[Epic Records]] was compiling ''[[Donovan's Greatest Hits]]'', they were either unable or unwilling to secure the rights to the original recordings of "Catch the Wind" and "Colours". Donovan rerecorded both songs with a full backing band, and the rerecordings were included on the greatest hits album.
A live duet with [[Joan Baez]] from the 1965 [[Newport Folk Festival]] is included on the 1995 compilation ''Folk Music at Newport, Part 1''.
The song was used in the films ''[[Poor Cow]]'' and ''[[The Rules of Attraction]]''.
{{Donovan}}
[[Category:Donovan songs]]
[[Category:1965 singles]]