From musictap.net:

Fans of the ’60s beat generation singer-songwriter, Donovan will be pleased to know that Legacy Recordings plans a 2CD, 36-song retrospective The Essential Donovan series title on April 17. This set will contain US/UK song charters and sweeten the collection with four tracks previously unreleased on any CD collection in the US.

On April 14, this legendary poet of psychedelia will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This set helps to celebrate this event with familiar tracks from his Hickory Records (Pye Records in the UK) and Epic recording years. Many of the tracks were recorded in mono and are collected here in that version.

The four bonus inclusions include ”The Land Of Doesn’t Have To Be,” (1966) previously unissued in the U.S. as an early mono version; ”Sunny Goodge Street” (an early song first heard on his second LP, Fairytale); “Sand And Foam” (from the Mellow Yellow repertoire), both recorded November 17, 1967 at the Anaheim Convention Center; and ”Hey Gyp (Dig The Slowness),” the song he first wrote with his ramblin’ friend Gypsy Dave in 1965, updated eight years later on the CBS/Japan-only release, Live In Japan – Spring Tour 1973.

The track-list for this new set (with new liner notes) are as follows:

THE ESSENTIAL DONOVAN

DISC ONE:

1. Catch The Wind (mono single version, 1965, Hickory) Hot 100 #23 (A)
2. Colours (mono single, 1965) Hot 100 #61 (B)
3. Summer Day Reflection Song (mono single, 1965) (B)
4. Universal Soldier (mono single, 1965) Hot 100 #53 (B)
5. You’re Gonna Need Somebody On Your Bond (mono single, 1965) (A)
6. Turquoise (mono single, 1965, Hickory) (C)
7. Sunshine Superman (extended version, 1966) Hot 100 #1 (D)
8. The Trip (single version, 1966) (D)
9. Legend Of A Girl Child Linda (D)
10. Season Of The Witch (D)
11. Ferris Wheel (D)
12. Mellow Yellow (mono single, 1966) Hot 100 #2 (E)
13. Young Girl Blues (mono) (E)
14. Museum (mono) (E)
15. Hampstead Incident (mono) (E)
16. Sunny South Kensington (mono single, 1966) (E)
17. The Land Of Doesn’t Have To Be (early version, mono, 1966) previously unissued in the U.S.
18. Epistle To Dippy (single, 1967) Hot 100 #19 (J)

DISC TWO:
1. There Is A Mountain (single, 1967) Hot 100 #11
2. Wear Your Love Like Heaven (single, 1967) Hot 100 #23 (F) and (H)
3. Sun (F) and (H)
4. Isle Of Islay (G) and (H)
5. Sunny Goodge Street (recorded: November 17, 1967 at the Anaheim Convention Center, previously unissued on CD in the U.S.)
6. Sand And Foam (recorded: November 17, 1967 at the Anaheim Convention Center, previously unissued on CD in the U.S.)
7. Jennifer Juniper (single, 1968) Hot 100 #26 (I)
8. Hurdy Gurdy Man (single, 1968) Hot 100 #5 (I)
9. Get Thy Bearings (I)
10. Lalena (single, 1968) Hot 100 #33 (J)
11. To Susan On The West Coast Waiting (single, 1969) Hot 100 #35 (K)
12. Atlantis (single, 1969) Hot 100 #7 (K)
13. Goo Goo Barabajagal (Love Is Hot) [with the Jeff Beck Group] (single, 1969) Hot 100 #36 (K)
14. Happiness Runs (K)
15. Riki Tiki Tavi (single, 1970) Hot 100 #55 (L)
16. Celia Of The Seals (single, 1971) Hot 100 #84 (M)
17. I Like You (single, 1973) Hot 100 #66 (N)
18. Hey Gyp (Dig The Slowness) (O) previously unissued in the U.S.

Album index:
(A) – from album Catch The Wind (Hickory LPM 123, released 1965)
(B) – from album Fairytale (Hickory LPM 127, released 1965)
(C) – from album The Real Donovan (Hickory LPM 135, released 1966)
(D) – from Sunshine Superman (Epic BN 26217, released 1966)
(E) – from Mellow Yellow (Epic LN 24239, released 1966)
(F) – from Wear Your Love Like Heaven (Epic BN 26349, released 1967)
(G) – from For Little Ones (Epic BN 26350, released 1967)
(H) – from A Gift From A Flower To A Garden (Epic B2N 171, released 1967)
(I) – from The Hurdy Gurdy Man (Epic BN 26420, released 1968)
(J) – from Donovan’s Greatest Hits (Epic BN 26439, released 1969)
(K) – from Barabajagal (Epic BN 26481, released 1969)
(L) – from Open Road (Epic E 30125, released 1970)
(M) – from H.M.S. Donovan (Dawn 3009, released 1971)
(N) – from Cosmic Wheels (Epic KE 32156, released 1973)
(O) – from Live In Japan – Spring Tour 1973 (Epic Japan ECPM 25, released 1973)

I guess this replaces the USA 2 CD Best of Box Set (Yes it really was a 2 cd full box set!)?

This showed up at 'Rama today. Since I only have 4 or 5 other Donovan comps, I bought one.

This never gets old for me.

You and he both I am still on the fence since I just got the Try For The Sun box to go with my old Sony 2CD set and the AF hybrid set.

That makes one of us.

...and I have no plans to stop anytime soon

Ever since its use in David Fincher's Zodiac, "Hurdy Gurdy Man" takes on a whole new sinister feel. (P.S. Donovan's daughter, Ione Skye, appears in the movie.)

With Jimbo, how can the record industry say profits are down?

Dude, you support 20 or so executives all by yourself!

I've always felt that for something to be called a "box set," it should at least have three discs.

If you buy this one from newburycomics.com you get a extra CD booklet that comes autographed right now til they sell out....

Thanks for the heads up, 1212corey!

Some quotes from Amazon:

This set contains the shorter, 45 rpm version of "Sunshine Superman," not the extended version as claimed, with the longer guitar solo. A major screwup. I'm returning my purchase to Amazon today. If you want the extended version of "Sunshine Superman," it remains available on "Donovan's Greatest Hits."


and

This is a wonderfully-chosen double CD collection of the '60s singer-songwriter's oeuvre, providing a thorough overview of his career. But, be warned: Disc One is almost entirely in MONO, which is fine for engineers and other luddite aesthetes, but leaves some of us mere listeners cold. One should at least buy Donovan's Greatest Hits first, for the stereo mixes, and then get this new compilation. Nice booklet with this new compilation, though!

And is Atlantis (my favorite Donovan song) the 4:58 minute version or the slightly shorter single version? I can remember a time when Atlantis was played on the radio!

Collector's will probably go ape over the mono. A bit surprised they didn't push that.