Fairytale finds Donovan evolving his styles further towards British folk, especially on songs such as "Summer Day Reflection Song" and "Jersey Thursday". "Sunny Goodge Street" foreshadows the jazzy feel and descriptions of life in urban London that Donovan would continue to explore over the next two years. Like his previous album What's Bin Did and What's Bin Hid, Fairytale primarily features Donovan singing and playing mouth harp and acoustic guitar. Shawn Phillips is playing the extra twelve-string guitar. For release in the US, Hickory Records added a cover of Buffy Sainte-Marie's "Universal Soldier" and removed a cover of Bert Jansch's "Oh Deed I Do". Donovan's recording of "Universal Soldier" was released in the US as a single the previous September, and was achieving some chart success. The Canadian pressing, issued on the British Pye label, omitted "Belated Forgiveness Plea" but included "Oh Deed I Do" and "Universal Soldier". "To Try For The Sun" was covered by Lindsey Buckingham on his 2006 album "Under The Skin".
Reissues
In January 1969, Fairytale was reissued in an edited form in the UK. "Colours" and "The Little Tin Soldier" were both removed from the album.
In 1996, Sequel Records reissued the US version of Fairytale on compact disc. The CD features seven bonus tracks. The first bonus track is a cover of Bert Jansch's "Oh Deed I Do". On the original US version of Fairytale "Oh Deed I Do" was cut and a cover of Buffy Sainte-Marie's "Universal Soldier" was added. The next three songs are from Donovan's 1965 EPUniversal Soldier. "Turquoise" and "Hey Gyp " were originally released as Donovan's third UK single on 30 October 1965. The last bonus track is the single version of "Colours".
On 19 February 2002, Sanctuary Records reissued the original UK version of Fairytale on compact disc. The CD features six bonus tracks. The first four bonus tracks were originally released 15 August1965 in the UK on Donovan's Universal Soldier EP. That EP featured a different take of "The Ballad of a Crystal Man". The last two bonus tracks are both sides of Donovan's third single "Turquoise"/"Hey Gyp " released 30 October 1965 in the UK.
On 22 February 2005, Silverline Records reissued the original UK version of Fairytale on DualDisc. The DualDisc has an identical track listing to the 2002 Sanctuary Records reissue.
Track listing
Original album (UK)
Side 1
"Colours" – 2:11
"To Try for the Sun" – 3:36
"Sunny Goodge Street" – 2:55
"Oh Deed I Do" – 2:00
"Circus of Sour" – 1:50
"The Summer Day Reflection Song" – 2:11
Side 2
"Candy Man" – 3:25
"Jersey Thursday" – 2:13
"Belated Forgiveness Plea" – 2:54
"The Ballad of a Crystal Man" – 3:50
"The Little Tin Soldier" – 3:02
"The Ballad of Geraldine" – 4:38
1965 Hickory Records version (US)
Side 1
"Universal Soldier" – 2:16
"To Try for the Sun" – 3:36
"Sunny Goodge Street" – 2:55
"Colours" – 2:44
"Circus of Sour" – 1:50
"Summer Day Reflection Song" – 2:11
Side 2
"Candy Man" – 3:25
"Jersey Thursday" – 2:13
"Belated Forgiveness Plea" – 2:54
"The Ballad of a Crystal Man" – 3:50
"The Little Tin Soldier" – 3:02
"The Ballad of Geraldine" – 4:38
1996 Sequel Records version (US)
Track listing as on the 1965 Hickory Records version plus the following bonus tracks:
