territory: U.S.
release date: December 1973 ???
label: Epic Records
catalogue number(s):

duration: 42.24 ???
producer(s): Andrew Oldham and Donovan
comment: Donovan's 11th studio album

Side 1

1. Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth (3.28)
2. Lazy Daze (4.43)
3. Life Goes On (2.37)
4. There is an Ocean (4.49)
5. Dignity of Man (Version II) (5.19)

1. Yellow Star (3.07)
2. Divine Daze of Deathless Delight (4.00)
3. Boy for Every Girl (Version I) (4.15)
4. Saint Valentine's Angel (3.57)
5. Life is a Merry-go-round (Version II) (3.13)
6. Sailing Homeward (Version II) (2.56)

Timings are from the U.K. issue record label and any subsequent observations may only be relevant to the U.K. issue of the album.

Commentary

The record cover is totally white except for the title (with the S's in Essence tilted forward) and a single picture of Donovan kneeling dressed in white robes. The inside of the album shows two more pictures of Donovan in different positions with a final one on the back cover. So if you progress from front to back it gives the impression of Donovan giving you a little bow.

On the back cover are the song titles and above Don's head are the first nine lines from Dignity of Man.

On the lyric sheet, the songs are listed in the following order: Yellow Star, Divine Daze of Deathless Delight, Dignity of Man, Sailing Homeward, Boy for Every Girl, Life is a Merry-go-round, Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth, There is an Ocean , Life Goes On, Lazy Daze, Saint Valentine's Angel. Is this the order that the songs were recorded in?

The cover art direction and design were by John Kosh and Donovan, with photographs created by Tony Evans. The last line on the insert is presumably a little message from Donovan: `Humble appreciation to all my brothers in music who played on these songs'.

Discrepancies

• Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth is listed as Spaceship Earth on the record label
• Dignity of Man is listed as The Dignity of Man in the lyric insert
• Divine Daze of Deathless Delight is listed as The Divine Daze of Deathless Delight in the lyric insert
• Saint Valentine's Angel is listed as St. Valentine Angel on the record label
• the record label says that the album is produced by Andrew Oldham and Donovan but the lyric insert only lists Andrew Oldham

Miscellaneous

• Members of the `Pop Arts Strings and Horns' gathered together in one place by David Katz
• Private chef - Nigel Ford

Details for Collectors

Insert
Gatefold sleeve
Yellow label with black text
Epic Records logo

The record sleeve is titled The Inner Sleeve (UK POP1) and has an advert for Cosmic Wheels amongst albums by other artists like Johnny Nash, Scott Walker, Mott The Hoople and Al Stewart.

There is a one page insert of lyrics, session players information and production credits.

Record: S EPC 69050
Side 1: S EPC 69050 A
  runout groove on my 1st copy: EPC A 69050 A1   and   AL-32800   and   STERLING RL   and   a tiny therefore sign (three dots)
  runout groove on my 2nd copy: EPC A 69050 A2   and   AL-32800   and   STERLING RL   and   four tiny scratches in two pairs adjacent to each other   and   a tiny therefore sign (three dots)
Side 2: S EPC 69050 B
  runout groove on my 1st copy: EPC S 69050 B2   and   BL-32800   and   STERLING RL   and   two tiny scratches; and   a tiny therefore sign (three dots)
  runout groove on my 2nd copy: EPC S 69050 B1   and   BL-32800   and   STERLING RL   and   four scratches in two pairs on different sides of the record