Donovan came to fame in the United Kingdom in early 1965 with a series of live performances on the television pop series, Ready Steady Go!. He first hit the charts in 1965 with his single "Catch the Wind", continuing on with a string of hits, most of them produced by Mickie Most. Donovan's 1966 Sunshine Superman marked not only a transition to the burgeoning psychedelic scene, but is also viewed as a formative album in its genre, inspiring countless contemporaries. His 1967 double album A Gift from a Flower to a Garden—the first major album released as a boxed set—completed the transition from beat poet folkster to hippie troubadour.
As a close friend of The Beatles, he traveled with them to India during their stay at the ashram of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and taught them the "clawhammer" finger-picking style, which is featured on several tracks on their seminal 1968 double album The Beatles, better known as "The White Album."
The decline of Donovan's commercial popularity coincides roughly with his split from Most in 1969, as well as gradually lessened interest in psychedelics by artists and the record-buying public alike. With the advent of punk rock during the mid-'70s, Donovan, now viewed as a "nice boy" '60s relic, truly fell from favor. Music critics' tastes too had changed; Donovan's new product, while still quirky and experimental, earned little but scorn and derision. As the decades progressed, Donovan would record and perform only sporadically, often separated by several years.
Donovan's career went through a revival of sorts with the emergence of Britain's rave scene in the '90s. As a result, his most famous works were reissued, and once again viewed favorably by critics. With the release of the back-to-basics Rick Rubin-produced Sutras in 1996, Donovan's career settled into a comparatively steady stream of new releases, coupled with archival material and various reissues. He was inducted into the Rock and Hall of Fame in 2012.
Bye Bye Girl
Donovan Lyrics
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It's the only way to set us free
I know I leave you with a heart full
I can feel your pitiful plea.
Bye bye, girl, bye bye, girl, I gotta go
Your lovin', my lovin', never never grow.
Now you know that we're really through
You're tempting me with all your charms, girl
Let me do things you'd never do.
Bye bye, girl, bye bye, girl, I gotta go
Your lovin', my lovin', never never grow.
Bye bye, baby, bye bye.
Bye bye, girl, bye bye, girl, I gotta go
Your lovin', my lovin', never never grow.
It breaks me up to hear you crying
Your sobbing song down the phone
Make me only wanna run away, girl
From your melancholy moan.
Bye bye, girl, bye bye, girl, I gotta go
Your lovin', my lovin', never never grow.
I said bye bye, baby
Bye bye, baby, bye bye.
Bye bye, girl, bye bye, girl
Bye bye, baby, bye bye
Bye bye, girl, bye bye, girl
Bye bye, baby, bye bye.
The lyrics to Donovan's "Bye Bye Girl" are a poignant reflection on the complexities of ending a relationship. The singer is torn between the desire to leave and the knowledge that doing so will cause pain for his partner. He acknowledges the depth of her feelings for him but insists that he must go in order to "set us free." This suggests that there may be some underlying issues that are preventing the couple from being happy together. The singer feels that he has to make a difficult choice in order to move on with his life.
The second stanza suggests that the woman is trying to hold on to the relationship by any means necessary. She may be using her charm and sexuality to try and convince the singer to stay, but he cannot be swayed. He knows that they are "really through," and that any attempt to revive the relationship would be futile. The third stanza reinforces this idea, with the singer explaining that the woman's crying and pleading only make him want to run away from her. It's a heartbreaking scene, with both parties feeling the pain of the breakup.
Overall, "Bye Bye Girl" is a powerful and emotional song that captures the pain of ending a relationship. The singer's description of his own conflicted feelings and the woman's desperation provide a window into the complexities of human emotion and the challenges of love and loss.
Line by Line Meaning
I hate to leave you grieving, darling
It's difficult for me to part with you and cause you pain.
It's the only way to set us free
Ending our relationship is the only way for us to move on.
I know I leave you with a heart full
I acknowledge that my departure leaves you with a heavy heart.
I can feel your pitiful plea.
I can sense your desperate request for me to stay.
You're hanging on to any straw, girl
You are grasping at anything to save our relationship.
Now you know that we're really through
It's time for you to accept that our relationship has ended.
You're tempting me with all your charms, girl
You're trying to entice me to stay with your attractive qualities.
Let me do things you'd never do.
I desire to move on and experience things you may not be willing to do.
It breaks me up to hear you crying
Your tears deeply sadden me.
Your sobbing song down the phone
Your crying is like a mournful melody over the phone.
Make me only wanna run away, girl
I feel like escaping when I hear your sorrowful cries.
From your melancholy moan.
Your sad expression pains me.
Bye bye, girl, bye bye, girl, I gotta go
I have to leave and end the relationship.
Your lovin', my lovin', never never grow.
Our love for each other will not continue to grow.
Bye bye, baby, bye bye.
Farewell, my love.
Bye bye, girl, bye bye, girl
Goodbye to you, my former lover.
Bye bye, baby, bye bye.
Farewell, my love.
Bye bye, girl, bye bye, girl
Goodbye to you, my former lover.
Bye bye, baby, bye bye.
Farewell, my love.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: DONOVAN LEITCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind