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.
Clara Clairvoyant
Donovan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Consultation 10 to 4
In the shadows
Leave skepticism at the door
Oh oh oh rap tap table tap
Have you anyone to talk to
Not quite living on the other side, contact
Her consultation is 10 to 4
Look
Kathy Kathoolica
In the box from 3 to 4
In the shadow
Leave genitals at the door
Oh oh oh but but tut tut
Have you any perversion to confess
To the lumpy cassock on the other side
Kathy Katholica
In the box from 3 to 4
Rocky Rock'n'Roller
Sometimes up and sometimes down
In the long run
Take the path down on the ground
Between lost belief and gross fear
Have you any idea how much you have?
Not quite nothing and not quite all!
Psychedelic Yogi
Is not a very groovy groovy guru
The song Clara Clairvoyant by Donovan describes the experiences of various characters consulting Clara, a psychic or clairvoyant for guidance. The song is structured such that with each consultation, we are provided with glimpses of each of the characters' personalities and struggles. For instance, the character Rocky is described as someone who is struggling to find his place in the world, sometimes feeling upbeat and sometimes downbeat. The song's lyrics suggest that Clara's consultations help people remain connected to the world, even those who have passed on, which is why she is described as being "not quite living on the other side, contact".
The lyrics suggest that Clara is highly sought after as a consultant, and people flock to her at the designated consultation hours of 10 to 4. The song's lyrics also describe how one should leave skepticism and genitals at the door, while conducting the consultation. It could be interpreted as the notion of leaving one's doubts and fears behind before seeking spiritual guidance. Donovan perhaps suggests that by doing so, people are more open to the possibilities of psychic visions, intuition, and clairvoyance.
Line by Line Meaning
Clara Clairvoyant
Introducing the character Clara Clairvoyant
Consultation 10 to 4
Her consultation hours are from 10 am to 4 pm
In the shadows
The consultation happens in a dimly-lit room or under some secrecy
Leave skepticism at the door
Don't be a skeptic, be open to the possibilities that Clara might offer
Oh oh oh rap tap table tap
The tapping on the table as a form of communication during the consultation
Have you anyone to talk to
Asking if the person seeking consultation has anyone else to talk to
Not quite living on the other side, contact
Assuring that Clara is not a medium who communicates with the dead, but she can help the person seek contact with some aspect of their life
Look
A transition to another character
Kathy Kathoolica
Introducing the new character Kathy Kathoolica
In the box from 3 to 4
Kathy is available for consultation between 3 pm and 4 pm
Leave genitals at the door
A potentially humorous way of saying to leave any inappropriate behavior outside the consultation room
Oh oh oh but but tut tut
A sound expressing a sense of disapproval of the person's behavior
Have you any perversion to confess
Asking if the person has any perverted behavior to confess to Kathy
To the lumpy cassock on the other side
Referring to Kathy as a religious figure wearing a cassock, and stating there might be punishment on the other side for perverted behavior
Rocky Rock'n'Roller
Introducing the character Rocky Rock'n'Roller
Sometimes up and sometimes down
Rocky's life experiences have had ups and downs
In the long run
Looking at Rocky's life in hindsight
Take the path down on the ground
Advice to take a realistic approach rather than a fanciful one
Between lost belief and gross fear
Navigating a space between uncertainty and irrationality
Have you any idea how much you have?
Reflecting on how much Rocky has accomplished in life
Not quite nothing and not quite all!
Acknowledging that no one is completely successful nor completely a failure
Psychedelic Yogi
Introducing the new character Psychedelic Yogi
Is not a very groovy groovy guru
Contradicting the expectation of a cool, groovy persona for a person with that title
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: DONOVAN LEITCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind