Donovan came to fame in Britain 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 Gardenâthe first major album released as a boxed setâcompleted 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.
Dona Dona
Donovan Lyrics
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There's a calf with a mournful eye
High above him, there's a swallow
Winging swiftly through the sky
How the winds are laughing
They laugh with all their might
Laugh and laugh the whole day through
And half the summers night Donna donna
Stop complaining, said the farmer
Who told you a calf to be?
Why don't you have wings to fly with
Like the swallow so proud and free
Calves are easily bound and slaughtered
Never knowing the reason why
But whoever treasures freedom
Like the swallow has learned to fly
Donovan's song Dona Dona depicts the story of a calf and a swallow, and the contrast between their lives. The calf is being taken to the market in a wagon and looks mournful, while the swallow flies above freely. The winds laugh, seemingly mocking the calf's predicament. When the farmer tells the calf to stop complaining, the calf wonders why it can't be like the swallow and have wings to fly freely. The lyrics suggest that the calf is aware of its eventual fate, bound and slaughtered without understanding the reason why. On the other hand, the swallow treasured its freedom and has learned to fly, enjoying a life where it is not owned or controlled by anyone.
The song is a metaphor for human freedom and oppression, with the calf representing those who are oppressed and the swallow representing those who are free. The winds laughing and mocking the calf may represent the laughter of people who are free and unconcerned with the plight of the oppressed. The song also touches on the theme of social conditioning, where the calf is told to accept its fate as a calf and not aspire to be free like the swallow.
Line by Line Meaning
On a wagon, bound for market
The calf and its unfortunate destiny of being sold at market is the main point of focus in the verse
There's a calf with a mournful eye
The calf is sad and looks helpless, making it a sympathetic character in the song
High above him, there's a swallow
A swallow is flying in the sky, likely symbolizing freedom and hope
Winging swiftly through the sky
The swallow is flying quickly and with purpose
How the winds are laughing
The wind seems to be mocking or ridiculing the calf's situation, further highlighting its helplessness
They laugh with all their might
The wind's laughter is particularly loud and strong, perhaps signifying how insurmountable the situation seems to be
Laugh and laugh the whole day through
The wind continues to mock and laugh, without end or mercy
And half the summers night
The laughter and ridicule persists into the night, making it an all-consuming force
Donna donna
The song's refrain, acting as a call to action or plea to the listener
Stop complaining, said the farmer
The farmer, in a moment of frustration, tells the calf to stop complaining about its fate
Who told you a calf to be?
The farmer is questioning the calf's right to complain or resist its fate, as if it were simply an object or commodity
Why don't you have wings to fly with
The farmer suggests that the calf should not feel sad or powerless if it were capable of flying like the swallow
Like the swallow so proud and free
The swallow represents the ultimate symbol of freedom and independence, as it is capable of flying wherever it pleases
Calves are easily bound and slaughtered
The farmer is stating a harsh reality of how calves are often treated in the farming industry
Never knowing the reason why
The calves are treated cruelly and without explanation, leaving them in a state of confusion and fear
But whoever treasures freedom
The song's message of hope and inspiration, that those who value freedom will ultimately find a way to overcome their circumstances
Like the swallow has learned to fly
The swallow, as a metaphor for those who find a way to succeed despite the odds, has learned to navigate the world and overcome its limitations
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, IMAGEM MUSIC INC
Written by: AARON ZEITLIN, ARTHUR KEVESS, ARTHUR S. KEVESS, SHELDON SECUNDA, SHOLOM 'SAMUEL' SECUNDA, TEDDI SCHWARTZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lelecpat
i loved this versionđ„°đ„°
@chilarai4734
đvery special meaning.
@ruth-c6z1g
â€â€â€ lov Donnavan
@donna-mariedesousa2351
â€đ
@getamber
Stop eating them
@katherineluck6205
Anthem fir the vegans" why are calves bound and slaughtered never knowing the reasons why ,oIh why can't they have wings to fly with". I sang that to you I had his album.