Donovan Philips Leitch (born May 10, 1946 in Maryhill, Glasgow), better kno… Read Full Bio ↴Donovan Philips Leitch (born May 10, 1946 in Maryhill, Glasgow), better known as simply Donovan, is a Scottish singer, songwriter, and musician. Originally a '60s folk singer, as the decade progressed Donovan cultivated his own unique eclectic sound, mixing elements of folk, pop, jazz, world music and more, often with a twinge of psychedelia. His most well-known work was suffused with altruistic political overtones, making him an iconic figure of the "flower power" counter-culture of the '60s.

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.

Epistle to Dippy
Donovan Lyrics

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Look on yonder misty mountain
See the young monk meditating rhododendron forest
Over dusty years, I ask you
What's it been like being you ?
Through all levels you've been changing
Getting a little bit better no doubt,
The doctor bit was so far out.
Looking through crystal spectacles,

I can see I had your fun.
Doing us paperback reader
Made the teacher suspicious about insanity,
Fingers always touching girl.
Through all levels you've been changing
Getting a little bit better no doubt,
The doctor bit was so far out.
Looking through all kinds of windows
I can see I had your fun.
Looking through all kinds of windows
I can see I had your fun.
Looking through crystal spectacles
I can see I had your fun.
Looking through crystal spectacles
I can see I had your fun.
Rebelling against society,
Such a tiny speculating whether to be a hip or
Skip along quite merrily.
Through all levels you've been changing
Elevator in the brain hotel
Broken down a-just as well-a
Looking through crystal spectacles,
Ah, I can see I had your fun.
Dum dum dum, dum dum dum dum dum
Dum dum dum, dum dum dum dum dum
Dum dum dum, dum dum dum dum dum

Dum dum dum, dum dum dum dum dum
Dum dum dum, dum dum dum dum dum.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Donovan's song "Epistle to Dippy" describe a journey of self-discovery and growth as the singer reflects on their own life and the life of someone named Dippy. The song begins by referencing a young monk meditating on a misty mountain in a rhododendron forest, symbolizing the search for inner peace and spiritual enlightenment. The singer then asks Dippy what it has been like to be them throughout the years, acknowledging that Dippy has been changing and evolving constantly.

The song then takes a more nostalgic turn, reflecting on the past and how the singer and Dippy used to rebel against society and challenge authority. However, the lyrics suggest that Dippy may have struggled with their mental health, with the line "made the teacher suspicious about insanity, fingers always touching girl." Despite this, the singer sees aspects of themselves in Dippy, claiming "looking through crystal spectacles, I can see I had your fun." The song concludes with a reference to an "elevator in the brain hotel" that has broken down, which can be interpreted as a metaphor for the difficulties and challenges of personal growth and understanding.

Overall, the lyrics of "Epistle to Dippy" encourage introspection and self-awareness, while highlighting the complexities and challenges of personal growth and emotional well-being.

Line by Line Meaning

Look on yonder misty mountain
Observe the hazy mountain in the distance

See the young monk meditating rhododendron forest
Witness the youth monk engaging in meditation in the middle of the rhododendron forest

Over dusty years, I ask you
After years have passed by, I inquire of you

What's it been like being you ?
What has your experience been like?

Through all levels you've been changing
Throughout all stages, you have undergone transformation

Getting a little bit better no doubt,
You have likely improved somewhat

The doctor bit was so far out.
The section dealing with a doctor was very avant-garde

Looking through crystal spectacles,
Gazing through transparent, crystal eyewear

I can see I had your fun.
I understand that you had enjoyment

Doing us paperback reader
Entertaining individuals who read mass-produced, softcover books like ourselves

Made the teacher suspicious about insanity,
Caused the instructor to question your sanity