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.

Everlasting Sea
Donovan Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

From the album sutras

I love you like the sea
I love you like the sea
Everlasting Sea
Everlasting Sea
Everlasting Sea
Everlasting Sea

I love you like the earth
I love you like the earth
Everrolling earth
Everrolling earth
Everrolling earth
Everrolling earth
I love you like the sun
I love you like the sun
Evershinning sun
Evershinning sun
Evershinning sun
Evershinning sun
I love you like the sea
I love you like the sea
Everlasting Sea
Everlasting Sea

Everlasting Sea
Everlasting Sea

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Donovan's song Everlasting Sea express a deep and abiding love that is never-ending and constant, much like the sea itself. The repetition of the phrase "Everlasting Sea" serves to reinforce this concept, as does the use of other natural elements such as the earth and the sun to describe the intensity and constancy of the love being expressed. The lyrics suggest a sense of awe and wonder at the power and beauty of nature, and the idea that love can be just as wondrous and powerful.

There is also a sense of infinity in the song, with the sea and other natural elements representing something that is vast and eternal. The repetition of the lines "I love you like the sea" and "Everlasting Sea" is reminiscent of the endless ebb and flow of the tide, further emphasizing this sense of infinity. Overall, the lyrics convey a message of deep affection and devotion, as well as a reverence for the natural world and all its wonders.

Line by Line Meaning

I love you like the sea
My affection for you is like the vast, boundless and calm sea

Everlasting Sea
It is an ocean that never runs dry and endures forever, just like my love for you.

I love you like the earth
My love for you is just as strong and steady as the earth, constantly moving and yet always remaining steadfast.

Everrolling earth
As the earth rotates constantly, so does my love for you that is always moving forward.

I love you like the sun
My adoration for you resembles the sun, bright and radiant, always shining.

Evershinning sun
Just like the sun, my love for you will shine without fail every day.

I love you like the sea
Again, my love for you is just as everlasting and profound as the ocean that is vast and limitless.

Everlasting Sea
My affection for you remains as constant and enduring as the sea that never ends.

Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: DONOVAN LEITCH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS