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.
Legend Of A Girl Child Linda
Donovan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That have shone in the eyes of a prince of the breeze.
Bright cascading crystals, they danced in the sand dunes
On the beach of no footprints to harpsichord tunes.
A throne of white ivory, a gown of white lace
Lies still in the magic of a timeless place.
One hundred small children, they laugh at the white doves
On a hillside of velvet the children they lay down
And make fun of the grown-ups with their silly frown.
And the sound of their laughter is the sound of the green sea
As it washed around the foot of the seashell tree.
The doves circle over and land in the trees
Where parrots are talking their words with such ease.
Thus spoke three wizards to the young ones that day:
"There's sadness in the kingdom, make it go far away."
If you follow the sunbeams through the valley of flowers
To the palace of the White Queen with its white jade towers.
The youngest, she sighed then the clouds drew away
And a hundred small fingers scratched their heads in dismay.
>From out of the sun a giant gull came flying
And the children got ready to sit on its wings.
They waved to the raindrops as they soared over the trees
The wind tossed their hair high, flashing gold on the sea.
They came to the castle and there they did fall,
And they saw all the sadness, through the crystal wall.
A princess lay a-sleeping so gentle and kind
Whilst her prince took to battle with his confused mind.
The clash of bright metal brought the children fear,
But their cloaks of blue satin dried up all of these tears.
Thus children held hands and they spelled out their name
All the golden children became a golden chain.
It lies on a white throne in a magic place
With a tunic of velvet and a gown of white lace.
My sword, it lies broken and cast in a lake
In a dream I was told that my princess would wake
The lyrics to Donovan's song Legend of a Girl Child Linda paint a picture of a mythical world full of wonder, magic, and adventure. The song is about a journey to a far-off land where a group of children witness the sadness that has taken hold of the kingdom. They are then met by three wizards who give them a mission to make the sadness go far away. The children follow the sunbeams through the valley of flowers where they encounter a giant gull that takes them to a castle where they see all the sadness through a crystal wall.
The song is full of vivid and fantastical imagery that evokes a sense of wonder and magic. The gold apples and grapes made of rubies, the throne of white ivory, the gown of white lace, and the cascading crystals are all symbols of extravagance and beauty. The beach with no footprints and the seashell tree are symbols of solitude and tranquility. The children laughing at the white doves is a symbol of innocence and joy.
The sadness that has taken hold of the kingdom is a central theme of the song. The princess is sleeping while her prince is battling with a confused mind. The clash of bright metal brings fear to the children, but they hold hands and become a golden chain, a symbol of unity and strength. The broken sword cast in the lake symbolizes defeat and despair. However, the dream of the princess waking up gives a glimmer of hope, and the song ends with a sense of optimism.
Line by Line Meaning
I will bring you gold apples and grapes made of rubies
That have shone in the eyes of a prince of the breeze.
I promise to bring you the most precious gifts that have been sought after by even the most royal of people.
Bright cascading crystals, they danced in the sand dunes
On the beach of no footprints to harpsichord tunes.
The beauty of nature is unparalleled, and even simple things like crystals have a mesmerizing effect.
A throne of white ivory, a gown of white lace
Lies still in the magic of a timeless place.
There is a place where even time does not keep track, where royalty once sat and resided.
One hundred small children, they laugh at the white doves
That rest on their hands with the touch of love.
Children find joy in even small things, like the soft wing of a dove gracing their hands.
On a hillside of velvet the children they lay down
And make fun of the grown-ups with their silly frown.
Children have the gift of humor, and their playful nature and innocence shines through.
And the sound of their laughter is the sound of the green sea
As it washed around the foot of the seashell tree.
The laughter of children is just as pure and moving as the sounds of nature.
The doves circle over and land in the trees
Where parrots are talking their words with such ease.
Nature is a place where animals can coexist and communicate with such grace.
Thus spoke three wizards to the young ones that day:
'There's sadness in the kingdom, make it go far away.'
The elders seek the help of the youth to make the land happier, and bring joy to those who inhabit it.
If you follow the sunbeams through the valley of flowers
To the palace of the White Queen with its white jade towers.
If you follow the rays of the sun, it will lead you to a place of great beauty, where even the towers are made of precious jade.
The youngest, she sighed then the clouds drew away
And a hundred small fingers scratched their heads in dismay.
The young girl sighed, and as if by magic, the clouds parted leaving the children in amusement of the strange happenings.
>From out of the sun a giant gull came flying
And the children got ready to sit on its wings.
A giant bird came flying, and the children prepared themselves to sit atop its wings and see where it would lead them.
They came to the castle and there they did fall,
And they saw all the sadness, through the crystal wall.
The children arrived at the castle, and there they saw the gravity of the situation, visible through the crystal walls.
A princess lay a-sleeping so gentle and kind
Whilst her prince took to battle with his confused mind.
The princess lay sleeping, while her prince fought a battle within his own mind and soul.
The clash of bright metal brought the children fear,
But their cloaks of blue satin dried up all of these tears.
The children felt fear at the sound of metal clashing, but were soon comforted by their soft blue cloaks.
Thus children held hands and they spelled out their name
All the golden children became a golden chain.
The children held hands and formed a chain, working together to bring joy to the land and its inhabitants.
It lies on a white throne in a magic place
With a tunic of velvet and a gown of white lace.
My sword, it lies broken and cast in a lake
In a dream I was told that my princess would wake
All the precious things from earlier lie in this magical place, and even though the sword is broken, the dream is a promise that the princess will awaken one day.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: DONOVAN LEITCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tropicwave1
Legend Of A Girl Child Linda     Donovan          I will bring you gold apples and grapes made of rubies
That have shone in the eyes of a prince of the breeze.
Bright cascading crystals, they danced in the sand dunes
On the beach of no footprints to harpsichord tunes.
A throne of white ivory, a gown of white lace
Lies still in the magic of a timeless place.
One hundred small children, they laugh at the white doves
That rest on their hands with the touch of love.
On a hillside of velvet the children they lay down
And make fun of the grown-ups with their silly frown.
And the sound of their laughter is the sound of the green sea
As it washed around the foot of the seashell tree.
The doves circle over and land in the trees Where parrots are talking their words with such ease.
Thus spoke three wizards to the young ones that day:
"There's sadness in the kingdom, make it go far away."
If you follow the sunbeams through the valley of flowers
To the palace of the White Queen with its white jade towers.
The youngest, she sighed then the clouds drew away
And a hundred small fingers scratched their heads in dismay.
>From out of the sun a giant gull came flying
And the children got ready to sit on its wings.
They waved to the raindrops as they soared over the trees
The wind tossed their hair high, flashing gold on the sea.
They came to the castle and there they did fall,
And they saw all the sadness, through the crystal wall.
A princess lay a-sleeping so gentle and kind
Whilst her prince took to battle with his confused mind.
The clash of bright metal brought the children fear,
But their cloaks of blue satin dried up all of these tears.
Thus children held hands and they spelled out their name
All the golden children became a golden chain.
It lies on a white throne in a magic place
With a tunic of velvet and a gown of white lace.
My sword, it lies broken and cast in a lake
In a dream I was told that my princess would wake
Written by: DONOVAN LEITCH Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
@cityzen2717
I will bring you gold apples and grapes made of rubies
That have shone in the eyes of a prince of the breeze.
Bright cascading crystals, they danced in the sand dunes
On the beach of no footprints to harpsichord tunes.
A throne of white ivory, a gown of white lace
Lies still in the magic of a timeless place.
One hundred small children, they laugh at the white doves
That rest on their hands with the touch of love.
On a hillside of velvet the children they lay down
And make fun of the grown-ups with their silly frown.
And the sound of their laughter is the sound of the green sea
As it washed around the foot of the seashell tree.
The doves circle over and land in the trees
Where parrots are talking their words with such ease.
Thus spoke three wizards to the young ones that day:
"There's sadness in the kingdom, make it go far away."
If you follow the sunbeams through the valley of flowers
To the palace of the White Queen with its white jade towers.
The youngest, she sighed then the clouds drew away
And a hundred small fingers scratched their heads in dismay.
>From out of the sun a giant gull came flying
And the children got ready to sit on its wings.
They waved to the raindrops as they soared over the trees
The wind tossed their hair high, flashing gold on the sea.
They came to the castle and there they did fall,
And they saw all the sadness, through the crystal wall.
A princess lay a-sleeping so gentle and kind
Whilst her prince took to battle with his confused mind.
The clash of bright metal brought the children fear,
But their cloaks of blue satin dried up all of these tears.
Thus children held hands and they spelled out their name
All the golden children became a golden chain.
It lies on a white throne in a magic place
With a tunic of velvet and a gown of white lace.
My sword, it lies broken and cast in a lake
In a dream I was told that my princess would wake
Songwriters: Donovan Leitch
@funpuzzler7773
I will bring you gold apples and grapes made of rubies
That have shone in the eyes of a prince of the breeze.
Bright cascading crystals, they danced in the sand dunes
On the beach of no footprints to harpsichord tunes.A throne of white ivory, a gown of white lace
Lies still in the magic of a timeless place.
One hundred small children, they laugh at the white doves
That rest on their hands with the touch of love.On a hillside of velvet the children they lay down
And make fun of the grown-ups with their silly frown.
And the sound of their laughter is the sound of the green sea
As it washed around the foot of the seashell tree.The doves circle over and land in the trees
Where parrots are talking their words with such ease.
Thus spoke three wizards to the young ones that day:
"There's sadness in the kingdom, make it go far away."If you follow the sunbeams through the valley of flowers
To the palace of the White Queen with its white jade towers.
The youngest, she sighed then the clouds drew away
And a hundred small fingers scratched their heads in dismay.>From out of the sun a giant gull came flying
And the children got ready to sit on its wings.
They waved to the raindrops as they soared over the trees
The wind tossed their hair high, flashing gold on the sea.They came to the castle and there they did fall,
And they saw all the sadness, through the crystal wall.
A princess lay a-sleeping so gentle and kind
Whilst her prince took to battle with his confused mind.The clash of bright metal brought the children fear,
But their cloaks of blue satin dried up all of these tears.
Thus children held hands and they spelled out their name
All the golden children became a golden chain.It lies on a white throne in a magic place
With a tunic of velvet and a gown of white lace.
My sword, it lies broken and cast in a lake
In a dream I was told that my princess would wake
Read more:Â Donovan - Legend Of A Girl Child Linda Lyrics | MetroLyrics
@Zobin211
I was fortunate enough to see Donovan in my hometown back in 1988. During a quiet moment after a song, I blurted out "Legend of a Girl Child Linda" ... which is not an easy song to request ... 8 syllables. ... I knew there was little, to no, chance that he would play it, but the look on his face was priceless. ... A big grin came across his face and he quietly said "Maybe later." ... He didn't play it, of course, but I think it made him happy that someone remembered this beauty.
@trashleeefull
When I first fully listened to this song I was frying on acid and it touched every corner of my soul and made me cry. It was just so beautiful written.
@therealzilch
Good thing it was this song and not, say, My Baby Does the Hanky Panky.
@RHH650
I bought this in 1966 when it was released. I used my old record player and a red spotlight to try and seduce girlfriends. The beautiful, blonde art student had none of it. She did, however, produce some beautiful pen and ink illustrations from the song.. I am looking at one now wondering what to give her as a 45 year wedding anniversary.
@johnnymartinez4504
Damn, 45yrs.
@lakewalker11
Beautiful.
@reficul1984
RHH650 you still have the same record.
@funpuzzler7773
How cool, RHH650! You aimed to seduce her and she turned it around and captivated you! Love has it's mysteries and surprises!
@megatrollificus
Nice. I scored some intense make-out sessions with this, combined with Leonard Cohen, Pentangle, Love, HP Lovecraft and Joni Mitchell. Most parties, the gal most committed to singing along might as well have worn a "reserved for" sign. (My wife of now-39 years did require a shift to EmmyLou, Gram Parsons, and sometimes a dose of the hard stuff...blood harmony like the Louvin Bros, Stanley Bros, etc.)
@theoreticalmagician4396
This is one of the most beautiful songs I know, and one of the only melodies I know that soothes my anxiety. I've been awake since 3 or 4 tonight feeling sick, like my anxiety usually keeps me up feeling. But once again the time has passed with soothing words from Donovan. I suppose this song has gotten me through a lot. I don't know if it matters here, but thank you, Donovan. Really. And thank you, @ErrorIsProgress for making it available to me and to everyone I recommend it to.. If you're here listening, bless you, and may sweet times fill your days and sweet dreams fill your nights.