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.
Living For The Love Light
Donovan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What am I living for?
Life would be an awful bore
If it wasn't for the one I adore
Living for the love light in your eye
Otherwise I think I'd die
What can I tell you, what do I know?
All I know is here I am
All I know is I am the man
Who's living for the love light in your eye
Otherwise I think I'd die
Living for the love light in your eye
Otherwise I think I'd die
Night is upon me and I can't see no stars
Out in the country and I can't hear no cars
The fire is dying as I must someday
Living for you only, baby, what can I say?
Baby, what can I say?
All I know is here I am
All I know is I am the man
Who's living for the love light in your eye
Otherwise I think I'd die
Living for the love light in your eye
Otherwise I think I'd die
Living for the love light in your eye
Otherwise I think I'd die
Living for the love light in your eye
Otherwise I think I'd die
I'm living for the love light in your eye
Otherwise I think I'd die
Living for the love light in your eye
Donovan's song "Living For The Love Light" is a love song that speaks about what the singer is living for. The song starts with the singer questioning themselves about the direction of their life, but they find that life is worth living because of their lover, the one they adore, and the light of their love in their eyes. Without the love light in their lover's eyes, life would be awful, and the singer might die. The chorus repeats the phrase "Living for the love light in your eye, Otherwise I think I'd die" to emphasize the importance of the light of the lover's love.
The song further elaborates on the singer's feeling of being lost, surrounded by darkness, and isolated from the rest of the world. The night has descended, and the singer can't see the stars, nor hear the sound of cars. However, the love light in their lover's eyes keeps them alive and gives them a reason to go on. The song ends with the singer affirming their love for their partner, and they repeat the song's central theme of living only for the love light in their lover's eyes.
Overall, Donovan's song is a beautifully composed and emotionally powerful declaration of love. The love light in the eyes of the singer's lover serves as a beacon of hope that keeps him going, even in the darkest of times.
Line by Line Meaning
What am I doing, where am I going?
I am questioning my current situation and my future.
What am I living for?
I am seeking purpose and meaning in my life.
Life would be an awful bore
If it wasn't for the one I adore
Without the presence of someone I love, life would be dull and unenjoyable.
Living for the love light in your eye
Otherwise I think I'd die
I am living for the affection and attention of my loved one, as it gives me a reason to live.
What can I tell you, what do I know?
I don't know any answer
I am uncertain and have no clear answers or solutions.
All I know is here I am
All I know is I am the man
I know that I exist and my identity as a man.
Night is upon me and I can't see no stars
Out in the country and I can't hear no cars
I am in a quiet and dark setting, without the usual sounds and sights of civilization.
The fire is dying as I must someday
Living for you only, baby, what can I say?
As the fire fades, I am reminded of the fleeting nature of life. I am dedicating my life to my love, but struggle to express how I feel.
Living for the love light in your eye
Otherwise I think I'd die
I am repeating my dedication to living for my loved one's affection and attention, as it gives me a reason to live.
I'm living for the love light in your eye
I am emphasizing my devotion to my loved one and my dependence on their affection.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: DONOVAN LEITCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind