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.
Lord of the Reedy River
Donovan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She fell in love with a swan
Her eyes were filled with feathers
He filled her with song
In the reedy river
In the reedy river
She in her boat long hours
She threw him some flowers
In the reedy river
In the reedy river
Black was the night
And starry
She loosened off her garments
And let fall her hair
In the reedy river
In the reedy river
Sadly they mourn inside
Lost in evening twilight
Two swans glide
And fly...
O'er the reedy river
O'er the reedy river
She fell in love with a swan...
The song "Lord of the Reedy River" by Donovan tells a story of a woman who falls in love with a swan. The song's first stanza sets the scene in the reedy river, where the woman's eyes are full of feathers and the swan fills her with song. The second stanza reveals that the woman spends long hours in her boat while the swan is in his royal plumage. She throws flowers to the swan, but it's unclear if the feeling is mutual.
The third stanza reveals a moment of intimacy between the woman and the swan, as she loosens her garments and lets down her hair. The lyrics suggest a romantic connection between them, but it's still unclear if the swan shares her feelings. The final stanza reveals that the woman and the swan are lost in the evening twilight, and two swans glide and fly over the reedy river, perhaps representing the woman and her beloved swan.
The song's lyrics are open to interpretation, but one possible reading is that it's a tale of forbidden love between a woman and a bird. The imagery of the reedy river and the swan's royal plumage suggest a fairy tale or mythological setting. The song's gentle melody and Donovan's soft voice add to the dreamy atmosphere, making it a haunting and wistful ballad.
Line by Line Meaning
She fell in love with a swan
She became infatuated with something beautiful and unattainable
Her eyes were filled with feathers
She was consumed by her obsession and had lost her sense of perspective and reason
He filled her with song
Despite being unable to reciprocate her feelings, he provided her with a sense of joy and fulfillment
In the reedy river
Their interactions all took place in a specific location - the reedy river - which represents their limited and insular world
She in her boat long hours
She spent a lot of time trying to get closer to the swan, but was ultimately unsuccessful
He in his royal plumage
Despite his beauty and charm, the swan was unattainable and out of reach
She threw him some flowers
She made an attempt to show her admiration and affection towards the swan, but it was ultimately futile
Black was the night
And starry
The setting was peaceful and beautiful, but there was still an underlying sense of sadness and melancholy
She loosened off her garments
And let fall her hair
She let go of her inhibitions and allowed herself to be vulnerable
In the reedy river
Despite the beauty of the moment, it was still limited to their small and isolated world
Sadly they mourn inside
Lost in evening twilight
Both of them were unable to fully satisfy their desires and were left feeling unfulfilled and melancholic
Two swans glide
And fly...
O'er the reedy river
O'er the reedy river
The swans continue to exist as a symbol of beauty and grace, despite the sadness and unattainability associated with them
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: DONOVAN LEITCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Light Shift
Donovan is a musical genius. A parallel dimensional soul.
Nebulis
Remember he was making music in the late sixties, they had a little parallel dimensional help in those days if you catch my drift
Mark C
Wow, so cool to see a high def Donovan playing at the height of his powers.
M Godwin
Quite extraordinary and intense in a tranquil sort of way.
sabrinasjourney
Genuis chord change so hypnotic and haunting!
Budahbaba
Not to mention, Donovan doesn't even have to employ it in this song, but his thumb in his finger style guitar playing is just downright unbelievable :)
Krule
My favourite song my Donovan, it’s truly beautiful!
RC W
This song was hidden from the Bard's albums, and covered instead by Mary Hopkin. Donovan and Paul spent time in the studio together in this era. Imagine what a trio Mary, Paul, and Donovan would have made. "Voyage of the Moon" was another hidden gem covered by Mary.
friendlier
Lord of the Reedy River is actually on "HMS Donovan", his album from 1971. And yes, what a trio they would have been.
Sophia Pangloss
I'm astonished, I've loved this song for 40 years, since Kate Bush covered it as the B-side to her hit Sat In Your Lap. I was always aware it was a Donovan cover but never checked it out till tonight, 40 years later, to find such a gorgeous rendition, and in a film I saw as well, more than 40 years ago, nearer 50 probably. I never realised it was in If It's Tuesday This Must Be Belgium. Wonderful.