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.
Love Floats
Donovan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If I was your lover, I’d take you to the sky
If you are feeling low, I will make you high
Let me be your lover, baby, I will be your beau
I can take you anywhere that you wanna go.
Let's do it again, yeah.
If I was your lover, I’d take you to the sea
Drown you in kisses like you wanna be
Let me be your lover, my mermaid on the sand
We can be in ecstacy, lemme hold your hand and she said ..
Love floats in space, that space between us
Love floats in space, that space between us.
Let me come in.
Oh, Maeve, Maeve, Maeve ..
Oh, Maeve, Maeve, Maeve ..
Oh, Maeve, Maeve, Maeve ..
Oh, Maeve, Maeve, Maeve ..
If I was your lover, I’d take you to the sky
If you are feeling low, I will make you high
Let me be your lover, baby, I will be your beau
I can take you anywhere that you wanna go, she said ..
Love floats in space, that space between us
Love floats in space, that space between us.
Love floats in space, that space between us
Love floats in space, that space ..
Love floats in space, that space between us
Love floats in space, that space between us.
…
Let me come in.
Oh, Maeve, Maeve, Maeve ..
Oh, Maeve, Maeve, Maeve ..
Oh, Maeve, Maeve, Maeve ..
Oh, Maeve, Maeve, Maeve ..
In Donovan's song "Love Floats", the singer expresses his desire and willingness to take his love interest to greater heights, both literally and figuratively. He promises to be her "beau" and take her wherever she wants to go, whether it be to the sky or the ocean. The chorus emphasizes the ethereal and almost weightless nature of love - it "floats in space, that space between us." In this way, the song paints a picture of a love that transcends earthly constraints and exists in a realm beyond the physical.
The repeated refrain of "Oh, Maeve" at the end of the song adds a personal touch and suggests that the lyrics are addressed to someone specific. Maeve may be a name or a symbolic representation of the singer's muse or idealized love interest. The lyrics are dreamy and romantic, expressing a sense of joy and possibility in love.
Line by Line Meaning
If I was your lover, I’d take you to the sky
As your lover, I would lift you high and show you a perspective of life that you have never seen before.
If you are feeling low, I will make you high
When you’re down, I’ll be there to pick you up, and make you feel better than ever before.
Let me be your lover, baby, I will be your beau
Allow me to be your lover, and I will be the best partner for you, taking care of you and loving you in every possible way.
I can take you anywhere that you wanna go
I am willing to take you to any place where you want to go, be it the sky, the sea, or simply a place of happiness and relaxation.
If I was your lover, I’d take you to the sea
As your lover, I’d take you to places you’ve never been before, like the vast, calm ocean, where we can indulge in each other's company and give you all the love and attention you crave.
Drown you in kisses like you wanna be
My love for you will be so intense that I will shower you with kisses, just the way you want it, as a way of demonstrating my deep affection for you.
Let me be your lover, my mermaid on the sand
Let me be your lover and a treasure to you – just like the prowess of the mythical mermaids, captivating you and leaving you yearning for more.
We can be in ecstasy, lemme hold your hand
We will be in utter bliss as we hold hands, knowing that our love for each other is strong enough to overcome any challenge that comes our way.
Love floats in space, that space between us
Love exists in the atmosphere we share as lovers, and nothing physical is required to demonstrate the strength and depth of our love.
Let me come in
I yearn to be closer to you, emotionally and physically, and I hope you give me the chance to demonstrate the depths of our bond.
If you are feeling low, I will make you high (repeat)
I'll reiterate the earlier notion that when you’re down, I’ll be there to pick you up, and make you feel better than ever before.
Love floats in space, that space between us (repeat)
Repeating again and again that the love, passion, and emotions that exist between us will never be physical, but they will always be present, balanced, and cherished.
Oh, Maeve, Maeve, Maeve .. (repeat)
Donovan is addressing his loved one whose name is Maeve, whose love and company he adores and cherishes in his life.
Contributed by Lila Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.