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.
Sand And Foam
Donovan Lyrics
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And the simple act of an oar's stroke put diamonds in the sea
And all because of the phosphorus there in quantity
As I dug you digging me in Mexico
There in the Valley of Scorpio beneath the cross of jade
Smoking on a seashell pipe the gypsies had made
We sat and we dreamed awhile of smugglers bringing wine
Sitting in a chair of bamboo sipping grenadine
Straining my eyes for a surfacing submarine
Kingdoms of ants walk across my feet
I'm a-shaking in my seat in Mexico
Grasshoppers creaking in the velvet jungle night
Microscopic circles in the fluid of my sight
Watching a black-eyed native girl cut and trim the lamp
Valentino vamp in Mexico
The sun was going down behind a tattoo tree
And the simple act of an oar's stroke put diamonds in the sea
And all because of the phosphorus there in quantity
As I dug you digging me in Mexico.
The song Sand and Foam by Donovan talks about the experience of being in Mexico and experiencing the beauty and wonder that exists in the world. The opening lines describe a sunset behind a tattoo tree, with the simple act of rowing creating diamonds in the sea due to the abundance of phosphorus. The singer then reflects on their own experience of being with someone they care about in Mexico, digging each other, while reflecting on the natural beauty and mystery. They also reference the Valley of Scorpio, where they envision smugglers bringing in crystal wine. They enjoy bamboo chairs while sipping grenadine and scanning the ocean for submarines. Clearly, the natural world and the mystique of foreign lands captured the imagination of the singer, and left a lasting impression.
Throughout the song, Donovan uses vivid and poetic language to describe the experience of being in Mexico. He paints a picture of a foreign land that is both beautiful and full of wonder. The singer is able to experience this world through their own senses, and they are able to reflect on the beauty of nature and the mysteries of the unknown. Sand and Foam is a song that captures the spirit of adventure, and the sense of possibility that can be found in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
The sun was going down behind a tattoo tree
The sun was setting, creating a beautiful back-lit image of a tree with tattoo-like markings.
And the simple act of an oar's stroke put diamonds in the sea
The oar of a boat stirred up the water and caused the phosphorus to sparkle like diamonds in the sea.
And all because of the phosphorus there in quantity
The sparkling effect in the sea was caused by the abundance of phosphorus in the water.
As I dug you digging me in Mexico
The artist and their partner were digging something together in Mexico, creating a sense of unity and shared experience.
There in the Valley of Scorpio beneath the cross of jade
The artist and their partner were in a specific location in Mexico named the Valley of Scorpio, where a jade cross was located.
Smoking on a seashell pipe the gypsies had made
The singer and their partner were smoking from a pipe made by gypsies that was in the shape of a seashell.
We sat and we dreamed awhile of smugglers bringing wine
The singer and their partner sat and imagined smugglers bringing wine to the location they were in.
That crystal, thought time in Mexico
The idea of smuggled wine became a crystallized memory of their time in Mexico.
Sitting in a chair of bamboo sipping grenadine
The artist was sitting in a bamboo chair and drinking grenadine.
Straining my eyes for a surfacing submarine
The artist was looking out for a submarine to appear on the water's surface.
Kingdoms of ants walk across my feet
Ants were crawling across the singer's feet, creating a sense of smallness and insignificance in the grand scheme of things.
I'm a-shaking in my seat in Mexico
The artist was shaking with excitement or fear while seated in Mexico.
Grasshoppers creaking in the velvet jungle night
Grasshoppers were making a creaking sound in the warm, lush jungle night.
Microscopic circles in the fluid of my sight
The singer was seeing small, circular things that were visible in their vision, possibly due to a shift in their perception.
Watching a black-eyed native girl cut and trim the lamp
The singer was observing a girl with dark eyes cutting and trimming a lamp.
Valentino vamp in Mexico
The scene of observing the girl was reminiscent of a character played by Rudolph Valentino, who was known for his romantic allure on screen.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: DONOVAN LEITCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind