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.
Tangier
Donovan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In Tangier down a windy street
Where beggars meet and on old rags do sleep
The women dressed in soiled white sheet
With starving kids by their side.
With staring eyes that never weep
Old Moroccans with their elephantiasis feet
Happy in their hunger
For they live longer than their fathers.
In Tangier down a windy street
Where beggars meet and on old rags do sleep
The women dressed in soiled white sheet
With starving kids by their side.
With staring eyes that never weep
Old Moroccans with their elephantiasis feet
Who life and death treat so cheap
Happy in their hunger
For they live longer than their, than their, than their fathers.
The lyrics of Donovan's "Tangier" paint a vivid and striking picture of life on the streets of Tangier, Morocco. The song portrays a city deeply divided by poverty, where families struggle to survive in the face of hunger, illness, and death. The lyrics depict beggars sleeping on old rags in the street, women dressed in soiled white sheets with starving children by their side, and old Moroccans with elephantiasis feet who treat life and death as cheap.
The contrast between the poverty and the Moroccans' apparent resilience is particularly poignant. The lyrics suggest that, despite the suffering they endure, the Moroccans are "happy in their hunger" because they "live longer than their fathers." This suggests that they have learned to adapt to their harsh living conditions over time, and have found ways to make the most of their lives despite the challenges they face.
" Tangier" is a haunting and evocative song that captures the complex realities of life in a city marked by poverty and inequality. It offers a poignant reminder of the human costs of social and economic injustice, and the resilience and creativity of communities who strive to survive in the face of hardship.
Line by Line Meaning
In Tangier down a windy street
This song describes a street in Tangier that is known for its strong gusts of wind.
Where beggars meet and on old rags do sleep
This street is also frequented by beggars who are known to sleep on old, worn-out fabric.
The women dressed in soiled white sheet
Many women who are struggling to make ends meet are forced to wear worn and soiled garments.
With starving kids by their side.
These same women are often accompanied by their hungry and malnourished children.
With staring eyes that never weep
These impoverished individuals have lost the ability to cry due to their overwhelming struggle to survive.
Old Moroccans with their elephantiasis feet
Some older Moroccan citizens in this area have developed swollen limbs due to a parasitic worm infection known as elephantiasis.
Who life and death treat so cheap
Despite the hardships and health concerns they face, these people have learned to take life and death lightly.
Happy in their hunger
This next line suggests that these people have learned to be content with their current state and accept their hunger as part of their existence.
For they live longer than their fathers.
Lastly, it's revealed that many of these people live longer than their parents due to improved living conditions and access to medical treatment.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: DONOVAN LEITCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind