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.
The Fat Angel
Donovan Lyrics
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He will bring happiness in a pipe,
He'll ride away on his silver bike
And apart from that he'll be so kind
In consenting to blow your mind.
Fly Translove Airways, get you there on time.
Fly Translove Airways, get you there on time.
The perfume will be of an excellent style
And apart from that he'll be so kind
In consenting to blow your mind.
Fly Translove Airways, get you there on time.
Fly Translove Airways, get you there on time.
He will bring happiness in a pipe,
He'll-a ride away on his silver bike
And apart from that he'll be so kind
In consenting to blow your mind.
Fly Jefferson Airplane, get you there on time.
Fly Jefferson Airplane, get you there on time.
He will bring happiness in a pipe,
He'll ride away on his silver bike
And apart from that he'll be so kind
In consenting to blow your mind.
Fly Translove Airways, get you there on time.
Fly Translove Airways, get you there on time.
We'll be flying at an altitude of thirty-nine thousand feet
Captain High at your service.
Donovan's song "The Fat Angel" is a psychedelic masterpiece that celebrates the hippie culture of the sixties. The song is about a generous and kind-hearted angel who brings happiness to people's lives by blowing their minds with a pipe. The lyrics mention the angel riding away on his silver bike and bringing orchids and perfume for the ladies. The angel is associated with the bands Jefferson Airplane and Translove Airways, and the chorus urges the listeners to "Fly Translove Airways" and "Fly Jefferson Airplane" to get to their destination on time.
The song is a tribute to the "Fat Angel," a real-life angel who was a fixture of the San Francisco hippie scene in the mid-sixties. The Fat Angel was a man named John Byrne who was known for his kind and generous personality and his love of music. He was a fixture at the Fillmore West and other music venues in the Bay Area, where he would often be seen giving away flowers and sharing his pipe with anyone who wanted to partake.
The song's lyrics evoke a sense of joy and wonder that was characteristic of the hippie culture of the sixties. The idea of a benevolent angel who brings happiness and blows people's minds with a pipe is a clear reference to the psychedelic experience and the role that drugs like LSD and marijuana played in the counterculture movement.
Overall, "The Fat Angel" is a beautiful and poetic expression of the hippie ethos of the sixties, celebrating the power of love, peace, and mind expansion.
Line by Line Meaning
He will bring happiness in a pipe,
He will provide drugs to make you feel happy and elated.
He'll ride away on his silver bike
He will depart in a flashy and confident manner on his motorcycle.
And apart from that he'll be so kind
In addition, he will be a friendly and considerate person.
In consenting to blow your mind.
He will willingly assist you in achieving an altered or heightened state of consciousness.
Fly Translove Airways, get you there on time.
Travel with Translove Airways for a pleasant and timely flight.
He will bring orchids for my lady,
He will bring beautiful flowers for my significant other.
The perfume will be of an excellent style
The scent of the flowers will be of superior quality.
Fly Jefferson Airplane, get you there on time.
Fly with Jefferson Airplane to reach your destination punctually.
We'll be flying at an altitude of thirty-nine thousand feet
The plane will be flying at a height of 39,000 feet above ground level.
Captain High at your service.
The pilot's name is Captain High and he is ready to serve you.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DONOVAN LEITCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind