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 Ferryman's Daughter
Donovan Lyrics
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Way deep down in the greenwood, oh
A-rap, tap, tapping on a window
A young blade and a ramblin boy
A-crossed the wide river to go
The river was wide, the river was deep
And all within the cottage seemed asleep
By and by, a young girl came
Blinking sleep from her dark eye
She put her finger to her lip
So young and yet not so shy
The river and deep, the river and wide
He went to the scholary and step inside
I tell to ye a roven tale
Or recite to you a fable
If you will give to me some bread
And a little hot soup if you're able
The river is wide, the river is deep
The ferryman my father is asleep
Then she put on a cloak of wool
And a pair of fine boots of deerskin
Lowering her pretty dark eye
When he caught a glimpse of her fair skin
The river is wide, the river is deep
The ferryman my father is asleep
He laid her down in the greenwood, oh
Squirrel and a rabbit did scamper
He sang her the ancient a-roving tale
And melody did enchant her
The river is wide, the river is deep
The ferryman her father lay asleep
They bid farewell by the riverbank
He looked long into her dark eye
An otter splashed and quickly sank
Greylag goose in the gray sky
The river is wide, the river is deep
The ferryman her father lay asleep
The Ferryman's Daughter by Donovan is a heart-warming tale of a chance encounter between a young man and a young girl, both wandering through the greenwood. The young man knocks on the window of the girl's cottage and is met with her encouraging finger on her lips. She invites him in, promising a hot meal if he tells her a roven tale or recites a fable. As he steps inside the cottage, he notices her fine boots of deerskin and her pretty, dark eyes. After hearing his tale, she puts on a cloak of wool and escorts him to her father's ferryboat where she laid down in the greenwood with him. He sang her the ancient a-roving tale and the melody enchanted her. They bid each other farewell by the riverbank, with the young man looking long into her dark eye while they watched the otter splash and the greylag goose fly off into the gray sky.
The song tells the story of two young people who found each other in the forest, sharing a love briefly before they parted again. It is a tale of adventure, romance, and nostalgia for a simpler time. The song creates a vivid picture of the river and the greenwood, highlighting the beauty of nature, and the value of a chance encounter with a stranger that can lead to a powerful connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Way deep down in the greenwood, oh
In a secluded part of the forest
A-rap, tap, tapping on a window
Someone knocking on a window
A young blade and a ramblin boy
A young man and a wanderer
A-crossed the wide river to go
Crossed a large river to travel
The river was wide, the river was deep
The river was difficult to cross
And all within the cottage seemed asleep
Everyone inside the house was asleep
By and by, a young girl came
After a short time, a young girl appeared
Blinking sleep from her dark eye
Rubbing the sleep from her eyes
She put her finger to her lip
She signaled for quiet
So young and yet not so shy
Despite her youth, not afraid to be bold
He went to the scholary and step inside
He entered with the girl's guidance
I tell to ye a roven tale
I will tell you a wandering story
Or recite to you a fable
Or a made-up tale
If you will give to me some bread
If you will offer me some food
And a little hot soup if you're able
And some warm soup, if possible
Then she put on a cloak of wool
She dressed in warm clothing
And a pair of fine boots of deerskin
She wore high-quality deer leather boots
Lowering her pretty dark eye
Looking down shyly
When he caught a glimpse of her fair skin
When he saw her beautiful skin
He laid her down in the greenwood, oh
He laid her down in the forest
Squirrel and a rabbit did scamper
Animals were running around
He sang her the ancient a-roving tale
He sang an old wandering story to her
And melody did enchant her
The song captivated her
They bid farewell by the riverbank
They said goodbye by the river
He looked long into her dark eye
He gazed deeply into her eyes
An otter splashed and quickly sank
An otter appeared and then disappeared into the water
Greylag goose in the gray sky
A type of goose flying overhead
The river is wide, the river is deep
Reiteration of the difficulty of the river
The ferryman her father lay asleep
The boatman who was the girl's father was sleeping
Contributed by Lucy V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.