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 Quest
Donovan Lyrics
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Why darken the water?
'Thy will be done' if you think you ought to.
No one can see you when you're on your own.
No one can be you.
Take your time don't hurry;
It's alright don't worry!
You've just begun for to awaken.
Do walk, don't run!
You're not forsaken.
No one can free you from your own prison.
No one can see you
Take your time, don't hurry!
It's alright, don't worry!
It's alright, don't worry!
No one can free you from your own prison.
No one can see you
Take your time, don't hurry!
It's alright, don't worry!
The song Quest by Donovan encourages listeners to take their time and not hurry through life. The lyrics begin by questioning why one would veil the sun and darken the water, asking if it is truly necessary. The phrase "Thy will be done" suggests that sometimes people do things because they feel they should, even if it doesn't make sense to others.
The song then goes on to say that no one can truly understand or be like you when you are on your own. It encourages the listener to take their time, walk instead of run, and not feel forsaken in their experiences. The repeated phrase "No one can free you from your own prison" implies that we are often the only ones who can change our own circumstances and release ourselves from any mental or emotional restrictions we've created.
In the end, the message of the song is to embrace our own journey and not feel rushed or pressured by others. It encourages self-awareness and self-reflection, reminding us that we are the only ones who can truly break free from any limitations we put on ourselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Why veil the sun?
What is the reason for hiding the sun?
Why darken the water?
What is the reason for making the water dark?
'Thy will be done' if you think you ought to.
Do what you think is right, even if it is difficult.
No one can see you when you're on your own.
You can be alone and unseen by others.
No one can be you.
No other person can be you.
Take your time don't hurry;
Do not rush and take your time.
It's alright don't worry!
Everything is okay, do not worry.
You've just begun for to awaken.
You have just started to wake up and realize things.
Do walk, don't run!
Take things slowly and do not rush.
You're not forsaken.
You have not been abandoned or left alone.
No one can free you from your own prison.
Only you can free yourself from your problems and troubles.
No one can see you
Nobody can see what you are going through.
Take your time, don't hurry!
Take your time and do not rush through things.
It's alright, don't worry!
Everything is okay, do not worry.
It's alright, don't worry!
Everything is okay, do not worry.
No one can free you from your own prison.
Only you can free yourself from your problems and troubles.
No one can see you
Nobody can see what you are going through.
Take your time, don't hurry!
Take your time and do not rush through things.
It's alright, don't worry!
Everything is okay, do not worry.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: BYRON M BYRD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind