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 Sun Is a Very Magic Fellow
Donovan Lyrics
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The sun is a very magic fellow
He shines down on me each day-ay-ay-ay.
The sun is a very magic fellow
He shines down on me each day-ay-ay-ay
He shines down on me each day.
The wind is a very fickle fellow
The wind is a very fickle fellow,
Blowing all my dreams away-ay-ay-ay
Blowing all my dreams away.
The rain is a very sad lady,
She falls down on me sometimes.
The rain is a very sad lady,
She falls down on me sometimes,
Falling down on me sometimes.
The sea is a very, very old man,
Deeper than the deepest blue.
The sea is a very, very old man,
Deeper than the deepest blue,
Deeper than the deepest blue.
The moon is a typical lady,
I watch her wax and wane.
The moon is a typical lady,
I watch her wax and wane,
I watch her wax and wane.
A star is so very far away, love,
Just between you and me.
A star is so very far away, love,
Just between you and me,
Just between you and me.
A girl is a pillow for my sadness,
She sings all my cares away.
A girl is a pillow for my sadness,
Sings all my cares away-ay-ay-ay,
Sings all my cares away.
Singing all my cares away-ay-ay-ay,
Sing all my cares away.
Loving all my cares away-ay-ay-ay,
She sings all my cares away.
Singing all my cares away-ay-ay-ay,
Singing all my cares
"The Sun Is a Very Magic Fellow" is a dreamy, poetic song about the different elements of nature and how they affect the singer's life. The first stanza is about the magical quality of the sun, how it shines down on the singer every day and brings light and warmth to their life. The second stanza is about the fickle nature of the wind, how it can suddenly change direction and blow away the singer's dreams and desires. The third stanza is about the sadness of the rain, how it can be a downer in the singer's life but also necessary for growth and renewal. The fourth stanza is about the vastness and age of the sea, which is personified as a very old man with deep, mysterious qualities. The fifth stanza is about the waxing and waning of the moon, which is personified as a typical lady with feminine qualities. The sixth stanza is about the distance of stars, which emphasizes the theme of cosmic wonder and awe. The final stanza is about the healing power of love and companionship, especially the feeling of being comforted and cared for by a girl who sings away the singer's pain and sadness.
Line by Line Meaning
The sun is a very magic fellow
The sun is a mystical being with supernatural powers.
He shines down on me each day-ay-ay-ay.
The sun shines on me every day with his magical rays.
The wind is a very fickle fellow
The wind is an unpredictable entity.
Blowing all my dreams away-ay-ay-ay
It can destroy my aspirations and hopes without warning.
The rain is a very sad lady,
The rain embodies melancholy emotions.
She falls down on me sometimes,
It can bring moments of sorrow and gloominess.
The sea is a very, very old man,
The sea represents ancient wisdom.
Deeper than the deepest blue,
It has vast knowledge and experiences hidden within.
The moon is a typical lady,
The moon personifies the average female character.
I watch her wax and wane,
I observe her changing phases and moods.
A star is so very far away, love,
A star symbolizes something unattainable, yet desirable.
Just between you and me,
It is a secret only the two of us know.
A girl is a pillow for my sadness,
A girl comforts me and eases my sorrows.
Sings all my cares away-ay-ay-ay,
She can dispel my worries and anxieties with her voice.
Singing all my cares away-ay-ay-ay,
Her singing has a therapeutic effect on me.
Loving all my cares away-ay-ay-ay,
Her love has the power to erase all my troubles.
She sings all my cares away.
Her music has the ability to heal my soul of all pain and worries.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: DONOVAN LEITCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind