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 Tinker and the Crab
Donovan Lyrics
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Weather fair
White horses riding on the seas pasture onto the
Sand
Over the Dunes came a travelling man
Sack on back Wild flowers in his hand
Old rusty cans, pebbles 'bedded in the sand stand
And stare
Scratching his beard through the grass he steered
His sandy shoe
Disappearing in the dips pondering and wandering
Along
Nice as you please comes the travelling man
Drinking a bottle of milk in his hand
Speaking to no one in particular but happily
Down where young gulls dance driftwood lying drying
For the fire
Yellow beak and sleek now the gulls are crying
Flying higher
Out from the sea came a little green Crab
Taking the Sun the morning being very drab
Old rusty cans, pebbles 'bedded in the sand stand
And stare
The Tinker and the Crab
The Tinker and the Crab
The Tinker and the Crab
The Tinker and the Crab by Donovan is a charming and whimsical song that transports listeners to a windy beach with white horses, diving gulls and a green crab taking in the morning sun. The lyrics describe a travelling man, who wanders along the beach without a care in the world, with a sack on his back and wildflowers in his hand. The man is wearing sandy shoes and scratching his beard. He drinks a bottle of milk and speaks to no one in particular, happy to be in his own company. Meanwhile, all around him, old rusty cans, pebbles and driftwood lie on the sandy shore, while young gulls dance and cry.
The song speaks to the idea of living in the moment, content with the present and taking joy in the simple things. The Tinker represents a person who is carefree and living life at their own pace, unconcerned with convention or the expectations of others. In contrast, the crab represents a creature that is content with its place in life, basking in the sun and enjoying the beauty of the morning. The Tinker and the Crab both embody the simple pleasures of life that can be overlooked in the hustle and bustle of everyday living.
Interestingly, The Tinker and the Crab was released as a B-side to Donovan’s hit single Mellow Yellow in 1966. Despite this, the song has gained a loyal following and even inspired an animated short film of the same name. The song’s lyrics have been interpreted in various ways, including as a metaphor for the struggle between human beings and nature, or as a reflection on the beauty of the morning and the simplicity of life. Regardless of its interpretation, The Tinker and the Crab is a unique and playful addition to Donovan’s discography.
Line by Line Meaning
On the windy beach the sun is shining through with weather fair
The beach is windy but the sun is shining and the weather is good
White horses riding on the seas pasture onto the sand
Waves resembling white horses ride onto the beach
Over the Dunes came a travelling man Sack on back Wild flowers in his hand
A man carrying a backpack and holding some wild flowers came over the dunes
Old rusty cans, pebbles 'bedded in the sand stand And stare
Rusty cans and pebbles laying on the sand appear motionless
Scratching his beard through the grass he steered His sandy shoe
The man scratched his beard while walking through the grass and sand
Disappearing in the dips pondering and wandering Along
The man walks out of sight while lost in thought and wandering
Nice as you please comes the travelling man Drinking a bottle of milk in his hand Speaking to no one in particular but happily
The man returns casually, drinking a bottle of milk, and speaking joyfully to no one in particular
Down where young gulls dance driftwood lying drying For the fire
Young seagulls dance where driftwood is drying out for use as fuel
Yellow beak and sleek now the gulls are crying Flying higher
The sleek, yellow-beaked gulls fly higher and cry out
Out from the sea came a little green Crab Taking the Sun the morning being very drab Old rusty cans, pebbles 'bedded in the sand stand And stare
A small green crab emerges from the sea to take in the sun and the old cans and pebbles on the beach continue to appear lifeless
The Tinker and the Crab The Tinker and the Crab The Tinker and the Crab
The song repeats the name of the tinker and the crab
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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jeffinergiraffe
The whole double album is available on CD nowadays. I still have my original LPs with all the artwork and lyrics. A masterpiece. I think this was Donovan's finest moment.
Damocles Loraine
+jeffinergiraffe As it was that of the XXth century...
Peter Smithson
i agree and i also have this albu on cd ad i also agree it was his defining moment , i the cd n my car and play it often
Carole Friskin
He is almost mythical....so beautiful x
Per Sallnäs
If that was his finest moment he must have been pretty shit.
20chevrolets
This is one of my favorite works of Donovan. I was born and raised on the beaches of Southern California so I have a strong connection to any of Donovan's beach-related songs. I'm very acquainted with seagulls, crabs, driftwood and driftwood fires. When I walk or jog on the beach which is a mile and a half from where I live, I often hear this song in my head or sing it as I walk on the sand.
Bonnie Speeg
si james Super lovely. This LP listened to near water, in Midwest, along rural hills and ponds. Gliding, simply gliding to this music. I'm Scotch ancestry...and though I've been to London, not further. Enchanting, to say hello to one who is over there.
Sherry Hanbury
Oh my heart. As we are coming full circle in this life, I hearken back to a wonderful evening in San Francisco, circa '67, and heard Widow With Shawl before it was released. My soul was so deeply touched. This was my true self somehow... The Tinker and The Crab I am sharing with some dear old friends, who knew me when the persona of this song was readily available through me. :)
soarornor
Wonderful comment. Widow With A Shawl is such a beautiful song!
David Higginbotham
I was listening to this in San Francisco early 1968 too...