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.
Till I See You Again
Donovan Lyrics
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With a single sheet covering brown skin and white
Hear you breathing soft and low, perfuming the air
With your tiny fingers gently sleeping in your hair.
So many miles away am I, yet I can see you plain
I must look at you within myself till I see you again
I see you again.
I get so anxious when I call you on the phone
If I get a bad line, babe, or the lines are down at home
I get so frustrated and so hung up inside
I know it's me and running scared and my time I have to bide.
So many miles away am I, yet I can see you plain
I must look at you within myself till I see you again
I see you again.
Oh, so many miles away am I, yet I can see you plain
I must look at you within myself till I see you again
I see you again.
Ooh, I see you again
Till I see you again
Till I see you again
Till I see you
again
The lyrics of Donovan's song "Till I See You Again" are a poignant tribute to a distant loved one. The singer starts by describing the scene of his loved one sleeping in a heavy night, covered by a single sheet that contrasts the colors of their skin. He listens to their soft breathing and smells their perfume, imagining the sensation of their tiny fingers sleeping in their hair. Despite the physical distance between them, the singer can see their loved one vividly in his mind's eye, as he looks within himself for comfort until they can be reunited again.
The second verse delves into the anxiety and frustration of being separated from one's significant other, particularly when technology fails them. The singer confesses to getting hung up on himself and his fears, recognizing that he needs to bide his time until he can see his loved one again. The repetition of the chorus underscores the pain of longing and the hope of reunification. The final repetition of "Till I see you again" is punctuated by a soulful, sustained note that conveys the depth of the singer's emotions.
Overall, Donovan's heartfelt lyrics and mellow guitar strumming capture the universal feeling of missing someone deeply and waiting for the day when they can be together again. The song's gentle melody and dreamy vibe convey a sense of yearning and longing that is both personal and relatable.
Line by Line Meaning
I can see you now asleep in the heavy, heavy night
The singer vividly imagines their loved one sleeping in the darkness.
With a single sheet covering brown skin and white
The loved one is covered by a sheet that reflects their mixed-race identity.
Hear you breathing soft and low, perfuming the air
The singer hears their loved one’s breathing and it fills the air with a pleasant scent.
With your tiny fingers gently sleeping in your hair.
The loved one has a comforting habit of sleeping with her fingers in her hair.
So many miles away am I, yet I can see you plain
The distance between the artist and loved one is great, yet they vividly imagine the loved one.
I must look at you within myself till I see you again
The singer must imagine the loved one until they can see them in person.
I get so anxious when I call you on the phone
The singer feels anxious when they talk to their loved one on the phone.
If I get a bad line, babe, or the lines are down at home
Poor phone reception causes the artist distress.
I get so frustrated and so hung up inside
Frustration and anxiety from the distance affect the artist strongly.
I know it's me and running scared and my time I have to bide
The artist admits that their own fears and anxiety over the distance is causing them frustration.
Oh, so many miles away am I, yet I can see you plain
The singer reiterates the theme of distance and vivid imagination of the loved one.
I must look at you within myself till I see you again
Again, the artist must imagine their loved one until they can see them in person.
Till I see you again
The singer longs to see their loved one again.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: DONOVAN LEITCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind