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.
To Try For The Sun
Donovan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We stood in the windy city,
The gypsy boy and I.
We slept on the breeze in the midnight
With the raindrop and tears in our eyes.
And who's going to be the one
To say it was no good what we done?
For I'm going to try for the sun.
We huddled in a derelict building
And when he thought I was asleep
He laid his poor coat round my shoulder,
And shivered there beside me in a heap.
And who's going to be the one
To say it was no good what we done?
I dare a man to say I'm too young,
For I'm going to try for the sun.
We sang and cracked the sky with laughter,
Our breath turned to mist in the cold.
Our years put together count to thirty,
But our eyes told the dawn we were old.
And who's going to be the one
To say it was no good what we done ?
I dare a man to say I'm too young,
For I'm going to try for the sun.
Mirror, mirror, hanging in the sky,
Won't you look down what's happening here below?
I stand here singing to the flowers,
So very few people really know.
And who's going to be the one
To say it was no good what we done?
I dare a man to say I'm too young,
For I'm going to try for the sun.
We stood in the windy city
The gypsy boy and I.
We slept on the breeze in the midnight,
With the raindrop and tears in our eyes.
And who's going to be the one
To say it was no good what we done ?
I dare a man to say I'm too young,
For I'm going to try for the sun.
The song "To Try for the Sun" by Donovan tells a poignant story of the innocence, hope and courage of two young people who stand in the windy city, facing an uncertain future. It is an ode to the youthful idealism that is not daunted by the challenges of life, but rather sees them as opportunities for growth and self-discovery.
The first stanza describes their physical condition, being outside in the elements, with rain and tears in their eyes. Despite the circumstances, they are filled with determination and dare anyone to tell them they are too young to pursue their dreams. The second stanza talks about their shelter for the night, a derelict building, and how the gypsy boy wraps his coat around the singer to keep her warm. This act of kindness and selflessness shows the bond of trust and companionship between them.
In the third stanza, the two sing, and the sky cracks with laughter, symbolizing the joy they find in being alive and connecting with one another. They may be young chronologically, but their eyes tell the dawn they are old because they have experienced much in their brief lives. The fourth stanza speaks of the singer's love for nature and her connection to it. The mirror, mirror in the sky represents a sense of reflection and introspection, asking those who look down to take notice of what is happening below.
The song's overarching theme is one of perseverance and optimism, with the repeated line "I'm going to try for the sun" serving as a symbol of hope. The song encourages listeners to follow their dreams, no matter what their circumstances may be. The singer's determination to keep striving, despite facing trials and negativity, is an inspiration.
Line by Line Meaning
We stood in the windy city,
The gypsy boy and I were standing in a city with strong winds.
The gypsy boy and I.
I was with a boy who was a gypsy.
We slept on the breeze in the midnight
We slept outside in the midnight air.
With the raindrop and tears in our eyes.
We were emotional, with both tears and rain falling from our eyes.
And who's going to be the one
Who will have the audacity to
To say it was no good what we done?
speak against what we've done?
I dare a man to say I'm too young,
I challenge someone to say that I'm not experienced enough.
For I'm going to try for the sun.
I am determined to achieve great things.
We huddled in a derelict building
When it got colder, we sought shelter in an abandoned building.
And when he thought I was asleep
The boy thought I was sleeping.
He laid his poor coat round my shoulder,
He put his coat around my shoulders to keep me warm.
And shivered there beside me in a heap.
He was cold and shivering next to me.
We sang and cracked the sky with laughter,
We laughed so much that it felt like the sky was cracking.
Our breath turned to mist in the cold.
Our breath turned into mist because of the cold temperature.
Our years put together count to thirty,
We are young, together we are barely thirty years old.
But our eyes told the dawn we were old.
Our eyes made us seem older and wiser than our years would suggest.
Mirror, mirror, hanging in the sky,
Addressing the sky, which reflects like a mirror.
Won't you look down what's happening here below?
Can you see what is happening here below, in our world?
I stand here singing to the flowers,
I am singing to the flowers, although not many people understand.
So very few people really know.
Few people truly understand my message.
And who's going to be the one
Who will have the audacity to
To say it was no good what we done?
speak against what we've done?
I dare a man to say I'm too young,
I challenge someone to say that I'm not experienced enough.
For I'm going to try for the sun.
I am determined to achieve great things.
We stood in the windy city
The gypsy boy and I were standing in a city with strong winds.
The gypsy boy and I.
I was with a boy who was a gypsy.
We slept on the breeze in the midnight,
We slept outside in the midnight air.
With the raindrop and tears in our eyes.
We were emotional, with both tears and rain falling from our eyes.
And who's going to be the one
Who will have the audacity to
To say it was no good what we done?
speak against what we've done?
I dare a man to say I'm too young,
I challenge someone to say that I'm not experienced enough.
For I'm going to try for the sun.
I am determined to achieve great things.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: DONOVAN LEITCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tropicwave1
To Try For The Sun Donovan From the album fairytale We stood in the windy city,
The gypsy boy and I.
We slept on the breeze in the midnight
With the raindrop and tears in our eyes.
And who's going to be the one
To say it was no good what we done?
I dare a man to say I'm too young,
For I'm going to try for the sun.
We huddled in a derelict building
And when he thought I was asleep
He laid his poor coat round my shoulder,
And shivered there beside me in a heap.
And who's going to be the one
To say it was no good what we done?
I dare a man to say I'm too young,
For I'm going to try for the sun.
We sang and cracked the sky with laughter,
Our breath turned to mist in the cold.
Our years put together count to thirty,
But our eyes told the dawn we were old.
And who's going to be the one
To say it was no good what we done ?
I dare a man to say I'm too young,
For I'm going to try for the sun.
Mirror, mirror, hanging in the sky,
Won't you look down what's happening here below?
I stand here singing to the flowers,
So very few people really know.
And who's going to be the one
To say it was no good what we done?
I dare a man to say I'm too young,
For I'm going to try for the sun.
We stood in the windy city
The gypsy boy and I.
We slept on the breeze in the midnight,
With the raindrop and tears in our eyes.
And who's going to be the one
To say it was no good what we done ?
I dare a man to say I'm too young,
For I'm going to try for the sun. Songwriters: DONOVAN LEITCH© Peermusic Publishing
@Mgt461
Genius both musically and in the conceptualising of emotions. His music captured the spirit of the age and it still resonates today with all of those gentle people who listen not only with their ears but also with their hearts.
@Taffy064
That was really nicely put.
@Mgt461
@@Taffy064 🙏 🌸 🙏 ❤
@fionnmcnessa
So well put
I can imagine him an gypsy dave and their adventures but in all he came across
I had a friend like this we left ireland when there was no work and my best friend shivered beside me at night in Old warehouses and shells of houses we ate drank and fought together only to defend ourselves from the school yard to the streets of London he was by my side I miss him so much donavan and gypsy dave remind me of us
his heart remained true he knew the woman he wanted and won her in the end
@Mgt461
@@fionnmcnessa🌺 💐 🙏🙏 🌷🌸
@fionnmcnessa
@@Mgt461 💕
@meenbee6853
My brother met Donavan in St Ives in the early sixties. Sadly he died in 1969 (in prison ) he had become a heroin addict. But when I hear this it reminds me of what my mum said "he did things his way thats how he wanted it" I love this song and always cry when I hear it.
@stevenpratt7804
A moving tribute; sorry for the loss(and pain) of your brother. I too get the tears…
@richardwilton2203
I still play this song it reminds me of the sixties when my best buddy and I used to hitch hike to various beach towns in Wales and Cornwall where we would sleep on the beaches.Amazing times.
@trevortrevortsr2
For us, it was in the Mid 70's in Manchester & North Wales - perfect music to watch the sunrise