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.
Young Girl Blues
Donovan Lyrics
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If you had any sense, you'd maybe go away for a few days
Be that as it may, you can only say you are lonely
You are but a young girl working your way through the phonies
Cafe on, milk gone, such a sad light and fading.
Yourself you touch, but not too much.
You hear it's degrading.
The flowers on your stockings wilting away in the midnight
The book you are reading is someone's opinion of moonlight
Your skin is so white, you'd like maybe to go to bed soon
Just closing your eyes if you're to rise up before noon
High heels, car wheels, all the losers are groovin'
Your dream, strange scene, images are movin'
Your friends they are making a pop star or two every evening
You know that scene backwards, they can't see the patterns they're weaving
Your friends they're all models but you soon got over that one
You sit in your one room a little brought down in London
Cafe on, milk gone, such a sad light and fading.
Yourself you touch, but not too much.
You hear it's degrading.
It's Saturday night, it feels like a Sunday in some ways
If you had any sense, you'd maybe go away for a few days
Be that as it may, you can only say you are lonely
You are but a young girl working your way through the phonies.
Donovan's "Young Girl Blues" is a melancholic ballad that tells the story of a struggling young girl trying to make her way in the big city. The song starts on a Saturday night that feels like a Sunday, implying that the young girl is disillusioned, bored and alone. The lyrics describe her trying to find solace in the company of the phonies and losers that populate the scene, but she still feels lonely and dejected. The song's tone is sombre and reflective, with Donovan's whimsical guitar playing capturing the mood of the young girl's inner turmoil.
The second verse of the song adds more depth to the young girl's situation. She is reading a book about moonlight, implying that she is searching for beauty and meaning in an otherwise drab existence. The flowers on her stockings are wilting, symbolizing her fading hope and optimism. She longs to go to bed, to escape from the emptiness of her life, but even her own touch feels degrading. The last verse acknowledges that the young girl's friends are successful in the popstar industry, but she is left behind, sitting alone in her one-room apartment, struggling to find her place in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
It's Saturday night, it feels like a Sunday in some ways
Even though it's a weekend evening, it still feels like a dreary and sad Sunday.
If you had any sense, you'd maybe go away for a few days
If you were wise, you would consider taking a break from your current situation.
Be that as it may, you can only say you are lonely
Despite everything else, the only thing you can truly express is your loneliness.
You are but a young girl working your way through the phonies
As a young girl, you are trying to navigate through life while avoiding fake and deceitful people.
Cafe on, milk gone, such a sad light and fading.
You are alone in a cafe where the milk has run out, and the lighting is dim and melancholy.
Yourself you touch, but not too much.
You try to give yourself comfort, but you are wary of going too far and falling into something regrettable.
You hear it's degrading.
You are aware that people see self-comforting as shameful or disgraceful.
The flowers on your stockings wilting away in the midnight
The decorations on your stockings are fading away as the night grows darker.
The book you are reading is someone's opinion of moonlight
The book you are reading is someone's subjective and personal view of the moonlight, which may not necessarily match up with reality.
Your skin is so white, you'd like maybe to go to bed soon
Your skin is pale as if drained of energy, and you are feeling tired and longing for rest soon.
Just closing your eyes if you're to rise up before noon
If you have to wake up early, your only wish is to close your eyes and drift into sleep as soon as possible.
High heels, car wheels, all the losers are groovin'
People wearing fancy clothes and driving expensive cars are partying, but you feel like they are wasting their time and not truly happy.
Your dream, strange scene, images are movin'
In your dream, you are seeing odd and surreal images that are constantly in motion.
Your friends they are making a pop star or two every evening
Your friends are becoming famous pop stars on a regular basis.
You know that scene backwards, they can't see the patterns they're weaving
You are familiar with the industry and can predict what will happen next, but your friends are unaware of the bigger picture and consequences of their actions.
Your friends they're all models but you soon got over that one
Your friends are all fashion models, but you have already outgrown that interest.
You sit in your one room a little brought down in London
You are sitting alone in a small room in a depressed state in the city of London.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: DONOVAN LEITCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind