Colours
Donovan Leitch Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the morning, when we rise,
In the morning, when we rise.
That's the time, that's the time,
I love the best.
Green's the colour of the sparklin' corn,
In the morning, when we rise,
That's the time, that's the time,
I love the best.
Blue's the colour of the sky-y,
In the morning, when we rise,
In the morning, when we rise.
That's the time, that's the time,
I love the best.
Mellow is the feeling that I get,
When I see her, m-hmm,
When I see her, oh yeah.
That's the time, that's the time,
I love the best.
Freedom is a word I rarely use,
Without thinking, oh yeah,
Without thinking, m-hmm.
Of the time, of the time,
When I've been loved.
Yellow is the colour of my true love's hair,
In the morning, when we rise,
In the morning, when we rise.
That's the time, that's the time,
I love the best.
The song "Colours" by Donovan Leitch is essentially a love song that employs colours as imagery to describe different aspects of the singer's beloved. The opening line "Yellow is the colour of my true love's hair" is a striking and vivid image that gives the listener an instant impression of the singer's love interest. The use of colour throughout the song serves as a symbol for different attributes of the singer's true love. For example, green is used to describe the "sparkling corn," which could be interpreted as a reference to the beauty of nature, and likely the beauty or purity of the singer's beloved. Blue is used to describe the sky, which is a common symbol for freedom or vastness, and could indicate a sense of the limitless possibilities the singer experiences with their beloved.
Despite the various colours used to describe elements of the singer's beloved, the central focus of the song is the feeling of joy and elation the singer experiences in the morning when they are with their true love. The last line "Yellow is the colour of my true love's hair, in the morning when we rise, that's the time I love the best" emphasizes this point, making it clear that the vivid image of their loved one's hair is simply a representation of the intense emotions they feel when they are with them.
Overall, "Colours" is a quintessential love song that uses imagery in a powerful and evocative way to convey the depth of feeling the singer has for their beloved.
Line by Line Meaning
Yellow is the colour of my true love's hair,
My true love has beautiful blonde hair which I associate with the start of a new day.
In the morning, when we rise,
As we wake up and start our day together, I am reminded of the beauty of my true love's hair.
That's the time, that's the time,
Mornings are the most special moments to me because of how it reminds me of my true love.
I love the best.
The feeling of seeing my true love's blonde hair in the morning is what I cherish the most.
Green's the colour of the sparklin' corn,
I associate the green color of corn with freshness and new beginnings.
Mellow is the feeling that I get,
When I see my true love, I feel a gentle, calm, and peaceful emotion wash over me.
When I see her, m-hmm,
My feelings of contentment and relaxation intensify when I am in the presence of my true love.
Freedom is a word I rarely use,
I do not often speak of freedom because I have never truly experienced it.
Without thinking, oh yeah,
When I do use the word freedom, I use it without fully considering its meaning.
Of the time, of the time,
I am reminded of the times in my life when I have experienced genuine love.
When I've been loved.
I hold these moments of being loved close to me as some of the most important experiences in my life.
Blue's the colour of the sky-y,
I connect the vastness and beauty of the blue sky with the freedom and happiness that comes from being in love.
That's the time, that's the time,
Just like seeing the color of my true love's hair in the morning and the green of the corn, the sight of the blue sky fills me with joy and contentment.
I love the best.
These simple moments that remind me of the beauty and freedom of love are the times that I cherish the most.
Yellow is the colour of my true love's hair,
The repetition of this line underscores how important my true love and the memories associated with them are to me.
In the morning, when we rise,
Once again, the morning signifies new beginnings and another day of love and happiness with my true love.
That's the time, that's the time,
Through this repetition, I emphasize how much these moments mean to me.
I love the best.
Above anything else, these moments with my true love and the simple beauties that remind me of them are what bring me the most happiness.
Contributed by Savannah B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@user-jb1lg4pn9t
I was born in the USSR, in 1968. We couldn't listen to good music, almost all music from the USA and the UK was illegal. I remember hearing Donovan. I didn't know who this man was or what his name was. But he had simple, but very magic texts that smelled of freedom, a rainy sky and grass. I learned English from such songs. The sky was getting higher. Freedom seemed possible. You have no idea how important this was to me. Thank you, thank you Donovan, I love you!
@Phil-db1dh
Im a grandad now. but still a child of the 60's ! how i get a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye when i hear this , the memories it brings to me of those fabulous days so long ago . but seems like yesterday, fabulous music, fabulous times, but oh dear, friends ive loved,and friends ive lost , it brings it all back , now, where did i put me hanky ! xx
@lindakristinekjlibraten777
How time flies.... spngs can make one really nostagic..... I wasn't born in the 60s, but I can understand how living in the 60s waa when it comes to the music. I wish I waa born in the mid 50s just to experience the golden decade of music.
@chrisha1595
Said so well, Phil. Me too... the times of our life ... cherished forever!
@Phil-db1dh
Thank you , nice to know some one feels the same x
@carolirvine3367
@@Phil-db1dh There are a few of us. Stay well
@rockinrollinntrollin616
@@lindakristinekjlibraten777 music has it own journey...belongs to no specific time frame...great sounds are still being played & recorded ...just not on RADIO or any other money dedicated inspired CRAPSHIT fucked up a merry can based you tube soundbullshit ! it's 2020 ..mobile no brains...look @ me ..instagram me social tendency degradation STD's 2020 .
@johnsmith-xr1uh
I’ve been listening to this song for 58 years
@gwendolynemaeystadt7531
that record must be in such a sorry state
@Jus2sick
My grandfather Jean, who was from france was a huge fan of donovan. He would always sing me his songs before his death when I was 4. Rest In Peace Jean “Smokey” Elditch 1929 - 1994