Jesse Colin Young got his start as a solo act on the folk circuits of Boston and New York and had already cut a couple of unsuccessful albums before deciding to form a band with guitarist Jerry Corbitt. After a failed single called "My Babe", they hired aspiring jazz drummer Joe Bauer and guitarist/pianist Lowell Levinger III, better known simply as "Banana". Young began playing bass when several candidates-- including Felix Pappalardi and Harvey Brooks (later of The Electric Flag)--proved incompatible, and the quartet took the name 'Youngbloods' from the singer's second solo album.
The group was eventually selected as the house band at New York's famed Cafe Au Go Go and established itself as a leading folk rock/good time attraction. Their sound would temper their blues and jugband influences with gentle California psychedelia, particularly after they moved to the San Francisco Bay area.
While Young was always the focal point of the band, their first two albums also had songwriting contributions from Corbitt. Their first single, Grizzly Bear, was a local hit. Their second attempt, Get Together, didn't do much better when it was first released. This Dino Valenti song had previously been recorded by the Jefferson Airplane, but The Youngbloods' slow, soulful interpretation of "Get Together" was definitive. The record faded quickly but suddenly rocketed to the Top 10 when it was re-released in 1969 after being used in a television public service ad. The tune was subsequently adopted as a counterculture anthem.
By that time, Corbitt had left. The Youngbloods, reduced to a trio, were living in Marin County, CA. 1969's Elephant Mountain was produced by country artist Charlie Daniels. Reflecting the mellowing influence of San Francisco psychedelia, it was their best effort, featuring some of Young's best songs. They released a few more albums in the early '70s (some live), but on these, the mellow California rock sound had begun to turn lame and wimpy.
Further albums by Bauer, Levinger and Young were marred by inconsistency. A friend from the Boston days, Michael Kane, joined the band in the spring of 1971, but they split the following year when Young left the band. Levinger, Bauer and Kane continued as Banana And The Bunch, but this occasional venture subsequently folded.
Jesse Colin Young went on to have a long and moderately successful career as a solo singer-songwriter.
Donna
The Youngbloods Lyrics
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Oh, Donna, Oh, Donna
I had a girl
Donna was her name
Since she left me
I've never been the same
'Cause I love my girl
Where can you be?
Now that you're gone
I'm left all alone
All by myself
To wander and roam
'Cause I love my girl
Donna, where can you be?
Where can you be?
Well, darlin', now that you're gone
I don't know what I'll do
All time and all my love for you
I had a girl
Donna was her name
Since she left me
I've never been the same
'Cause I love my girl
Donna, where can you be?
Where can you be?
Oh, Donna, Oh, Donna
Oh, Donna, Oh, Donna
Oh, Donna!
The Youngbloods' song "Donna" tells the story of a man who is deeply in love with a woman named Donna, but she has left him and he cannot find her. The repetition of "Oh, Donna" creates a sense of desperation and longing. The lyrics capture the pain of heartbreak and the feeling of being lost without the one you love. The singer is left alone, wandering and roaming, unable to move on without Donna. The line "All time and all my love for you" reflects the depth of his feelings and the amount of time he has invested in the relationship.
The simplicity of the melody and lyrics allow the emotional content to be the focus of the song. It's a pleading love song that captures the angst of losing someone you love. The song's popularity is likely due to its relatability; heartbreak is something almost everyone can relate to.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, Donna, Oh, Donna
A repeated call for Donna, expressing the emotional pain of losing her.
I had a girl
I used to be in a relationship.
Donna was her name
The name of the girl in the relationship was Donna.
Since she left me
My relationship with Donna has ended, and it has affected me since then.
I've never been the same
I have not been able to cope with the feeling of losing Donna and have been impacted greatly by it.
'Cause I love my girl
I still have feelings for Donna despite the fact that she is not with me anymore.
Donna, where can you be?
Expressing the feeling of longing for the return of Donna in my life.
Where can you be?
Continuing to express the feeling of longing for the return of Donna in my life.
Now that you're gone
Following up on the fact that the relationship with Donna has ended.
I'm left all alone
Expressing the fact that I am now alone as a result of the end of my relationship with Donna.
All by myself
Continuing on the fact that I am now alone as a result of the end of my relationship with Donna.
To wander and roam
I am now alone and traveling everywhere without having a fixed place to stay.
Well, darlin', now that you're gone
Addressing my ex-girlfriend affectionately by calling her 'darling' and reflecting upon the feeling of being left alone.
I don't know what I'll do
Expressing that I am completely lost and don't have any idea what to do after losing Donna.
All time and all my love for you
The time and love I have invested in the relationship with Donna has resulted in the emotional pain that I am now experiencing.
Oh, Donna!
A repeated call for Donna, expressing the emotional pain of losing her.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ritchie Valens
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind