Donna
Various Artists Lyrics


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Oh, once upon a looking-for-Donna-time
There was a sixteen year old virgin
Oh, Donna, oh, oh, Donna, oh, oh, oh
Looking for my Donna

I just got back from looking for Donna
San Francisco, psychedelic urchin
Oh, Donna, oh, oh, Donna, oh, oh, oh
Looking for my Donna

Have you seen
My sixteen year old tattooed woman?
Heard a story
She got busted for her beauty, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

Once upon a looking-for-Donna-time
There was a sixteen year old virgin
Oh, Donna, oh, oh, Donna, oh, oh, oh
Looking for my Donna

I've been to India and saw the yogi light
In South America the Indian smoke glows bright
I'm reincarnated and so are we all
And in this lifetime we'll rise before we fall, fall

Once upon a looking-for-Donna-time
There was a sixteen year old virgin
Oh, Donna, oh, oh, Donna, oh, oh, oh
Looking for my Donna

And I'm gonna show her life on earth can be sweet
Gonna lay my mutated self at her feet
And I'm gonna love her, make love to her
Till the sky turns brown
I'm evolving, I'm evolving through the drugs
That you put down

Once upon a looking-for-Donna-time
There was a sixteen year old virgin
Oh, Donna, oh, oh, Donna, oh, oh, oh




Looking for my Donna, looking for my Donna
Looking for my Donna, Donna

Overall Meaning

The song "Donna" by Various Artists, is a psychedelic rock song from the 1960s. The song is about a young, sixteen-year-old virgin who the singer, presumably a young man, is seeking. The first stanza sets up the story of the young man's quest to find Donna, using repetition to emphasize the urgency of his search. He talks about traveling to different places, such as San Francisco and India, in search of Donna.


The second stanza mentions a story he heard about Donna getting "busted for her beauty", which could mean she was arrested for prostitution. The singer seems to have a romanticized view of Donna, and he wants to show her that life on earth can be sweet. He plans to lay his "mutated self" at her feet and make love to her until the sky turns brown. He believes that he is evolving through the drugs that she has put down, suggesting that drugs have played a role in his search for Donna. Overall, the song is a snapshot of the drug and hippie-fueled counterculture of the 1960s, where young people were searching for love, meaning, and connection.


Line by Line Meaning

Oh, once upon a looking-for-Donna-time
In the past, there was a time when I was looking for Donna


There was a sixteen year old virgin
Donna was a young, inexperienced girl


Oh, Donna, oh, oh, Donna, oh, oh, oh
Donna was an important person to me, and I am trying to find her


Looking for my Donna
I am on a quest to find Donna


I just got back from looking for Donna
I recently went searching for Donna


San Francisco, psychedelic urchin
I looked for Donna in San Francisco, where the hippie culture seemed to thrive


Have you seen
I am asking if anyone has seen Donna


My sixteen year old tattooed woman?
Donna has tattoos and is young


Heard a story
I have been told a tale


She got busted for her beauty, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Donna was punished for being attractive


I've been to India and saw the yogi light
I have traveled to India and experienced spiritual enlightenment


In South America the Indian smoke glows bright
I went to South America and smoked marijuana with the natives


I'm reincarnated and so are we all
I believe in the cycle of rebirth and that everyone experiences it


And in this lifetime we'll rise before we fall, fall
I believe that in this life, we will succeed before we fail


And I'm gonna show her life on earth can be sweet
I want to show Donna that life can be wonderful


Gonna lay my mutated self at her feet
I want to submit myself to her and show her my unconventional side


And I'm gonna love her, make love to her
I intend to love her deeply and be intimate with her


Till the sky turns brown
I will continue to love her until the end of time


I'm evolving, I'm evolving through the drugs
I believe that taking drugs is causing me to evolve and change


That you put down
The drugs that Donna rejected


Looking for my Donna, looking for my Donna
I am still searching for Donna


Donna
Donna is an important person to me and I hope to find her soon




Contributed by Tristan T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@WillieDines1

2021 and still enjoy this music, but as someone who also plays guitar and has wrote a few songs, I believe that Ritchie and Buddy Holly both had something unique in common... They were both way ahead of their time with their sheer talent for music and for Ritchie, this song is a perfect example.

Ritchie has written this as a blues ballad and he cleverly uses some old school blues riffs and licks into his guitar playing, but without taking away from the smoother rhythm guitar chords with the rest of the band.

You can hear in Ritchie's vocals that he was singing this one from the heart just for Donna and I sure wish that he could still be alive now because I believe that he and Donna would be together now, if he was.

Rest in Heaven Ritchie and it sucks that your time was too short, but you will live forever in your music and in memories.

God bless the Ritchie, buddy and JP's families 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏



All comments from YouTube:

@dennissorensen8099

My wife’s name is Donna she past away in June 2020 . I dedicate this song to her.

@sauldeluna9129

I'm sorry for your loss my respects

@ceasarg625

R.i.p I hope the best for you

@smokedope6677

Rip to your wife man prayers

@davidoftheglen3447

Sorry for your lose buddy

@idontknowmuch3441

I’m sorry for loss

384 More Replies...

@cleangoblin2021

I think Ritchie would be really surprised to learn that his songs still being listened to by millions.
36 million views is no joke.

@cruzdeleon1888

I don't think he would be Surprised..he knew many would enjoy his music timelessly

@aliensexfien

@Cruz Deleon Fr

@fernandomaron87

His fanbase in Mexico and South America in general is still huge.

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