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Gavin B. · 11-05-2013, 08:59 AM

Donovan wrote some of the great folk rock songs of the Sixties era like Jennifer Juniper, Wear Your Love Like Heaven, Season of the Witch and Fat Angel. He was and still is a good friend of Jimmy Page and they share a common interest in Celtic folklore, the occult and ancient rituals of magic.

Donovan was different from Dylan in many ways. Dylan was influenced by delta blues, country music and traditional American folk music, especially Woody Guthrie. Donovan, on the other hand, was more of a traditional Celtic bard influenced by jazz standards and classical music. Listen to the baroque horn arrangement on Jennifer Juniper, it's perhaps the loveliest example of chamber pop from the 60s era. Donovan was also the first British musician to experiment with psychedelic themes and lyrics in his music.

People forget that Donovan wrote the psychedelic noir song Sunny Goodge Street way back in 1965 which put him months, if not years ahead of the psychedelic music movement.

Donovan’s stoned out lyrics on Sunny Goodge Street are nothing short of brilliant as he weaves seemingly disparate observations concerning the pre-hippie beatnik movement. Notice his novel jazz arrangement of the song with a flute, trumpets and cello. Donovan recorded this song recorded 2 years before the Beatles released their epic masterpiece Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band which is considered the first great album of the psychedelic era. Sunny Goodge Street (and many of his other songs) is evidence that Donovan was not a British Dylan imitator but an artist with his own unique musical vision.

Sunny Goodge Street (lyrics)

On the firefly platform on sunny Goodge Street
Violent hash-smoker shook a chocolate machine
Involved in an eating scene.
Smashing into neon streets in their stonedness
Smearing their eyes on the crazy cult goddess
Listenin' to sounds of Mingus mellow fantastic.
"My, my", they sigh,
"My, my", they sigh.
In doll house rooms with coloured lights swingin'
Strange music boxes sadly tinklin'
Drink in the sun shining all around you.
"My, my", they sigh,
"My, my", they sigh, mm mm.
"My, my", they sigh,
"My, my", they sigh.
The magician, he sparkles in satin and velvet,
You gaze at his splendour with eyes you've not used yet.
I tell you his name is Love, Love, Love.
"My, my", they sigh,
"My, my", they sigh.
"My, my" - sigh.

11-05-2013, 08:59 AM	#16 (permalink)
Gavin B. Model Worker Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,248	Donovan wrote some of the great folk rock songs of the Sixties era like Jennifer Juniper, Wear Your Love Like Heaven, Season of the Witch and Fat Angel. He was and still is a good friend of Jimmy Page and they share a common interest in Celtic folklore, the occult and ancient rituals of magic. Donovan was different from Dylan in many ways. Dylan was influenced by delta blues, country music and traditional American folk music, especially Woody Guthrie. Donovan, on the other hand, was more of a traditional Celtic bard influenced by jazz standards and classical music. Listen to the baroque horn arrangement on Jennifer Juniper, it's perhaps the loveliest example of chamber pop from the 60s era. Donovan was also the first British musician to experiment with psychedelic themes and lyrics in his music. People forget that Donovan wrote the psychedelic noir song Sunny Goodge Street way back in 1965 which put him months, if not years ahead of the psychedelic music movement. Donovan’s stoned out lyrics on Sunny Goodge Street are nothing short of brilliant as he weaves seemingly disparate observations concerning the pre-hippie beatnik movement. Notice his novel jazz arrangement of the song with a flute, trumpets and cello. Donovan recorded this song recorded 2 years before the Beatles released their epic masterpiece Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band which is considered the first great album of the psychedelic era. Sunny Goodge Street (and many of his other songs) is evidence that Donovan was not a British Dylan imitator but an artist with his own unique musical vision. Sunny Goodge Street (lyrics) On the firefly platform on sunny Goodge Street Violent hash-smoker shook a chocolate machine Involved in an eating scene. Smashing into neon streets in their stonedness Smearing their eyes on the crazy cult goddess Listenin' to sounds of Mingus mellow fantastic. "My, my", they sigh, "My, my", they sigh. In doll house rooms with coloured lights swingin' Strange music boxes sadly tinklin' Drink in the sun shining all around you. "My, my", they sigh, "My, my", they sigh, mm mm. "My, my", they sigh, "My, my", they sigh. The magician, he sparkles in satin and velvet, You gaze at his splendour with eyes you've not used yet. I tell you his name is Love, Love, Love. "My, my", they sigh, "My, my", they sigh. "My, my" - sigh. __________________ There are two types of music: the first type is the blues and the second type is all the other stuff. Townes Van Zandt Last edited by Gavin B.; 11-05-2013 at 10:37 PM.