Mannnn~ this throws me back to the mid '60s! Wind in my hair, 12-string on my back, motorcycle under me, long-haired brown-eyed girlfriend whom I truly loved. We harmonized to every Donovan song together on grassy hills, searching for the true meaning of life's mysteries (and answers) in his lyrics. It was a great time to be a teen, and in love. What great music we grew up to! I weep for today's kids ~ will they never know? Can we ever teach them? Thank you, God, for letting me live that!
@toomanyhats: I think you have a problem called homophobia. This is not meant to be an insult believe me.
Gypsy Dave is an accomplished sculpture and artist. I think that most people have close friends and best friends of the same sex. That doesn't make them gay.
@DNAblues - I'm not sure why it's homophobic to point out (positively, I thought) that there's a possible edge of homoeroticism to the story. If anything I was saying that Buckingham took some of that edge out of the song by making it about a man and a woman. I suspect some of the people who "[said] it was no good what [they] done" might not have thought twice about a young man and woman traveling together. I also know plenty about Donovan so I'm not sure what point you're trying to make.
@toomanyhatz I didn't think you were insulting anybody. I guess it's just that this song brings back a memory of me running away in 1968 at age 15 or 16 with a friend of mine. We shivered on top of a mountain "in the breeze at midnight" and all. Those lyrics just speak to that memory. As for "it was no good what we done, I dare a man to say I'm too young" that reminds me of Donovan and Gypsy Dave taking off and traveling around. Kind of like me running away. That's all. No worries. Great song.
Yes I met Donovan too .....he actually lived round the corner from me !!!! Used to see him playing his guitar sitting on a wall. He used to walk past my house........my sisters used to scream whenever they saw him ...40 plus years on I still luv his songs! 'Tenderness'...sooooo right!
this song brings me back to 1974, when i and my wife first moved in together. She sang this song for me and I dont know to this day if she meant me to be the gypsie boy, but when i hear it I get goose bumps. Beautiful melody.
Buckingham changed the gypsy boy into a gypsy girl! If there is a suggestion of homoeroticism in the song- and frankly I've always thought there WAS- then that's opposed to the original spirit of the song. Although he plays and sings it nicely, that's still a thumbs down for me.
A friend on another site pointed out the Buckingham's "gypsy girl" is probably Stevie Nicks. Probably so, and I hadn't thought of it before. But it still bothers me. Not because I think Donovan and Gypsy Dave ever went all "Brokeback Mountain" or anything, more because I think the fact that they don't care if you think that is important to the heart of the song, if that makes any sense.
Yes, I'm aware that Stevie Nicks is a woman. I'm also aware that Gypsy Dave is a man, and I was pointing out that it changes the meaning of the song to make it about a man and woman rather than two men. Upon realizing his gypsy is not a gypsy boy at all, but Nicks, it makes more sense, but I still think nobody's going to "say it was no good what we done" if it's between a man and a woman as readily as they will two men whether it's sexualized or not. I guess I'm not sure why you're confused.
Eh voila! Found it on me own! The title is: Song of the Naturalist's Wife and on the 1967 album begins with the cries of a baby that silences as soon as Donovan's voice starts.
Lots of mamas in the 60s and 70s calmed their young children by playing Donovan albums ...
Thanks for this vid!! A question for anyone: Who knows the title of the Donovan song that mentions *do I see you coming home/ coming home to me/ Pockets full of shells * ..... Been looking for it on the right but it seems to be elusive, the same as my memory of it ... but I always remember this image. Anyone have it (the title) more tangibly etched?
Bonjour, vous aimez les sixties ? écoutez et podcastez mon émission "le super son des 60's" sur le site de plumfm. You like the 60's ? please, listen and podcast my broadcast "le super son des 60's", connect to "plumfm". Salut et faites gaffe au rock and roll.
My favorite song by Donovan. I first met him in the Haight Asbury in San Francisco. Just before his concert at the Cow Palace. We walked to Golden GAte Park and picked my friend Steve & his girlfriend on the way. We sat on Hippie Hill and Steve played his Guitar. Donovan then asked if he could play it and sang this song for us! What a wonderful day that was! God Bless you Donovan and thank you!
Oh how this song brought tears to my eyes as a young girl!!! Thanks so much for the beautiful footage of Donovan & Gypsy Dave. I love this cut even more than the original on the album. Will have to find the movie it's taken from. There is such great tenderness in Donovan. I would sing this song to the flowers over and over and thought he was the only person in the world who knew I felt. . . Are there awards for great videos? If so GarryLoc should get one for this one!
It is Donovan singing about his life a travelling. Met hi one day and I told him how this song sent me travelling and he told me. Some of us have to leave. This is as others have saif fro, A Boy Called Donovan and was on Fairytale, Soundtrack of my youth.
Hey gender-police...it's not "I'm going to try for your son"...he's singing about vagabonding and brotherly love...are you going to be the ones to say it was no good what they done
hey, how recording has changed since this was done, i used to have all his LP's from woolies,and we would play them outside the pub in chislehurst in the back of my morris minor van!good days and nites!!! nik.
As a Donovan fan from the '60s, who learned and played everything he ever recorded, I will say that this is definitely him singing. It's just not the track from "Fairytale."
This video was taken from the tv movie "A Boy Called Donovan" and i think this version of "To Try For The Sun" was specially recorded for it. People just often asking questions "from which album this song?", that's why i wrote that it's from the "Fairytale".
Thanks for posting these clips! I loved his early albums, growing up. They belonged to my older brother, and I played them over and over, singing the songs by heart.
Yes, this IS Donovan singing and playing; I saw it when I was roughly aged 15 on black-and-white on the box, trying hard to pick up the chords and finger-style. Donovan was a seminal influence on most embryonic folkies back then, a better, more subtle and intricate guitarist than Dylan; 'Colours' was the theme-tune of my adolescence. Great to see this again. Today's youth missed something great - the 'Sixties! Thank you, Donovan!
hey, i'm not being nasty or anything. I read his autobiography though and he said it's an account of when he moved to live in cornwall when he was 16 with his best friend and they slept out in an old abandoned shack thing.
@Gyrkin59 i said listen to the lyrics and you said why would it matter. it wouldn't matter if he was gay, he's still a great musician. that was just my observation of the lyrics.
Mannnn~ this throws me back to the mid '60s! Wind in my hair, 12-string on my back, motorcycle under me, long-haired brown-eyed girlfriend whom I truly loved. We harmonized to every Donovan song together on grassy hills, searching for the true meaning of life's mysteries (and answers) in his lyrics. It was a great time to be a teen, and in love. What great music we grew up to! I weep for today's kids ~ will they never know? Can we ever teach them? Thank you, God, for letting me live that!
FLSHBK1 4 months ago
@toomanyhats: I think you have a problem called homophobia. This is not meant to be an insult believe me.
Gypsy Dave is an accomplished sculpture and artist. I think that most people have close friends and best friends of the same sex. That doesn't make them gay.
Read the wiki on Donovan to learn more.
DNAblues 4 months ago
@DNAblues - I'm not sure why it's homophobic to point out (positively, I thought) that there's a possible edge of homoeroticism to the story. If anything I was saying that Buckingham took some of that edge out of the song by making it about a man and a woman. I suspect some of the people who "[said] it was no good what [they] done" might not have thought twice about a young man and woman traveling together. I also know plenty about Donovan so I'm not sure what point you're trying to make.
toomanyhatz 1 month ago
@toomanyhatz I didn't think you were insulting anybody. I guess it's just that this song brings back a memory of me running away in 1968 at age 15 or 16 with a friend of mine. We shivered on top of a mountain "in the breeze at midnight" and all. Those lyrics just speak to that memory. As for "it was no good what we done, I dare a man to say I'm too young" that reminds me of Donovan and Gypsy Dave taking off and traveling around. Kind of like me running away. That's all. No worries. Great song.
DNAblues 1 month ago
a groundbreaking song of love, liberation, & solidarity.
weckalini 4 months ago
Great song and even better memories. Back in the late 60s my best friend and I ran away from NJ to join the Flower Power movement in San Francisco.
Each bing 15 our years put together counted 30. Also being 15 and since it was late August we figured it would be warm everywhere.
We slept the first night atop the tallest mountain in Pennsylvania and it was cold.
I love the video too. I remember us hitting a truck stop around 3AM, totally frozen, trying to get some coffee. They could tell we
DNAblues 4 months ago
Yes I met Donovan too .....he actually lived round the corner from me !!!! Used to see him playing his guitar sitting on a wall. He used to walk past my house........my sisters used to scream whenever they saw him ...40 plus years on I still luv his songs! 'Tenderness'...sooooo right!
TheBluebellMoon2 4 months ago
this song brings me back to 1974, when i and my wife first moved in together. She sang this song for me and I dont know to this day if she meant me to be the gypsie boy, but when i hear it I get goose bumps. Beautiful melody.
We are still together and 37 years are gone.
MrMiseeire 5 months ago 2
Check out Nemo Shaw's version of 'To Try for the Sun' - just out
revibe67 5 months ago
Buckingham changed the gypsy boy into a gypsy girl! If there is a suggestion of homoeroticism in the song- and frankly I've always thought there WAS- then that's opposed to the original spirit of the song. Although he plays and sings it nicely, that's still a thumbs down for me.
toomanyhatz 1 year ago
A friend on another site pointed out the Buckingham's "gypsy girl" is probably Stevie Nicks. Probably so, and I hadn't thought of it before. But it still bothers me. Not because I think Donovan and Gypsy Dave ever went all "Brokeback Mountain" or anything, more because I think the fact that they don't care if you think that is important to the heart of the song, if that makes any sense.
toomanyhatz 1 year ago
@toomanyhatz I'm so confused. You do know that Stevie Nicks is a woman, right?
yoginipeacelove 10 months ago
Yes, I'm aware that Stevie Nicks is a woman. I'm also aware that Gypsy Dave is a man, and I was pointing out that it changes the meaning of the song to make it about a man and woman rather than two men. Upon realizing his gypsy is not a gypsy boy at all, but Nicks, it makes more sense, but I still think nobody's going to "say it was no good what we done" if it's between a man and a woman as readily as they will two men whether it's sexualized or not. I guess I'm not sure why you're confused.
toomanyhatz 1 month ago
Eh voila! Found it on me own! The title is: Song of the Naturalist's Wife and on the 1967 album begins with the cries of a baby that silences as soon as Donovan's voice starts.
Lots of mamas in the 60s and 70s calmed their young children by playing Donovan albums ...
melimuse11 1 year ago
Thanks for this vid!! A question for anyone: Who knows the title of the Donovan song that mentions *do I see you coming home/ coming home to me/ Pockets full of shells * ..... Been looking for it on the right but it seems to be elusive, the same as my memory of it ... but I always remember this image. Anyone have it (the title) more tangibly etched?
Thnx in advance for reply someone ... <3
melimuse11 1 year ago
Comment removed
Mirandasiwillja 1 year ago
@melimuse11 Song Of The Naturalist's Wife on the album For Little Ones.
mlightninw 7 months ago
Bonjour, vous aimez les sixties ? écoutez et podcastez mon émission "le super son des 60's" sur le site de plumfm. You like the 60's ? please, listen and podcast my broadcast "le super son des 60's", connect to "plumfm". Salut et faites gaffe au rock and roll.
supersondessixties 1 year ago
Lindsey Buckingham did a killer cover of this on his "Under The Skin" album.
chiliD322 1 year ago 2
It's a great sone but I prefer the Julie Felix version.
VincesVinyl 1 year ago
i love this song too
whatsbeendone 1 year ago
My favorite song by Donovan. I first met him in the Haight Asbury in San Francisco. Just before his concert at the Cow Palace. We walked to Golden GAte Park and picked my friend Steve & his girlfriend on the way. We sat on Hippie Hill and Steve played his Guitar. Donovan then asked if he could play it and sang this song for us! What a wonderful day that was! God Bless you Donovan and thank you!
ggreenwood4 1 year ago 22
@ggreenwood4 You lucky. lucky bastard.
copperdomebodha 1 year ago
@ggreenwood4 That's the 60s as I imagined it!
phaedraface 8 months ago
YOU LUCKY PERSON!
whittingham4665 1 month ago
Oh how this song brought tears to my eyes as a young girl!!! Thanks so much for the beautiful footage of Donovan & Gypsy Dave. I love this cut even more than the original on the album. Will have to find the movie it's taken from. There is such great tenderness in Donovan. I would sing this song to the flowers over and over and thought he was the only person in the world who knew I felt. . . Are there awards for great videos? If so GarryLoc should get one for this one!
OutlawMinniePearl 1 year ago 8
@OutlawMinniePearl The clip is from a tv documentary called 'a boy called donovan' ..........google and thou shallt find.
fivethumbsfrank 1 year ago
When we sang this at Camp Hitaga, we called it "Gypsy Boy".
It was one of my favorite serenade songs - both to hear as a younger camper and to sing as an older camper and Netahi.
HitagaAlumni 1 year ago
It is Donovan singing about his life a travelling. Met hi one day and I told him how this song sent me travelling and he told me. Some of us have to leave. This is as others have saif fro, A Boy Called Donovan and was on Fairytale, Soundtrack of my youth.
splatmags 1 year ago
Hey gender-police...it's not "I'm going to try for your son"...he's singing about vagabonding and brotherly love...are you going to be the ones to say it was no good what they done
Raymantico 2 years ago
surprised no one commented that lindsey buckingham did a cover of this a few years ago.
KOSMICKEN09 2 years ago 2
hey, how recording has changed since this was done, i used to have all his LP's from woolies,and we would play them outside the pub in chislehurst in the back of my morris minor van!good days and nites!!! nik.
niklespikles 2 years ago
As a Donovan fan from the '60s, who learned and played everything he ever recorded, I will say that this is definitely him singing. It's just not the track from "Fairytale."
rivlax 2 years ago
This is not the original from "Fairytale." Totally different phrasing and the guitar work is different.
rivlax 2 years ago
This video was taken from the tv movie "A Boy Called Donovan" and i think this version of "To Try For The Sun" was specially recorded for it. People just often asking questions "from which album this song?", that's why i wrote that it's from the "Fairytale".
GarryLoc 2 years ago 5
Thanks for posting these clips! I loved his early albums, growing up. They belonged to my older brother, and I played them over and over, singing the songs by heart.
FloweringDream 2 years ago 2
@GarryLoc perfectly reasonable. dig all versions i've heard.
animascat 8 months ago
I'm not sure which I like better, to be honest.
pissingofftyler 2 years ago
Yes, this IS Donovan singing and playing; I saw it when I was roughly aged 15 on black-and-white on the box, trying hard to pick up the chords and finger-style. Donovan was a seminal influence on most embryonic folkies back then, a better, more subtle and intricate guitarist than Dylan; 'Colours' was the theme-tune of my adolescence. Great to see this again. Today's youth missed something great - the 'Sixties! Thank you, Donovan!
FredJ51 2 years ago 2
I must say that I'm a bit jealous of you and the rest who got to live during the '60s.
I wish I had lived back then! :)
fyllehickan 2 years ago
This is definitely not from the Fairytale LP. It's true, it's unmistakably Donovan. But I think it's a cut taken from the film.
steamboatsblues 2 years ago
What film?? One about Donovan??
Coz if so please let me know wich film...
lotus21 2 years ago
Oh.. Yes, it is Donovan singing!
kingdom777866 2 years ago
This is an extract from a film "Fairytail"
made for TV in the 60s
I remember it well,and been a Don fan
ever since!(thats a long time)
kingdom777866 2 years ago
TAKE 2 on the "Shiver there beside me in a heep scene!"
peterchoyce 2 years ago
...and who's going to be the one...to say it was no good what we've done....
uh...what did they do?
babaradio 3 years ago
agreed. I love this song but it sure seems like Donovan is gay in this one lol just saying ...what do the rest of you think??
prettieststar01 2 years ago
I agree 100%, but it is one of the few beautiful gay love songs ever created.
ResOGlas 2 years ago
It's an account of when he was 16, living in Cornwall in a little shack - what's gay about it?
cjbarrett87 2 years ago
obviously you aren't listening to the lyrics.
prettieststar01 2 years ago
hey, i'm not being nasty or anything. I read his autobiography though and he said it's an account of when he moved to live in cornwall when he was 16 with his best friend and they slept out in an old abandoned shack thing.
cjbarrett87 2 years ago
@prettieststar01 Why? Would it matter?
Gyrkin59 1 year ago
@Gyrkin59 so you listen to Donovan but don't care for his lyrics?
prettieststar01 1 year ago
@prettieststar01 How on earth did you get that idea from what I said? What does it mater if he's gay or not?
Gyrkin59 1 year ago
@Gyrkin59 i said listen to the lyrics and you said why would it matter. it wouldn't matter if he was gay, he's still a great musician. that was just my observation of the lyrics.
prettieststar01 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Anyone out there got something to smoke?
charliebrockett 3 years ago
Yes this is Don. early song. Easy to play...figure it out.
neutrolino 3 years ago
It does sound like him on the guitar, and keep in mind his voice was could go quite low, so I think it's him.
Apoperpoleryfat 3 years ago
nice! :)
but i guess it's not donovan who's singing.
tippical 3 years ago
I'm not convinced this is Donovan singing
Farweasel 3 years ago
It's so great to see these videos back on here.
Thanks to psychedelic yogi for the original postings and to GaryLoc for the resurrections.
JohannPache 3 years ago
this is seriously the cutest video i've ever watched =)
polemccatney 3 years ago