Donovan - Hurdy Gurdy Man (1968)

A life full of interesting stories and occurrences, this Scottish man taught John Lennon and Paul McCartney of The Beatles a finger picking guitar technique that resulted in the songs “Dear Prudence,” “Blackbird,” “Julia,” and “Mother Nature’s Son.” Sometimes thought of as a Bob Dylan copycat, he was often inspired by his future wife (and ex-girlfriend to Brian Jones of The Rolling Stones), Linda Lawrence.

This song was written in honor of his friend, Mac MacLeod, who was in a Danish hard rock band called Hurdy Gurdy. He thought the song was a lot more psychedelic and harder than the material he was used to putting out and wanted to give it to Jimi Hendrix when his manager, Mickie Most, insisted he release it himself. John Paul Jones, soon of Led Zeppelin fame, played bass on the song.



Donovan - Hurdy Gurdy Man (1968)

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Lyrics:

Thrown like a star in my vast sleep
I'm opening my eyes to take a peep
To find that I was by the sea
Gazing with tranquility

'Twas then when the hurdy gurdy man
Came singing songs of love
Then when the hurdy gurdy man
Came singing songs of love

“Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy gurdy,” he sang
“Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy gurdy,” he sang
“Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy gurdy,” he sang

Histories of ages past
Unenlightened shadows cast
Down through all eternity
The crying of humanity

'Tis then when the hurdy gurdy man
Comes singing songs of love
Then when the hurdy gurdy man
Comes singing songs of love

“Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy gurdy,” he sang
“Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy hurdy gurd”
“Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy gurdy,” he sang

“Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy gurdy” he sang
Here comes the roly-poly man
He's singing songs of love
“Roly poly, roly poly, roly poly poly,” he sang
“Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy gurdy,” he sang
“Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy gurdy,” he sang
“Roly poly, roly poly”…