Hurdy gurdy man

Thrown like a star in my vast sleep
I open my eyes to take a peep
To find that I was by the sea
Gazing with tranquillity.
'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 gurdy.
Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, gurdy he sang.
Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, gurdy he sang.

Here comes the roly poly man and 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

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Well, actually, this hurdy gurdy man didn't sing songs by Donovan, but traditional English folk instead.

He was with a small group at Stroud Farmers' Market. It was a great morning - the sun was shining, the town was packed and there was so much going on. I counted at least five different sets of buskers, including this chap.

Now for some info. A hurdy gurdy works by the player turning a wheel, which rubs against strings, acting rather like a violin bow. The keys touch the strings to make the different notes. It dates back to the 11th century.

And to explain Donovan's song, he is singing about himself as a hurdy gurdy man and about a new world the hippie movement wanted to make.

Some say the first verse is Donovan's dream of a future world, while the second is what humans are really like. It is apparently based on a dream Donovan actually had.