My dad would sing this to me before bed as a child. No other memory brings such warmth to my soul, reminds me of what really matters. When I hear this song, the all the noise and nonsense in the world seems to dissapear.

Brilliant. I fell in love with that song as soon as I first heard it in the early 1970s. I finally worked it out on guitar when I was on my own living in a shack in 2002 (no TV or computer distractions). Very good photos to match, even Marianne Faithful - that was close, but his unrequited love for years was Linda Jones, discarded wife (c.1965) of Rolling Stones founder Brian Jones. (Incidentally, Brian & Linda had a son: Julian, very close in age to John & Cynthia Lennon's Julian.) Donovan & Linda finally married in the early 1970s. I used to think that sublimely poignant ending bit was originated by Donovan, and that Genesis (the early, original Genesis, when Peter Gabriel was the lead singer) got that phrase from Don, but they were doing the same thing at the same time (only Genesis would devote 32 bars to that kind of beautiful haunting tripped-out acoutic guitar riffs). Check out Genesis' album "Trespass" - recorded 1971. (Phil Collins was not even a member back then.) It's amazing how some things weren't pinched by one artist(s) of another, but how both were doing the same thing at the same time - the end of The Who's Pinball Wizard is very similar to the end of Blind Faith's Had To Cry Today (both recorded in 1969).

Donovan was one of my musical teachers in my teenage...I'm very glad to see your work here...thank you very much!!!

For myself, this poem is about the dreams of youth being persued by a man thru his life. Beautiful version.

A most holy love song words by William B Yeats, interpreted geniusly by our Donovan. Blessings to him for singing us such beauty.

Donovan has always had a sense of beauty expressed in the finest of poems which validated these gentle times of peace, love, joy and genuine happiness. I am so grateful to have experienced the absolute best of the Age of Aquarius.

This poem and song, along with Donovan's 'Roots of Oak', influenced me deeply when I first heard them in my teenage years. Thank you for posting!

This is possibly the greatest song in the world.

The Song of Wandering Aengus BY WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS I went out to the hazel wood, Because a fire was in my head, And cut and peeled a hazel wand, And hooked a berry to a thread; And when white moths were on the wing, And moth-like stars were flickering out, I dropped the berry in a stream And caught a little silver trout. When I had laid it on the floor I went to blow the fire a-flame, But something rustled on the floor, And someone called me by my name: It had become a glimmering girl With apple blossom in her hair Who called me by my name and ran And faded through the brightening air. Though I am old with wandering Through hollow lands and hilly lands, I will find out where she has gone, And kiss her lips and take her hands; And walk among long dappled grass, And pluck till time and times are done, The silver apples of the moon, The golden apples of the sun.

love this poem, love Donovan, love your images, and love the WAterboys version. Full of love after hearing this magic.

I’ve been listening to this on repeat for weeks.

Beautiful poem by William Butler Yeats beautifully set to music and sung by Donovan.

This music would capture me and force me to wander throughout the country and smallest villages of UK

A magical song that speaks deeply to my soul. Words cannot describe the feeling, but it is timeless. My thanks.

Wow! The lyrics are by W. B. Yeats. The music fits Yeats's words perfectly! Donovan did a super-great job with the music, guitar, and vocals to create a great song. I, personally, loved the words by Yeats before I even heard Donovan's music: the theme of desperately chasing a dream, and, especially, the really great symbolic last lines: "...the golden apples of the sun, the silver apples of the moon."

I went out to the hazel wood, Because a fire was in my head, And cut and peeled a hazel wand, And hooked a berry to a thread; And when white moths were on the wing, And moth-like stars were flickering out, I dropped the berry in a stream And caught a little silver trout. When I had laid it on the floor I went to blow the fire a-flame, But something rustled on the floor, And someone called me by my name: It had become a glimmering girl With apple blossom in her hair Who called me by my name and ran And faded through the brightening air. Though I am old with wandering Through hollow lands and hilly lands, I will find out where she has gone, And kiss her lips and take her hands; And walk among long dappled grass, And pluck till time and times are done, The silver apples of the moon, The golden apples of the sun. The Wind Among the Reeds, 1899. 4th ed. (London, 1903), 15-16. Available at Project Gutenberg.

I am so lucky......I have the original double vinyl L.P. , found and bought, many years ago, in a record and tape exchange......what can I say.......I am so lucky.

This is a beautiful poem by William Butler Yeats. And beautifully set to music by Caroline Herring. And beautifully performed and sung by Donovan.

i wish i was alife when this beautifull song came out! i love donovan! his voice is so soft and warm i feel so happy and safe when i hear his voice

I Love you Donovan

Sogreat song ever T`was amazing times it will stand

Beautiful ever song Donovan amazing thank you

Haunting, mystical, and ethereally magnificent.

His voice is like honey over hot marble. Beautiful!

Full of love after hearing this magic song

Beautiful imagery. I’ve always loved this song. Thank you. 💕

About 40 years ago in goal a lady teacher of courses who knew i loved Donavan brought me a magical collection of the most beautiful & rare Donovan songs including thuis & Celia Of The Seals. I was so grateful & loved the cassette 1

So beautiful!! Everything Donovan is great!

never knew this beautiful poem had been put to music, nicely done by Donovan.....many thanks for posting. The earlier comment in Finnish translates as something like this: I can feel the morning dew, and the natural presence of listening to this, I quietly listen to the trees.

Super glad that I just happened upon this. I love it when life nudges you enough to feel it.

Oh, I forgot to mention, the person(s) who put together the video did a great job, too.

It's not actually a folk song, but a poem by WB Yeats. Thanks for posting; it's beautiful.

you catch the right feeling, i appreciate.

its one of the best tracks on hms i think and i think only donovan could put such lovely music to yeats magnificent poem! well done don

Beautiful song and beautiful pictures!

You have put together a lovely, lovely video that captures the beauty of this wonderful poem by W.B. Yeats. Every frame is done so well that depicts a picture for every verse. Donovan (my favourite artist of all time), sings this song with a magical voice. I have just about every album he has released and this song is one of my favourites. I have seen him in concert several times over the years. Thank you so much for putting together this beautiful video.....so well done!! A+ video!

Sublime melodia música para os meus ouvidos 👂 Adoro ouvir a voz suave e doce de Donovan é um bálsamo para a alma. 💙🎼🎸😍🎤🎧🎵

Lovely....

Exquisite interpretation of Yeats’ poem into song. Even gives Christy Moore a run for his money. I hadn’t heard it before - so pleased to have discovered it!🖤🐦‍⬛

Hadn't heard this version before - absolutely gorgeous! Thanks for setting it up.

Lovely song, lovely visuals. Thank you thank you.

A beautiful and haunting song. Thank you for posting this. Definitely the best of Donovan's "hidden gems".

I grew up in Maryhill and Donovan obviously puts on that accent.

Also for me Donovan was one of my musical teachers in my teenage...I'm very glad to see your work here...thank you very much!!!

Oh yes the peace and passion it is so right. Just what I needed and had to share with many. Thank you for this!

Πραγματικά πανέμορφο κομμάτι!!!....

thank you, among many beautful songs of Donovan, this one is one of the TOPS

Absolutely brilliant - heard it last 20odd yrs ago, and the way Donovan's voice hums in around 3:20 always stuck in my memory ..many thanx Siss

on repeat. merry samhain, blessings to all x

The silver apples of the moon . . . the golden apples of the sun . . .

WONDERFUL SONG !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just beautiful!

so very lovely!

Wonderfully haunting song.

Absolutely...gorgeous.

Heard this on the Strange Folk cd and fell in love with the song :)

Beautiful poem, great performance. thank you Siss for sharing *_*.

Donovan, ik ben verliefd op jouw stem. 🌹🌹🌹

beautiful haunting quality.

One of the most beautiful poems I ever heard, William Buttler Yeats, "GREAT"‼ "Golden Apples of The Sun" title of a Isaac Asimov book‼

Oh, beauty! TYK for uploading this!

Really spectacular song!!!

First record I bought in 1971, were did all the time go!.

Wonderful song

thanks sissham; as others have said here, a lovely montage to accompany a lovely rendition of a beautiful poem. a rose for you my dear! wordofgord

Great job at putting this together. The pics and words match up well. I actually have the 45 of this song, too. And yes James, the woman was Marianne Faithful.

Stupenda poesia di W. B. Yeats. Gradevole la canzone di Donovan.

Listening to this song is like time travelling and I feel young again... Regards slolwaye

BEAUTIFUL!!!

so very sweet I love this song\poem

very nicely done! thanks!

an exquisite folk song

Beautiful!

Not often can I say this but I think Donovan's music has done justice to Yeats' lyrics.

Dear Sam Leigh-Brown, We're both extremely fortunate to hold these wonderful gifts. Keep listening, and remember.

It's a very beautiful song.

very beautiful

Yeats was inspired by the folk stories of my beloved Sligo.

wow - how helpful. thankyou very much!

he sends me

Beautiful song

well done!! thank you for these great images! . . . . . . i just heard of this poem/song a month or two ago . . . . . . and have since learned it w keyboard, to a more-or-less original melody, and posted this version of mine on yt. . . . . but, after hearing this, my notion is to also post a guitar version, using this melody . . . . i also have posted 'the stolen child' w keybd

Very beautiful version of this favourite poem of mine by Yeats.

So enchanting. Also beautifully sung with a completely different melody by Judy Collins.

this is cool

Donován dalai örökre rabul ejtették a szívemet és a lelkemet.

Forever love.

Amazing song ever WB Yeats topssssss

First heard this album when I was 16yrs old from Linz

Lovely

thank you very much.

I love W B Yeats! This reminds me of the illustrations by Arthur Rackham in Undine.

dats well beautiful

I used to play guitar sing this song,, when the Judy Collins version came out. I thought my life would be like this, magical and enchanting. Instead, it turned into a nightmare. I was a naive flower child....with zero clue about the nature of reality.

Probably my fave Donovan song ever! I just recently I learned Judy Collins, way back in the early '60s, had beaten Donovan to setting to music this magical Yeats poem (literally magical - I think it's very influenced by Yeats' occult beliefs & activities. He practiced ceremonial magic in the legendary Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn in London). Collins called her version "Apples of the Sun". Donovan stayed with the poem's title & put much more interesting music & vocals to it. Love it.

it is on the album HMS Donovan. A Classic

La canzone di Aengus il Vagabondo, dalla poesia di Yeats...bellissima, nella versione di Donovan, meravigliosa in quella di Branduardi

Ιt's saturday night , after a party... Now I'm in home and I'm listening it. I just give up...................

Thank you so much :)

This is why yeats is remembered. To put down on paper the longing of Man for something he can never have, and make us all understand.