Love's Cover, Love's Color

I remember when Donovan's "Wear Your Love Like Heaven" (1967) could be heard in Love Cosmetics ads (above). Looking over its lyrics ("Allah, kiss me once more, that I may, that I may ..."!), you would think the song would be just as likely to be optioned by an art supplies manufacturer, if art supplies manufacturers took out TV ads.

Here are the colours that appear in Donovan's song:

PRUSSIAN BLUE

SCARLET (FLEECE)

CRIMSON (BALL)

HAVANA LAKE

ROSE CARMETHENE

ALIZARIAN CRIMSON

"Epistle to Dippy" (1967)

A strangely beautiful, at-times disturbing lyric. Equal parts Lewis Carroll, Ezra Pound, Diane Wakoski and bill bissett, with some brilliant syllabic footwork (mehhhhhhhhhh-di-tat-ing rho-do-den-dron for-est).

EPISTLE TO DIPPY

Look on yonder misty mountain
See the young monk meditating rhododendron forest
Over dusty years, I ask you
What's it been like being you?

Through all levels you've been changing
Getting a little bit better, no doubt
The doctor bit was so far out
Looking through crystal spectacles
I can see I had your fun

Doing us paperback reader
Made the teacher suspicious about insanity
Fingers always touching girl

Through all levels you've been changing
Getting a little bit better, no doubt
The doctor bit was so far out
Looking through all kinds of windows
I can see I had your fun
Looking through all kinds of windows
I can see I had your fun

Looking through crystal spectacles
I can see I had your fun
Looking through crystal spectacles
I can see I had your fun

Rebel against society
Such a tiny speculating whether to be a hip or
Skip along quite merrily

Through all levels you've been changing
Elevator in the brain hotel
Broken down but just as well-a
Looking through crystal spectacles, ah
I can see I had your fun

Dum dum dum, dum dum, dum dum dum
Dum dum dum, dum dum, dum dum dum
Dum dum dum, dum dum, dum dum dum
Dum dum dum, dum dum, dum dum dum
Dum dum dum, dum dum, dum dum dum