Lyrics Depot is your source of lyrics to There Is A Mountain by Donovan. Please check back for more Donovan lyrics.
There Is A Mountain Lyrics
Artist: Donovan
THERE IS A MOUNTAIN
Donovan
The lock upon my garden gate's a snail, that's what it is.
The lock upon my garden gate's a snail, that's what it is.
First there is a mountain, then there is no mountain, then there is.
First there is a mountain, then there is no mountain, then there is.
The caterpillar sheds his skin to find a butterfly within.
Caterpillar sheds his skin to find a butterfly within.
First there is a mountain, then there is no mountain, then there is.
First there is a mountain, then there is no mountain.
Oh Wanita, oh Wanita, oh Wanita, I call your name.
Oh, the snow will be a blinding sight to see as it lies on yonder hillside.
The lock upon my garden gate's a snail, that's what it is.
The lock upon my garden gate's a snail, that's what it is.
Caterpillar sheds his skin to find a butterfly within.
Caterpillar sheds his skin to find a butterfly within.
Ah, my-my.
First there is a mountain, then there is no mountain, then there is.
First there is a mountain, then there is no mountain, then there is.
First there is a mountain, then there is no mountain, then there is.
First there is a mountain, then there is no mountain, then there is.
First there is a mountain
Related:
Donovan Lyrics
More Donovan Music Lyrics:
Donovan - Atlantis Lyrics
Donovan - Colours Lyrics
Donovan - Epistle To Dippy Lyrics
Donovan - Jennifer Juniper Lyrics
Donovan - Lalena Lyrics
Donovan - Sand And Foam Lyrics
Donovan - Season Of The Witch Lyrics
Comments/Interpretations
fuck this song
Now,That's not a very nice comment, It a very cool little nonsenseical ditty
Like this song.. but love "I love my shirt"!!
this song has been stuck in my head for weeks.
Gayest, worstest, most horriblest song ever.
I like this song when I'm on...certain synthetics. Very enjoyable.
so... there's a butterfly WITHIN the catapillar???
Ah, this is a koan, a little paradox.
Donovan would never say "worstest, most horriblest". Obviously his use of English is MUCH more sophisticated than that! "There is A Mountain" is a beautiful song.
The best version of this song is the Dub Reggae version performed by The Long Beach Dub All Stars with The Wailing Souls
get high, the song's great
THIS SONG IS A COMERCIAL AND IT ALWAYS GETS STUCK IN MY HEAD. I HATE THIS SONG
That stupid song is a reminder that the old songs really aren't always the best
It isn't supposed to be anything profound... It's a GREAT drug song... Listen to it when you're totally fucked up, and it will make a lot more sense... Anyone who hates it just isn't doing enough good drugs...
...this song is stuck in my head too. eye had to do some research to find out what it really is. eye saw it / rather heard it on some car commercial. eye don't think that eye like or dislike it. itz super catchy. never even heard of Don O Van b4. and eye didn't know that it was anything but a commercial song. hmmm.
Its Chan, classic Buddhism double negation and use of paradox. 'All speeches and teachings are just like curing illness. Because there are different kinds of illness, we use different medicines. Therefore sometimes we say, "There is Buddha", and sometimes we say "There is no Buddha"... Prescriptions are different. We should never have any restriction and fixation.' (Baizhang Huaihai)
It's "Juanita" not "Wanita" (duh)
This song blows goats
You should have been alive back then to argue with the rest of us about Donovan's stuff. Would have loved to have you! So many of my friends didn't make it this far.
this song makes me laugh :]
Wanita, Juanita. Who is she?
This stupid song plays every day at the grocery store I work in, and there is no song that I detest more. It is the most ridiculous song with the worst melody, and the most idiotic lyrics I have ever heard. Multiply that by the fact that I have had to listen to it almost every day for the past eight years and you could see how I've built up a nasty hatred for this song!
Oh come on, gotta love this song. Mainly because it makes no sense
I think that this refers to a Zen parable that before one begins Zen practice, mountains are mountains and rivers are rivers, as on is progressing through Zen, mountains are no longer mountains and rivers are no longer rivers , then, when one has mastered the practice, mountains are mountains and rivers are rivers. This parallels the progression from pre-rational to rational to transrational. It is important, however, to distinguish between pre-rational and trans-rational. Just because they are non-rational does not mean they are equivalent.
Yet it's a lot better than "American Pie".
I don't get why anybody would mock this song, first off, the song isn't hurting anyone. It's sweet. It's fun to listen to while high as a kite, and also while not. And whether you dig the Zen stuff or not it's a neat song. Laugh at it's aparent silliness, or marvel at it's inherent wisdom, but don't hate it, there are many, many songs out there much more deserving of your hate. eg. anything by Ashley Simpson. Oh, and I'm not sure what that Harp guy is talking about, Donovan clearly says "the lock..."
It's not a bad song; definitely an earworm, though. The part that has always bothered me as a student of geology is that, geologically speaking, first there is no mountain, then (via uplift or some sort, or differential erosion in some cases) there is a mountain, then there's not (when the mountain is fully eroded away). I get the philosophical point, but this is always what comes to mind first.
Figures, all of the stupid comments are from this year. Kids these days don;t know what good music is. MOst of today's music is just the good music that has been sampled and over-produced.
Life, like everything, is cyclical. We have good times we have bad. There is no black without white, no sound without silence. First there is a mountain, then there is no mountain.... The seemingly ugly caterpillar becomes a butterfly.
I first heard Dandy Livingstone's reggae version of this song and did not realize it was a cover. My friend told me it was a Donovan song so I looked it up today. I think I like the reggae version better, but I don't understand why people hate on this song. Because the lyrics are stupid? Whatever.
We love this song cos it really annoys our lecturer when it comes on the radio :) hehe x
Find the middle way people, first it exists then it doesn't, and only because it doesn't can it again... have fun peeps.
It's actually supposed to be like Brigadoon.
okayy no offense or anything but this song makes absolutly no sense. i personaly think this song is stupid. ohh and they need to make up there mimd is there a mountain or not? (:
Whenever this song comes on my 2 year old daughter sings along...we love it!
Kenny Loggins has cut a version with his young daughter. Its being played on Disney.
To those that don't like this song, all I can say is that not all music is Death Metal and rap.
Maybe he was high during writing this song. Must like; absolutely weirdest lyrics ever: This is Buddha song or isn't it, it is, isn't it.
This song actually doesn't make much sense unless you have training in Eastern philosophical thought. I've discussed the complexity of this song several times in many Eastern Philosophy courses at a few universities. Especially the lines "First there is a mountain, then there is no mountain, then there is." I think it's brilliant!
Donovan remains one of my greatest musical heroes. As a kid hearing this tune on the radio in the early 1970’s, it opened my mind to the poetics of life and later to transcendental meditation and mysticism. It’s infectious island groove, clever word-play, and philosophical introspection exhibits some of the best aspects of Donovan’s song writing. He is a most sincere artist filling the world with beautiful music that radiates from his heart. Donovan’s music will live forever, because it is an expression of pure love. Thanks, Don!
This wasn't my best song either, but I watched the Allman Bros Band do this song (instrumental) last nite in Tampa (Ruth Eckerd Hall). they nailed it and turned it into a 15 min jam that was the song of the night. whoa!!
I have always loved this song (yes I am an old hippie)including the Allman Bros version. They called in "Mountain Jam" on "Eat a Peach" (1972). Glad to hear thry are still doing it. P.S. Ruth Eckerd Hall is in Clearwater; not Tampa.
Obviously a Zen reference. To those who don't understand it - thank goodness you all live in the USA and not anywhere else on this planet. Stay where you are, please.
This is a song about geology
Who's Wanita? Does she have a green card?
An artist I know quoted the song in a ceramic piece, and I couldn't remember all of it, so I googled "first there is a ** " and there it was. Thank you and thank Google. And Donovan, except now it's lodged in my brain.
JAUNITA. JUANITA.JAUNITA. JUANITA.JAUNITA. JUANITA.JAUNITA. JUANITA.JAUNITA. JUANITA.JAUNITA. JUANITA.JAUNITA. JUANITA.JAUNITA. JUANITA.JAUNITA. JUANITA.JAUNITA. JUANITA.JAUNITA. JUANITA.JAUNITA. JUANITA.JAUNITA. JUANITA.JAUNITA. JUANITA.JAUNITA. JUANITA.FOOL.
...hey you guys. :P
the allman brothers band took this song & made a little ditty called mountain jam,,,,
you had to be there if you werent stick to westlife
It is clearly describing the thrills of acid
Suddenly love this song. My son is learning to read, but something is going on with his vision, or maybe he is dyslexic, but the letters move around on the page for him. One time, the letter U kept showing up and disappearing, and he was getting frustrated. This song popped into my mind, I sang it, then changed the words to "First there is a letter U, then there is no letter U, then there is." And it made him laugh and feel better.
DONOVAN RULES. Listen to more music. Read a book. Culture yourselves goddamnit!
I love this song. It's about Zen Buddhism. He says so. And it's wonderfully simplistic and deep at the same time, which is why it's awesome.
This song is actually pretty cool, if you look at it from a slightly drug-altered realm of perception. However, there is absolutely no way that I can or will accept the opinion that "it is the worst song ever written". That accolade goes to "Horse with No Name" hands-down!!!
i heard this crap song while on hold on the phone. I had to see who wrote this piece of crap.
The song is a Zen koan... so if you don't understand, you need to study Zen, then you WILL understand. All the world is Maya- illusion- which is why what you SEE is not what is really there. THAT is the meaning of the song... dumb? Only if YOU are "dumb" to the reality of existence!
I had to look up these lyrics to make sure I hadn't imagined the whole thing. Juanita was hot.
When a caterpillar moves along a surface the centre of its body is forced upwards, creating the "mountain" then as it moves forward, the "mountain" flattens, thus there is no mountain... and then there is and then there isn't etc. Together with the seam of Zen Buddhist philosophy running through it, this song has maximum meaning using few words - beautiful.
@ MsYolande, Very well put. :)
BULLSHIT!!!
Simple song for smart people. Zen dittie and you don't have to get it, but complain too much and maybe you should be at the cash register 20 years from now. Or not.
As compared to your lyrics which I'll never hear?
The inch-worm. Legs in the front and legs at the back. It draws the back legs to the front and then the body forms a hump 'there is a mountain', then it extends the front section and flattens out 'there is no mountain', etc. Then metamorphosis, catepillar sheds it's skin', to reveal the butterfly within. The snail on the gate looks like a lock. Simply an english country garden.
You could also see it as metaphor for life...first there's the mountain (obstacle), you overcome it then suddenly there is no mountain. Before you know it there's another mountain. Life is always this way.
All the crappy and hostile statements here show those of us who have been around awhile just what's happened to youth since we were young. The dark forces won, didn't they?
First there are some dark forces then there are no dark forces then there is. First there is a snow cap peak then there is no snow cap peak then there is. First there is a snow flake then there is no snow flake then there is. First there is a crystal then there is no crystal then there is. First there is an atom then there is no atom then there is. First there is an electron then there is no electron then there is. First there is a ShopRite clerk then there is no ShopRite clerk then there is. First there is a seed then there is no seed then there is. First there a tree then there is no tree then there is. First there is a mountain then there is no mountain then there is. It's all beautiful. Even the ShopRite clerk. :)
This song is important if only for the fact that it inspired the Allman Brothers to play Mountain Jam, one of the best jams of all time.
The song brings back memories!!!GOOD ONES!!! LOL..
Song in my mind is like traveling over a mountain, through a valley and then to the mountains again. its a little bit of the sublime ridiculous but with a catchy, fun too. I liked this song when I first heard it back in 69.
If u cant appreciate this song than why are u commenting on the lyrics.i bet u are one of those justin beaver fans.donovan was one of the greatest artist of his time.dont criticise if u dont understand it.it just proves how immature you are.
can drive the demons away x
Before I had studied Chan (Zen) for thirty years, I saw mountains as mountains, and rivers as rivers. When I arrived at a more intimate knowledge, I came to the point where I saw that mountains are not mountains, and rivers are not rivers. But now that I have got its very substance I am at rest. For it's just that I see mountains once again as mountains, and rivers once again as rivers.
Donovan said this about this song "Before I had studied Chan (Zen) for thirty years, I saw mountains as mountains, and rivers as rivers. When I arrived at a more intimate knowledge, I came to the point where I saw that mountains are not mountains, and rivers are not rivers. But now that I have got its very substance I am at rest. For it's just that I see mountains once again as mountains, and rivers once again as rivers." ---- great musician.... but an idiot also! :P
J'adore cette chanson, Donovan est formidable !!
What in the world are you people talking about. He clearly says first there is no mountain then there is a mountain no there is
Peace, everyone.
Need to use this song as phone sound for remembering that everything could be not so obvious as it seems
First there is a mountain then there is no mountain then there is...many many eons