Sunny Goodge Street

Album: Fairytale (1965)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Goodge Street Station is a Tube stop in the Fitzrovia district of London where Donovan would get hashish. The song takes us on a journey where he makes the score, smokes it, and goes on a mind-expanding trip where in the end, there is love.

    The song is one of the first to explicitly mention the drug, as Donovan sings: "Violent hash-smoker shook a chocolate machine."
  • Even casual marijuana use was seen as dangerous and nefarious among much of the British population in 1965, when the Dangerous Drugs Act was passed, emboldening police to go after offenders. Thanks in part to this song, Donovan became a target, and in 1966 he was the first rocker to go down in a series of raids that also nabbed members of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.

    In our interview with Donovan, he said, "I was the first to actually mention it in a song, and that's why I would be the first to be busted in London."
  • One of Donovan's earliest recordings, this song found him blending a variety of musical styles, which became his imprint. Elements of folk, jazz, classical and blues music come together on this track.

Comments: 1

  • David from UsaWhy do all the lyrics sites say "crazy Kali goddess" when he's clearly saying "crazy color goddess" and in his live version he says " crazy colors goddess"?
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Who Did It First?

Who Did It First?Music Quiz

Do you know who recorded the original versions of these ten hit songs?

Mick Jones of Foreigner

Mick Jones of ForeignerSongwriter Interviews

Foreigner's songwriter/guitarist tells the stories behind the songs "Juke Box Hero," "I Want To Know What Love Is," and many more.

Vince Clarke

Vince ClarkeSongwriter Interviews

An original member of Depeche Mode, Vince went on to form Erasure and Yaz.

Martin Page

Martin PageSongwriter Interviews

With Bernie Taupin, Martin co-wrote the #1 hits "We Built This City" and "These Dreams." After writing the Pretty Woman song for Go West, he had his own hit with "In the House of Stone and Light."

Max Cavalera of Soulfly (ex-Sepultura)

Max Cavalera of Soulfly (ex-Sepultura)Songwriter Interviews

The Brazilian rocker sees pictures in his riffs. When he came up with one of his gnarliest songs, there was a riot going on.

Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Heaven And Hell

Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Heaven And HellSongwriter Interviews

Guitarist Tony Iommi on the "Iron Man" riff, the definitive Black Sabbath song, and how Ozzy and Dio compared as songwriters.