Donna Donna

Album: Joan Baez (1960)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is a Yiddish folk song written by the songwriters Aaron Zeitlin, Sholom Secunda, Arthur Kevess and Teddi Schwartz in 1940. It is also known as "Dona Dona" but it is not about a girl, but a calf on the way to market about to be slaughtered. Some see this as a metaphor for Jews in the Holocaust.
  • This song was made popular by Joan Baez, who sang it on her debut album in 1960. Donovan also recorded this song on his debut album in 1965. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Sara - Silver Spring, MD, for above 2

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.

Oliver Leiber

Oliver LeiberSongwriter Interviews

Oliver Leiber talks about writing and producing hits for Paula Abdul, and explains his complicated relationship with his father, the songwriter Jerry Leiber.

Harry Shearer

Harry ShearerSongwriter Interviews

Harry is Derek Smalls in Spinal Tap, Mark Shubb in The Folksmen, and Mr. Burns on The Simpsons.

Don Dokken

Don DokkenSongwriter Interviews

Dokken frontman Don Dokken explains what broke up the band at the height of their success in the late '80s, and talks about the botched surgery that paralyzed his right arm.

Gene Simmons of Kiss

Gene Simmons of KissSongwriter Interviews

The Kiss rocker covers a lot of ground in this interview, including why there are no Kiss collaborations, and why the Rock Hall has "become a sham."

Meshell Ndegeocello

Meshell NdegeocelloSongwriter Interviews

Meshell Ndegeocello talks about recording "Wild Night" with John Mellencamp, and explains why she shied away from the spotlight.