"Be not to Hard" Donovan

[kevinpaul]

Great hard hitting song from one of the 'Social Realism' films of the 60's, Poor Cow by Ken Loach with Carol White. Anyone know which album or if mp3 is available?
Thanks!

[kempie]

Joan Baez covered the song and it appears on her 1967 album "Joan". However, Donovan's version has never been officially released.

[kevinpaul]

Sad.

Thanks for your helpful reply kempie.

[kevinpaul]

Just found out that the lyrics are from a poem by Christopher Logue.

Most of the information about the song on the net gives credit to Joan Baez , just goes to show how things get mixed up now & then. The true innovators rarely get the credit they deserve.

Anyway here's the poem; very fitting for the 21st Century!

Be not too hard for life is short
And nothing is given to man

Be not too hard if he's sold or bought
For he must do the best he can

Be not too hard when he blindly dies
Fighting for things he does not own

Be not too hard when he tells lies
Or if his heart is sometimes stone

Be not too hard for soon he'll die
Often no wiser than he began