We've obviously been doomed for the last 50 years then. This song by Donovan reached number 4 of the UK charts in 1968. The album of the same name, Hurdy Gurdy Man was however only released in the US due to a contractual dispute..
https://youtu.be/dHV8Wzldlck
No he didn't. They were actually the sleeve notes of the triple concept album of the same name which was released in 1973.
The lyrics to the actual song are totally different.
Trivia: A little known fact about that album is that as a little in joke The Mists of Scapa Flow recruited children's...