Tag Archives: nick drake

#943: Nick Drake – Northern Sky

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It may be a despicable thing to say. But for me, when it comes to Nick Drake’s three-album discography, there’s Pink Moon, and then there’s the other two. I feel some shame just typing that. I’ve grown so use to the desolate and stark atmosphere of Pink Moon that when I hearFive Leaves Left or Bryter Layter, the fullness of the instrumentation seems a bit unfamiliar to me. Those are both very fine albums in their own ways, and I’ve been trying to appreciate them more as time has gone on. In fact, wasn’t relatively long ago that I truly understood how good today’s track was.

‘Northern Sky’ is the penultimate track on Bryter Layter. Might not just be me, but I get a lot of imagery from this track. Clear skies of purple and deep blue at dusk on a chilly winter evening. Oddly specific, but that’s what I see. The album cover may play into it a bit too. But mainly it’s those visions are caused by the soft resonance of those celeste keys and the soothing Hammond organ which are present throughout, provided by former Velvet Underground member and all-round fine musician John Cale. Initially turned off by the instrumental choices, Drake grew to like the arrangement and anticipated it to be his big commercial breakthrough. That didn’t happen. Record label antics.

The lack of widespread recognition of his work dampened Drake’s hopes, and he became more and more emotionally withdrawn and distant as a result. He was known to be quite the shy person anyway, so it makes a song like ‘Northern Sky’ all the more profound and affecting. It’s a love song, something of a rarity in his work, and it captures all the feelings that usually come along in that situation of being with someone. The courage, the wonder and happiness, the underlying uncertainty, numerous others, but most of all the appreciation. It might be one of the best love songs out there. And with that, the sadness seeps in when thinking on how everything ended for Drake. He just wanted his music to be heard. If he could have hung on that bit longer, he would have arrived at a point where he would see his material be adored by millions. Too tragic. But we’re all listening now.

My iPod #491: Nick Drake – Harvest Breed

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Before closing his third album on a note emphasising a positive outlook on life, Nick Drake provides us with “Harvest Breed”, a track which – though only lasting a minute and a half and containing four different sentences – describes a person in need of help, is not able to find anyone who can provide it, and enjoys the beautiful earth one last time before supposedly accepting his mortality. A rather eerie song, which would have brought a morbid end to Pink Moon had “From the Morning” not directly followed it.

Despite its foreboding subject matter, “Harvest Breed” is another typically entrancing performance by Drake. Consisting only of his acoustic guitar playing a circular riff which he simultaneously sings along too with his calm, soothing vocal, the song sounds just as vulnerable and empty as the other ten that accompany. Maybe even more so as it is the shortest one on the album. But it is the one that is the most haunting, especially considering Drake’s own depression and his sad death.

My iPod #396: Nick Drake – From the Morning

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“…listening to this album, with headphones to be isolated of all exterior noises, with eyes closed, is a unique experience. Because at the end, the last song you hear is FROM THE MORNING, and this song is so positive! After all an album of a beautiful darkness, you finish on this moving celebration of life, telling you that another day starts after this tormented night, all starts again with a beautiful morning, that everything is possible with the rise of the sun. It’s at the opposite with the whole rest of the album, and it ends like that. I’m telling you, you can’t arrive at the end of PINK MOON with your eyes dry. That’s why this song has a particular saviour. And you need to know that FROM THE MORNING was his parents favourite song, proof that it has a positive reflect, and that’s why they chose a quote of this song as epitaph on his gravestone “Now we rise, and we are everywhere”.

That is a comment under the lyrics of “From the Morning” on songsmeaning.net. And I actually couldn’t put it better myself.

“Pink Moon” is the album to play during the hours of a cold winter night; its bare atmosphere and depressing lyrics matching the dark, silent environment. You walk around wondering where to turn.

But then “From the Morning” begins just as the sun rises, the skies turn a pinkish colour, the birds start to sing and you realise you’ve been bugging out over nothing. Everything will be alright. Another day is here. Time to learn something new.

The track’s presence wipes the sadness and desolation present throughout “Pink Moon” away, and as the last song ends the album on a happy, positive note. Sadly he would pass away only a few years later, but at least his official discography came to a definitive conclusion with this highly-spirited tune.

My iPod #390: Nick Drake – Free Ride

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“Pink Moon”, man. One of my favourite albums ever. Eleven songs of one man and an acoustic guitar (and a short piano overdub) producing the most moving, chilling, melodic, bare, but brilliant songs you could ever hear. Sad to know that it was his last before he passed away two years after making it. But honestly, I never knew an album made so simply could be so emotional.

“Free Ride”, to me anyway, seems like one of the most happier songs on the album. Only because of the way it’s played. There’s like a continuous C-note drone that Drake plucks on the lower strings throughout the verses which drives the song forward whilst he plays the more detailed melody on the higher ones. It’s hard to describe; there’s just something a sense of confidence in the song’s tone that I get every time I hear it, and compared to the rest of “Pink Moon” is a lot more perky in its delivery.

I’ve read somewhere say that it’s about having sexual relations with a friend; another place saying it’s Drake trying to reach out to the people that he doesn’t really get on with it, but still wanting their support and attention. I am not that bothered. I think the song itself is too good to really ponder over.

Listen to “Pink Moon”.