Although he recorded only three albums, critics and fellow musicians hold his work in very high esteem. Drake failed to find a wide audience during his lifetime and had a strong aversion to performing. Since his death, however, Drake's music has gained a significant cult following.
Drake's father worked as an engineer. Although he was born in Rangoon, Burma, Nick's family moved back to England soon afterward, and Drake was brought up in Tanworth-in-Arden, a small village in the English county of Warwickshire. He went to public school at Marlborough College, where he learned to play the clarinet and piano. As a young adult, Drake enrolled in Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, to study English. His older sister, Gabrielle Drake, is an actress.
Drake was a fan of British and the emerging American folk music scene, including artists Bob Dylan and Phil Ochs. While a university student, Drake began performing in local clubs and coffee houses. He was discovered by Ashley Hutchings, the bass player of the folk rock group Fairport Convention. Hutchings introduced Drake to the other members of Fairport Convention, folk singer John Martyn and producer Joe Boyd.
He delayed attendance to spend six months at the University of Aix-Marseille, France, beginning in February 1967. While in Aix, he began to practice guitar in earnest and to earn money would often busk with friends in the town centre. Drake began to smoke cannabis, and that spring he traveled with friends to Morocco, because, according to traveling companion Richard Charkin, "that was where you got the best pot". Drake's associates convinced Island Records to sign the young singer-songwriter to a three-album contract. Drake began recording his debut album Five Leaves Left later in 1968, with Boyd assuming the role of producer. The sessions took place in Sound Techniques studio, London, with Drake skipping lectures to travel by train to the capital. At the age of twenty, he released his first album Five Leaves Left (1969), which featured a chamber music quartet on several songs and had a light, breezy sound. Drake's second album Bryter Layter (1970) introduced a more upbeat, jazzier sound, with keyboards, horns and several brass instruments. Both albums were produced by Boyd and featured several members of Fairport Convention.
Many accounts of Drake focus on his mythology, but a large part of his enduring popularity is due to his meticulous songwriting, prosody, odd guitar tunings and lyricism.
Drake was pathologically shy and resented touring. The few concerts he did play were usually in support of other British folk acts of the time, such as Fairport Convention or John Martyn and were often brief and awkward. Partially because of this, his work received little attention and sold poorly. Whilst in the recording studio, he was so shy that he'd always play into the wall so as to avoid people's gazes.
Severely depressed and doubting his abilities as a musician, Drake recorded his final album Pink Moon (1972) in two two-hour sessions, both starting at midnight. The songs of Pink Moon were short (the album consists of eleven of them and lasts only 28 minutes) and emotionally bleak. Drake recorded them unaccompanied, in the presence of only a sound engineer (a piano was later overdubbed on the title track). Naked and sincere, it is widely thought to be his best work.
At this point, he considered other careers including the army and computer programming, but more suitably as a songwriter for other artists. However, none of Drake's plans materialized. In the next few months, Drake grew severely depressed and maintained relationships only with close friends such as John Martyn, who wrote the title song of his 1973 album Solid Air for and about Drake and with Sophia Ryde. He was hospitalized several times and lived with Hardy for a few months. Friends from that time have described how much his appearance changed: his nails grown, his hair and frame gaunt and thin.
In 1974, Drake felt well enough to write and record a few new songs. However, on November 25, he died of an overdose of antidepressants. The coroner concluded that the cause of Drake's death was suicide, although this was disputed by friends and relatives. Antidepressants of that time were quite lethal if ingested in any higher dosage than the one prescribed. His mother recounts that he must have had difficulty sleeping and had got up in the night to have a bowl of cornflakes. It's unclear whether he took more pills to help him sleep or to take his own life.
His simple gravestone in the Tanworth churchyard bears the line "And now we rise/And we are everywhere", taken from From the Morning - the last song on the last album Nick lived to complete.
Posthumous popularity
Since Drake’s death, his music has grown steadily in popularity. Several modern musicians, such as Lucinda Williams, Badly Drawn Boy, Matthew Good, Sebadoh's Lou Barlow, R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck, Blur’s Graham Coxon, and Belle and Sebastian, consider Drake an important influence. In early 1999, BBC2 aired a 40-minute Nick Drake documentary, "A Stranger Among Us — In Search of Nick Drake", as part of its Picture This strand. The following year saw the release of a documentary by Dutch director Jeroen Berkvens, titled A Skin Too Few: The Days of Nick Drake and featuring interviews with Joe Boyd, Gabrielle Drake, audio engineer John Wood, and arranger Robert Kirby. Brad Pitt is a fan of Drake and, in 2004, he narrated a BBC radio documentary about the singer.
Island has responded to Drake’s popularity with several new releases including Time of No Reply (1986), an album of unreleased material including four new songs recorded in 1974, Way to Blue: An Introduction to Nick Drake (1994), a "best of" album, remastered HDCD releases of his three studio albums in 2000, and Made to Love Magic (2004), featuring one new track and some newly recorded orchestration for a previously released track. A replacement for Way to Blue called A Treasury was also released in 2004 on Hybrid-SACD.
In 2000, Volkswagen licensed the track Pink Moon, the title track from Nick's third release, for a particularly serene car commercial in the US. The advertisement caused a significant bounce in Drake’s popularity, bolstered by uses of Drake's music on a number of film soundtracks, including 1998's Hideous Kinky and Practical Magic (featuring "Road" from Pink Moon and "Black Eyed Dog" from Time of No Reply, respectively). In 2001, two Bryter Layter tracks appeared in mainstream films: "Northern Sky" in Serendipity, and "Fly" in The Royal Tenenbaums. In the same year, "Cello Song" from Five Leaves Left was featured in Me Without You. In 2004, "One of These Things First" appeared in Garden State and "Northern Sky" was featured again, this time in Fever Pitch.
Drake's "River Man" has become quite popular among Jazz musicians. A piano improvisation based on the melody was released by Brad Mehldau on the album "Progression: Art Of The Trio, Volume 5", and a Jazz vocal version by Claire Martin appears on the album Take My Heart.
Drake's posthumous popularity has made many fans consider the lyrics to "Fruit Tree" a song from Five Leaves Left prophetic: “Fame is but a fruit tree / So very unsound. / It can never flourish / Till its stock is in the ground. / So men of fame / Can never find a way / Till time has flown / Far from their dying day.” In 2004 two of his singles reached low positions in the UK charts - "Magic" and "River Man".
Most recently, Nick Drake has emerged as a key influence in the resurgence of 1960's and 1970's folk traditions, apparent in the works of artists including Devendra Banhart, Joanna Newsom, and Six Organs of Admittance.
In 2005, performer Beck updated his website during Christmas time with covers of three songs from Pink Moon: "Pink Moon", "Which Will" and "Parasite."
Family Tree, the next Bryter Music/Island record was released in July 2007.
Hayzey Jane II
Nick Drake Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So crowded that you can't look out the window in the morning.
What will happen in the evening in the forest with the weasel
With the teeth that bite so sharp when you're not looking in the evening.
And all the friends that you once knew are left behind they kept you safe
And so secure amongst the books and all the records of your lifetime.
What will happen
In the morning
When the world it gets so crowded that you can't look out the window
In the morning.
Hey, take a little while to grow your brother's hair
And now, take a little while to make your sister fair.
And now that the family
Is part of a chain
Take off your eye shade
Start over again.
Now take a little while to find your way in here
Now take a little while to make your story clear.
Now that you're lifting
Your feet from the ground
Weigh up your anchor
And never look round.
Let's sing a song
For Hazey Jane
She's back again in my mind.
If songs were lines
In a conversation
The situation would be fine
The lyrics of Nick Drake's song "Hazey Jane II" are a reflection on life and the uncertainties that come with it. It starts by asking what will happen in the morning when the world gets so crowded that one can't look out the window. This could refer to the overwhelming nature of life and the challenges that come with it. The next verse talks about what happens in the evening when we're in the forest with the weasel. The imagery used suggests danger lurking and emphasizes the need to always be aware of our surroundings. The song then goes on to talk about friends left behind, who once kept us safe and secure. The lyrics are a reminder of the importance of the people we hold dear, who shape us in many ways.
The second part of the song is a call to action. It urges the listener to take a little while to grow their brother's hair, make their sister fair, and find their way. It encourages the need to be active in life, to not be weighed down by past failures but instead to weigh up our anchor and never look round. The final verse sings to Hazey Jane, who seems to be a personification of all our doubts and fears. The lyrics suggest that if songs were lines in a conversation, the situation would be fine. In other words, music can be a way of finding comfort and solace in times of uncertainty.
Overall, "Hazey Jane II" is a thought-provoking and reflective song that encourages the listener to be present in life and face uncertainties head-on.
Line by Line Meaning
And what will happen in the morning when the world it gets
Nick is pondering what might happen in the morning when the world grows too crowded that he can't look out of the window.
So crowded that you can't look out the window in the morning.
He is worried that the future may hold unpleasant surprises that will force him to shut himself in and miss out on the beauty of the world outside.
What will happen in the evening in the forest with the weasel
Nick is curious about what occurs in the forest at nightfall and the creatures which lurk therein.
With the teeth that bite so sharp when you're not looking in the evening.
He fears the forest, recognizing the danger that may lie in waiting for him in the form of any small creature that is capable of inflicting pain with its sharp teeth when he is not alert.
And all the friends that you once knew are left behind they kept you safe
Nick remembers friends from the past who offered him safety and security in a world that once felt threatening.
And so secure amongst the books and all the records of your lifetime.
These same friends were replaced by books and records, which provided Nick with a sense of security and comfort in his life.
What will happen
Nick's questioning of the future continues.
In the morning
His focus remains on the potential events of the following day.
When the world it gets so crowded that you can't look out the window
He is contemplating a future in which he is forced to stay inside due to the dangers and busyness of the outside world.
In the morning.
This refrain emphasizes the importance of the morning and how it can shape one's entire day.
Hey, take a little while to grow your brother's hair
Nick is encouraging someone to take the time and make the effort to care for their sibling.
And now, take a little while to make your sister fair.
He is prompting them to help their sister be presentable and possibly giving some dating advice.
And now that the family
Nick is shifting the conversation towards family and its importance.
Is part of a chain
One's family is connected to their ancestors and the future generations, thereby reducing the individual's importance and making them a small part of something bigger.
Take off your eye shade
He is urging someone to open their eyes and face the world.
Start over again.
With this line, Nick is advising someone to begin anew with a fresh outlook and perspective.
Now take a little while to find your way in here
Nick is instructing someone to take the time they need to establish themselves before diving into something new.
Now take a little while to make your story clear.
He is reminding them to be articulate and confident in telling their story.
Now that you're lifting
Nick is highlighting that there has been progress, with the implication that the person addressed by the lyrics is already on their way to success.
Your feet from the ground
This line is consistent with Nick's worldview, where being successful is something akin to flying or levitation.
Weigh up your anchor
He is advising someone to leave behind the things that hold them back, or stop living securely, and take risks.
And never look round.
There is something about living life without ever looking back in regret after taking risks on important things.
Let's sing a song
Nick is asking the listener to shift their focus and join him in singing a cheerful tune.
For Hazey Jane
Hazey Jane is a nostalgic, personable friend - this line implies that they are worthy of critique and discussion.
She's back again in my mind.
Hazey Jane is someone he thinks about from time to time.
If songs were lines
Nick is getting ready to make a comparison between song lyrics and observations, which he’d like the audience to consider.
In a conversation
He suggests that if you could talk to someone through only song lyrics and lines, you’d have a decent grasp of said person.
The situation would be fine.
If you were able to put songs together and use them to converse, then you’d be in control even during difficult times.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: NICK DRAKE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Preston
on Kimbie
And I need a Mackinaw
Preston
on Kimbie
hawl
Preston
on Kimbie
It's not a show. It's a shawl. The point here is that can be once a luxury item, a shawl that costs $9, while the speaker needs a Mackinaw, which is a practical warm coat. She "wants" something, but he "needs" something.
Preston
on Kimbie
Kimbie wants a nine dollar show
Kimbie desires a performance that costs exactly nine dollars
Kimbie wants a nine dollar show
Kimbie repeatedly expresses her desire for a nine dollar performance
She wants a nine dollar show
Kimbie is insistent on attending a nine dollar show
And I need
The artist has a need that is yet to be revealed
Well Kimbie let your hair hang down
The artist is telling Kimbie to let her hair loose and relax
Kimbie let your hair hang down
The singer repeats his request to Kimbie, urging her to let go of her worries
Let your hair hang down
The singer encourages Kimbie to let her hair down, implying that she should stop worrying and enjoy herself
T'il it touches the ground
The artist suggests that Kimbie should let her hair down completely
Well Kimbie let your hair hang down
The artist reminds Kimbie to let go of her worries as he intends to depart soon
Kimbie let your hair hang down
The artist emphasizes the importance of Kimbie letting her hair down before he leaves
Cause come the morning I’ll be gone
The singer implies that he will not stay for long
Well Kimbie where you been so long
The artist questions Kimbie's whereabouts since he last saw her
I’ve been down in your state pen
Kimbie has spent time in a prison located in the singer's state
With those rough and rowdy
Kimbie has been surrounded by aggressive and unruly people
Rough and rowdy men
The people Kimbie has been surrounded by in prison are male and are known for their aggressive behaviour
Well Kimbie where you been so long
The artist repeats his question, wondering where Kimbie has been and why she has been away for so long
And I gotta go back again
Kimbie reveals that she has to return to prison once again
Well I wished I was a mole in the ground
The singer expresses his wish to be a mole that burrows underground
I wished I were a mole in the ground
The singer repeats his desire to become a mole
I was a mole in the ground
The artist imagines himself as a mole burrowing beneath the surface of the earth
And that I’d tear this mountain
The artist imagines himself digging through a mountain
I’d tear this mountain down
The artist would use his strength to destroy a mountain if he were a mole
Wished I was a mole in the ground
The singer repeats his desire to become a mole, implying that he wants to be free from the burdens of the human world
Dave
on Free Ride
That interpretation isn't correct at all.