Milk & Honey
Nick Drake Lyrics


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Gold and silver is the autumn
Soft and tender are her skies
Yes and no are the answers
Written in my true love's eyes

Autumn's leaving and winter's coming
I think that I'll be moving along
I've got to leave her and find another
I've got to sing my heart's true song

Round and round the burning circle
All the seasons: one, two, and three
Autumn leaves and then there winter
Spring is born and wanders free

Gold and silver burns my autumns
All too soon they'd fade and die




And then I'd know, there'd be no others
Milk and honey were their lies

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Nick Drake's Milk and Honey evoke the arrival of autumn with its gold and silver hues and soft, gentle skies. The contrasting answers of yes and no are symbolically reflected in the eyes of the singer's true love. The end of autumn and the onset of winter prompt a feeling of restlessness in the singer, who must leave in search of new opportunities to sing the song of his heart. The circle of life that encompasses all seasons is depicted by the turning wheel, and the leaves that die in autumn only to give birth to new beginnings in the spring.


The song's mood is pensive and introspective, with a keen awareness of the passing of time, the inevitability of change, and the fleeting nature of life's pleasures. The lyrics seem to suggest a wistful longing for something that is just out of reach, a desire for something more substantial than "milk and honey," which is ultimately revealed to be nothing but "lies." Through the use of seasonal imagery and poetic language, Drake expresses a universal human experience of longing, loss, and the search for meaning.


Line by Line Meaning

Gold and silver is the autumn
The autumn season is associated with richness and beauty, just like the colors of gold and silver.


Soft and tender are her skies
The autumn skies are gentle and calming, providing a sense of tranquility.


Yes and no are the answers
There are only two answers to life's questions: yes and no.


Written in my true love's eyes
My true love's eyes hold the answers to my questions, guiding me through life's ups and downs.


Autumn's leaving and winter's coming
The autumn season is ending, and the winter season is approaching.


I think that I'll be moving along
It's time for me to leave, to move on from this chapter of my life.


I've got to leave her and find another
I need to find a new direction in life, even if it means leaving behind those I love.


I've got to sing my heart's true song
I need to pursue my passions, and stay true to the values that drive me.


Round and round the burning circle
Life is full of cycles, repeating patterns that we must navigate through.


All the seasons: one, two, and three
There are three distinct seasons, and we must adapt to each one as they come and go.


Autumn leaves and then there winter
The autumn leaves fall, and the winter season begins.


Spring is born and wanders free
After the cold and darkness of winter, spring brings new life and growth, a time of renewal.


Gold and silver burns my autumns
The richness of autumn is fleeting, just like the colors of gold and silver.


All too soon they'd fade and die
Life is short, and we must make the most of the time we have.


And then I'd know, there'd be no others
Once something is gone, it cannot be replaced. I must cherish what I have while it lasts.


Milk and honey were their lies
The promises of wealth and prosperity are often empty and false, masking the harsh realities of life.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GOAPELE K. MOHLABANE, JOSEPH EPPERSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@adeliahogarth4622

"Gold and silver is the autumn
Soft and tender are her skies
Yes and no are the answers
Written in my true love's eyes

Autumn's leaving and winter's coming
I think that I'll be moving along
I've got to leave her and find another
I've got to sing my heart's true song

Round and round the burning circle
All the seasons: one, two, and three
Autumn leaves and then there winter
Spring is born and wanders free

Gold and silver burns my autumns
All too soon they'd fade and die
And then I'd know, there'd be no others
Milk and honey were their lies" - Music and Lyrics by Jackson C Frank -



All comments from YouTube:

@jortreitsma2982

Fantastic cover of Jackson C Frank... A man who deserves a lot more credit and fame for his work. An absolute genius. Any Nick Drake fan should check out his work.

@Harry-qm1hf

Thankyou very much for this information. You never know until someone tells you.

@adonaiyah2196

Apparently frank was so traumatised and mentally exhausted by all of life's trauma someone is quoted as saying 'he belonged in a psychiatrists chair'

@chuck7916

Brothers from a different mother!

@Luis674t

Fantastic cover of Sandy Denny then. The more impressive version

@Yawnyaman

@@Luis674tDid you know that Jackson C and Sandy Denny were for a while an item?

4 More Replies...

@futuropasado

Nick is one of my favorite artists. I discovered that Jackson C Frank was one of his biggest influences, and in this song is very clear, the melancholic tone, the drag, the pace, mystery... What a forgotten genius Jackson was, every folk lover should check him out.

@adonaiyah2196

The main riff and the first few words have circled around my gead despite me having only listened to it a couple times in 2017

@theOUCHcollective

No matter how bad I feel, no matter how dark it gets... I just love Nick's stuff. He brings me great joy.

@debracarriere9051

Jackson C. Frank's original work.

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