Place To Be
Nick Drake Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

When I was young, younger than before
I never saw the truth hanging from the door
And now I'm older, see it face to face
And now I'm older, gotta get up, clean the place

And I was green, greener than the hill
Where flowers grow and the sun shone still
Now I'm darker than the deepest sea
Just hand me down, give me a place to be

And I was strong, strong in the sun
I thought I'd see when day was done




Now I'm weaker than the palest blue
Oh, so weak in this need for you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Place To Be" by Nick Drake reflect the experience of growing older and facing a reality that was previously hidden. The song's opening lines refer to the singer's youth and his ignorance of certain truths that were present but not noticed. As he grew older, he was able to see and confront those truths, but doing so necessitated an effort on his part - he "gotta get up, clean the place."


The second verse speaks to the singer's emotional state. Again, in his youth, he was "green" and full of potential, but now he feels "darker than the deepest sea." He's lost some of his former vibrancy and is looking for a sense of belonging - someone to "hand me down, give me a place to be." In the third verse, the singer reflects upon his physical strength. He used to feel strong and capable, but now he is "weaker than the palest blue." His need for companionship and a place to belong feels overwhelming. The song's simple guitar melody underscores the contemplative and wistful tone of the lyrics, and the repetition of certain phrases ("now I'm older," "hand me down") amplifies the sense of longing and searching that pervades the song.


Line by Line Meaning

When I was young, younger than before
In my youth, well before now


I never saw the truth hanging from the door
I was blind to the realities that were right in front of me


And now I'm older, see it face to face
With age, I now directly behold the truth


And now I'm older, gotta get up, clean the place
Now, as an adult, I must tend to my surroundings


And I was green, greener than the hill
Inexperienced, with an idealistic view of the world


Where flowers grow and the sun shone still
A place of beauty, with life continuing unabated


Now I'm darker than the deepest sea
Presently, I am burdened with immense sorrow


Just hand me down, give me a place to be
I need someone to provide me shelter and comfort


And I was strong, strong in the sun
Once, I possessed a strength, under the warmth of light


I thought I'd see when day was done
I believed I could handle any situation that came my way


Now I'm weaker than the palest blue
However, now I am frail, barely visible like a light blue hue


Oh, so weak in this need for you
I am dependant on someone to buoy my spirits




Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Written by: Nick Drake

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@giovannibuscarini6732

When I was young, younger than before
I never saw the truth hanging from the door
And now I'm older, see it face to face
And now I'm older, gotta get up, clean the place

And I was green, greener than the hill
Where flowers grow and the sun shone still
Now I'm darker than the deepest sea
Just hand me down, give me a place to be

And I was strong, strong in the sun
I thought I'd see when day was done
Now I'm weaker than the palest blue
Oh, so weak in this need for you



All comments from YouTube:

@maditaylor303

My dad went to Cambridge University in the same year as nick. He had no idea who he was until i started playing his music to him. He said that nick just played guitar around the campus and no one even looked at him. He was a ghost. Incredible

@robertdegraw3551

Wow! I believe it.

@openedto

Now they know. 💚

@ZoeLateNight

I ❤️ Nick so much. Researched the “antidepressant” elavil, prescribed to alleviate his depression symptoms. However, elavil (amitriptyline) side effects can exacerbate schizophrenic symptoms. It’s posthumously supposed he suffered from schizophrenia. “Poor Boy” 😢
Anyone out there suffering whilst trying to find the Right Doctor/effective treatment, don’t settle for anything less than a Good one. It may save your Life.
God Bless You, Nick. I’ve recently seen a rare photo of your Smile and it’s Glorious ❤️ Rest in Divine Peace

@berniemaliko540

People with that much depth it's hard to live in this world

@bigyasitaula8873

Well, thanks Madi.... Every little detail about Nick's life seems like a movie!!

15 More Replies...

@KarenKayH

As soon as that guitar starts, I can feel my breathing and my heart beat slow down, and my mind get present and calm.

@tourzrap

Is not that kind of song...ffs

@KarenKayH

@@tourzrap for me it is, ffs. Music affects each listener in a unique way. Attend to your own groove.

@davidbeckey8188

Me too, Karen. Glad there are other Nick fans out there.......

More Comments

More Versions