Fans of folk music should know Nick Drake as well as they know icons like Tim Buckley and Jackson C. Frank. Drake was taken from us far too young, but we at least have been blessed with a somewhat decently-sized discography of works to revere decades after he passed. We think these four particular Nick Drake songs are essential listening for any fan!
Videos by American Songwriter
1. “Saturday Sun”
This stunning piece of work from Five Leaves Left closes out the album beautifully. “Saturday Sun” is a soft, yet arresting ballad that is simple in its instrumentation. The piano chimes away with a beautiful chord progression, and the drum pattern Drake uses is more on the jazz side of things. Drake croons about how the small, joyful moments in life have the power to overtake the darkness we all deal with.
2. “One Of These Things First”
This essential Nick Drake track comes from the 1971 album Bryter Layter. “One Of These Things First” is one of Drake’s more upbeat pieces of work with a stunning piano track that is as memorable as the lyrical content itself.
Despite being upbeat, Drake sings about, more or less, his nihilist take on being human and how if things were just slightly different, he could have been any other object or physical matter in the world. This tune features really great session musician contributions as well.
3. “Which Will”
This essential Nick Drake track comes from his last album, Pink Moon, from 1972. “Which Will” is a great example of Drake’s songwriting ability. The fingerpicking, the independent nature of Drake taking on the song alone, the existential nature of his lyrics… “Which Will” is the kind of song that won’t leave you easily or quickly.
4. “Pink Moon”
“Pink Moon” is an iconic title track from an iconic album. Throughout this particular record, Drake performs entirely on his own without any session musicians or a backing band. All listeners get are his voice, an acoustic guitar, and the rare instance of a piano.
“Pink Moon” features that rare bit of piano, as well as one of the most poetic and obscure lyrical works of his career. This song is probably his most well-known, and it’s not a bad song to be known for.
Photo via the cover of ‘Five Leaves Left’ by Nick Drake, 1969
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