A Place To Be: Nick Drake’s ‘Pink Moon’
Nick Drake is a posthumous wonder. His work, like all incredible artists, has gradually become more appreciated after his death.
Drake was born in Myanmar (Burma) on June 19,1948. He played the saxophone and clarinet in his early years, later picking up the acoustic guitar, which is abundant in his discography. He released three albums during his lifetime, but never gained much traction. Perhaps as a result of this, Drake had issues with performing and by 1970 had given up on live shows entirely.
He fought an ongoing battle with mental illness, frequently slipping in and out of depressive episodes throughout his life. And it’s there, it’s present in his music. You can hear the sadness creeping in as he strums his guitar. In the documentary film, A Skin Too Few: The Days of Nick Drake, his mother recalls him saying “I don't like it at home, but I can't bear it anywhere else. I have failed in everything I have tried to do.” His family has often wondered how his opinion would have changed had known of his later appreciation.
Drake died in his childhood bedroom at age 26 from an overdose of antidepressants. Although It was considered a suicide, some family and friends insisted that it was accidental. Two years prior, Drake released his album Pink Moon. He recorded the album quickly, completely alone, and then promptly checked himself into a psychiatric ward.
Pink Moon explores self-doubt, loneliness, and depression- all things Drake struggled with his entire career. This album is not just music, it’s an experience. It’s one you have to listen to multiple times, new ideas and interpretations constantly lacing through the lyrics. Some songs are best listened to face down on your bedroom carpet, however it can also be enjoyed with a cup of tea on your front porch. He moves swiftly through different emotions, taking the audience on a journey.
Pink Moon ranked #203 on Rolling Stone’s 2020 edition of “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”, and yet you can’t help but feel he deserves more. This album is essential to any music-lover’s collection, and should be listened to at least once in your life. However, if you’re like me, you’ll find that you can’t help but keep coming back to Pink Moon.
Tracklist:
“Pink Moon”
Drake eases the listener in with the title track “Pink Moon.” With pleasant chords and repetitive lyrics, he lets the audience bask in a wave of tranquillity. The lack of other instruments enables us to connect directly with Drake, almost like we’re in the same room as him. It feels personal, like he’s letting you in on a secret: “A pink moon is on its way”.
“Place to Be”
“Place to Be” is truly beautiful. It’s one of those songs that you hear and wish you had written. However, while the tune is melodic and cheerful, the lyrics tell the listener of a boy who has had to face growing up and dealing with the weight of the world. He just wants a “place to be.”
“Road”
Repetitive again, but somehow never tiresome. Drake sings of the different paths of life, perhaps the different ways relationships end, or maybe just different roads. It’s open to interpretation: “I can take a road that’ll see me through”.
“Which Will”
For the life of me I can’t decide what this song is about. Is it accusatory? Begging to understand why they won’t choose him? Or is it wishing someone the best with choosing their way of life. Again, open to interpretation. All I know is that Drake's soft tone, along with his distinct finger-picking style, is the very definition of peace.
“Horn”
“Horn” is the only instrumental track on the album. Drake interrupts the brooding lines of the album with this song, giving us the melodic and serene acoustic guitar of his other tracks without the gloomy lyrics.
“Things Behind the Sun”
The previous song is almost a turning point in the album, as it goes from euphonious tones to chords that make you feel inherently uneasy. This song is also where we start to see hints of Drake’s mental illness: “The people in your head, who say everything’s been said.” It is one of my favourites though, and it has some of the most beautiful lyrics on the album: “Open up the broken cup, let goodly sin and sunshine in”.
“Know”
“Know that I love you, know I don’t care”. Is it an internal monologue? A conversation? Again, open to interpretation.
“Parasite”
‘Parasite’ is haunting. It starts with Drake’s trademark picking style and subtly depressing lyrics, but it all conforms in the chorus. The notes turn unsettling and he sings of parasites on the ground as if he’s one of them, observing the world from their angle. He talks of sin, hangings, the shine of shoes. He embodies it: he becomes the parasite, he tells the listener of the things he sees, he begs us to notice him. I can’t listen to this song for too long or I start rethinking every decision I’ve ever made.
“Free Ride”
And we’re back to the melodious chords! “Free Ride” sticks with you, it stays in your head and forces you to analyze. The tune is by far the catchiest on the album, and as Drake plays his guitar to the tune of his voice, the listener is once again put at ease.
“Harvest Breed”
The overall feel of this album is morose and melancholic with slight glimpses of hope in every song. “Harvest Breed” pulls the listener down Drake’s emotional well, “Falling fast and falling free” alongside him. Whether this song is telling us to take notice and care for what’s around us, or a metaphor for his slip into depression, Drake lures us down with him.
“From the Morning”
This song is a perfect entryway into Nick Drake’s music. It showcases his beautiful vocals and enveloping lyrics in a way that purely relaxes the listener. He personifies the day and the night, strumming the guitar in a way that gives the song a childlike feel, almost like a lullaby: “A day once dawned, and it was beautiful”.
Pink Moon is a fantastic entry to Nick Drake’s music, not only because it’s his most popular album, but because it displays his incredible strengths as an artist. He has an ability to connect on a personal level with the listener, something that is impossible to manufacture. This album will hold you in its arms, comforting you with visuals of green hills and morning suns. I will always be in awe of Nick Drake, and I will always turn to his music when I need it. Pink Moon allows you to be vulnerable, to be held, to be childlike. It’s a beautiful thing. It’s a pink moon.
The Irish Times. (2004, December 4). The boy with a thorn in his side. The Irish Times. Retrieved May 5, 2023, from https://www.irishtimes.com/news/the-boy-with-a-thorn-in-his-side-1.1168736
McMurtrie, J. (2007, September 20). Documentary tells story of British singer-songwriter Nick Drake. SFGATE. Retrieved May 5, 2023, from https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Documentary-tells-story-of-British-2539136.php
Ray, M. (2023, April 24). Nick Drake. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved May 5, 2023, from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nick-Drake
Rolling Stone. (2020, September 22). The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time – Rolling Stone. The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time – Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 5, 2023, from https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/nick-drake-pink-moon-2-1063030/