The Songs of Nick Drake: Way to Blue

-Fragile.

-Shy.

-Intricate.

-Enigmatic.

-Soulful.

-Posh.

-Unique.

-Observational.

-Amazing.

-Private.

-Beautiful.

A musical genius.

Thinking about my first meeting with Nick,

I can see him sitting there at the guitar

and just thinking, "Nice bloke".

How would I describe Nick Drake?! Jesus!

A man with a...singularly superior lexicon of the melancholic.

I would describe him only through my memory of him

as this tall, rather dusty, shadowy sort of figure

away in the corner of a room.

I can't say that I grew up listening to Nick Drake, but...

I have some family connections.

My mum used to go out with him, you know.

He was just so much better educated than most singer-songwriters.

You know, he had a real grounding in the Romantic poets.

He knew English literature, you know, he'd read so much.

I love how vulnerable he was in his lyrics and how observational.

He always seemed to be on the outside looking in.

That sense of melancholy that I think you experience first

between adolescence and adulthood,

I think he was particularly eloquent about.

His music, I think immediately you're struck by the beautiful guitar,

by what an amazing guitarist he was.

How did he play it and sing it at the same time?

I really don't know how he did some of that.

It's a bit like going like this. I can't even do that.

I don't think people were ready for him.

They didn't realise the depth of his music.

And the real proof is that it's timeless.

He was very underappreciated in his lifetime.

A beautiful soul who was way beyond this world

and I think our world could only handle him for a little while.

I wonder what he makes of it all now,

watching this whole thing of everyone playing his music.

Yeah, it's an interesting thought.

I think he would be proud, actually.

People would think that maybe he'd be embarrassed, he wouldn't.

He'd be absolutely chuffed.

# Don't you have a word

# To show what may be done

# Have you never heard

# A way to find the sun

ALL: # Tell me all that you may know

# Show me what you have to show

# Won't you come and say

# If you know the way to blue

# Have you seen the land

# Living by the breeze

# Can you understand

# A light among the trees

ALL: # Tell me all that you may know

# Show me what you have to show

# Tell us all today

# If you know the way to blue

# Look through time and find your rhyme

# Tell us what you find

# And we will wait at your gate

# Hoping like the blind

# Can you now recall

# All that you have known

# Will you never fall

# When the light has flown

# Tell me all that you may know

# Show me what you have to show

# Won't you come and say

# If you know the way to blue #

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

# Never sing for my supper

# Never help my neighbour

# Never do what is proper

# Or my fair share of labour

# I'm a poor boy

# I'm a poor boy

# Count your coins and throw them over my shoulder

# Now I may grow older

# Nobody knows

# How cold it grows

# Nobody sees

# How shaky my knees

# Nobody cares

# How steep my stairs

# Nobody smiles

# If I cross their stiles

-ALL: # Oh, poor boy

-# Hmm, yeah

# So sorry for himself

# Himself

# Oh, poor boy

# So worried for his health

# You may say every day

# Where will he stay tonight?

# Never know where I came from

# Seems that I've forgotten

# Never know what I came for

# Or how I was begotten

# I'm a poor boy

# And I'm a ranger

# Things I say

# May seem stranger than Sunday

# Changing to Monday

# Nobody knows

# How cold it flows

# And nobody feels

# My worn-down heels

# Nobody's eyes make the skies

# Nobody spreads their aching heads

# Oh, poor boy

-# So worried for his life

-# For his life

-# Oh, poor boy

-# Poor boy

# So keen to take a wife

# He's a mess but he'll say yes

# If you just dress in white

# Nobody knows

# How cold it flows

# Nobody sees

# My worn-down knees

# Yeah! Nobody cares

# How steep my stairs

# And nobody smiles

# When I cross their stiles

# Yeah! Hey! Hey!

-# Oh, poor boy

-Yeah

-# So sorry for himself

-Sorry for himself

# Oh, poor boy

# So worried for his health

# You may say every day

# Where will he stay tonight?

# So worried for his life

# Oh, poor boy

# So keen to take a wife

# Oh, poor boy!

# So sorry for himself

# Oh, poor boy!

# So worried for his health! #

APPLAUSE

CHEERING

# A city freeze get on your knees

# Pray for warmth and green paper

# A city drought

# You're down and out

# See your trousers don't taper

# Saddle up

# Kick your feet

# And ride the range of a London street

# Travel to a local plane

# Turn around and come back again

# And at the chime of a city clock

# Put up your road block

# And hang on to your crown

# For a stone in a tin can

# Is wealth to the city man

# Who leaves his armour down

# Stay indoors beneath the floors

# Talk with neighbours only

# The games you play make people say

# You're either weird or lonely

# A city star won't shine too far

# On account of the way you are

# And the beads around your face

# Make you sure to fit back in place

# And in the beat of a city drum

# See how your friends come in twos or threes or more

# For the sound of a busy place

# Is fine for a pretty face

# Who knows what a face is for

# The city clown will soon fall down

# Without a face to hide in

# And he will lose if he won't choose

# The one he may confide in

# Sonny boy, smokes for sale

# Went to ground with a face so pale

# And never heard about the change

# Showed his hand and fell out of range

# In the light of a city square

# Find out the face that's fair

# Keep it by your side

# When the light of the city falls

# Fly to the city walls

# Take off with your bride

# But at the chime of a city clock

# Put up your road block

# Hang on to your crown

# For a stone in a tin can

# Is wealth to the city man

# Who leaves his armour...down. #

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

# Strange face

# With your eyes

# So pale and sincere

# Underneath

# You know well

# You have nothing to fear

# For the dreams that came to you

# When so young

# Told of a life

# Where spring... is sprung

# You would seem so frail

# In the cold of the night

# When the armies of emotions

# Come out to fight

# But while the earth sinks to its grave

# You sail to the sky

# On the crest of a wave

# So goodbye

# This cruel world

# Where I belong

# I'll just sit and I'll wait

# I'll sing my song

# And if one day

# You should see me in the crowd

# Lend a hand and lift me

# Into your cloud. #

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

Thank you.

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

# I never felt magic as crazy as this

# I never knew moons, knew the meaning of the sea

# I never held emotion in the palm of my hand

# Or felt sweet breezes in the top of a tree

# But now you're here

# Brighten my northern sky

# Been a long time that I'm waiting

# Been a long time that I've blown

ALL: # Been a long time that I've wandered

# Through the people I have known

# If you would and you could

# Brighten my new mind's eye

# Would you love me for my money?

# Would you love me for my head?

# Would you love me through the winter?

# Would you love me when I'm dead?

# If you would and you could

# Come blow your horn on high

# I never saw magic as crazy as this

# I never saw moons, knew the meaning of the sea

# I never felt emotion in the palm of my hand

# Or felt sweet breezes in the top of a tree

# But now you're here

# Brighten my northern sky

# Brighten my northern sky. #

APPLAUSE

Thank you.

# Time has told me

# You're a rare, rare find

# A troubled cure

# For a troubled mind

# And time has told me

# Not to ask for more

# For someday our ocean

# Will find its shore

# So I'll leave the ways that are making me be

# What I really don't want to be

# Leave the ways that are making me love

# What I really don't want to love

# And time has told me

# You're a rare find

# A soul with no footprint

# A rose with no thorn

# And time will tell you

# Not to walk no more

# To keep on trying

# For them words you can say

# And time will tell you

# To stay by my side

# To keep on pushing

# Don't you hurt

# So leave the ways that are making you be

# What you really don't want to be

# Leave the ways that are making you love

# What you really don't want to love

# Time has told me

# Not to ask for more

# For someday our ocean

# Will find its shore. #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

The Hungarians say there is no such thing as a free lunch.

Nick Drake wasn't Hungarian but he did want a free ride.

# I know you

# I care too

# I see through

# All of the pictures that you keep on the wall

# All of the people that will come to the ball

# But hear me calling

# Won't you give me A free ride

# Hear me calling

# Won't you give me A free ride

# I know too

# What you do

# When you're through

# Counting the cattle as they go by the door

# Keeping a carpet that's so thick on the floor

# But hear me calling

# Won't you give me A free ride

# Hear me calling

# Won't you give me A free ride

# I know you

# I care too

# I see through

# All of the pictures that you keep on the wall

# All of the people that will come to the ball

# But hear me calling

# Won't you give me A free ride

# Hear me calling

# Won't you give me A free ride. #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE Thank you.

A song about posthumous fame, fittingly.

# Fame is but a fruit tree

# So very unsound

# It can never flourish

# Till its stalk is in the ground

# So men of fame

# Will never find a way

# Till time has flown

# Far from their dying day

# Forgotten while you're here

# Remembered for a while

# A much updated ruin

# From a much outdated style

# Life is but a memory

# Happened long ago

# Theatre full of sadness

# For a long forgotten show

# Seems so easy

# Just to let it go on by

# Till you stop and wonder

# Why you never wondered why

# Safe in the womb

# Of an everlasting night

# You find the darkness Can give the brightest light

# Safe in your place

# Deep in the earth

# That's when they'll know what you were really worth

# Forgotten while you're here

# Remembered for a while

# A much updated ruin

# From a much outdated style

# Fame is but a fruit tree

# So very unsound

# It can never flourish

# Till its stalk is in the ground

# So men of fame

# Will never find a way

# Till time has flown

# Far from their dying day

# Fruit tree, fruit tree

# No-one knows you but the rain and the air

# Don't you worry

# They'll stand and stare

# When you're gone

# Fruit tree, fruit tree

# Open your eyes to another year

# They'll all know

# That you were here when you're gone. #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Hello.

# Which will you go for?

# Which will you love?

# Which will you choose from?

# From the stars above

# Which will you answer?

# Which will you call?

# Which will you take now

# For your one and all?

# Tell me now

# Which will you love

# The best?

# Which do you dance for?

# Which makes you shine?

# Which will you choose now?

# If you won't choose mine

# Which will you hope for?

# Which will it be?

# Which will you take now?

# If you won't take me

# Tell me now

# Which will you love

# The best?

# Tell me now

# Which will you love

# The best? #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

# A day once dawned

# And it was beautiful

# A day once dawned from the ground

# Then the night she fell

# And the air was beautiful

# The night she fell all around

# So look, see the sights

# The endless summer nights

# And go play the game that you learnt

# From the morning

# And now we rise

# And we are everywhere

# And now we rise from the ground

# And see how she flies

# And she is everywhere

# See how she flies all around

# So look, see the days

# The endless coloured ways

# And go play the game that you learnt

# From the morning

# From the morning

# Ah-ah oh-oh-oh oh-oh. #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

# A black eyed dog He called at my door

# The black eyed dog He called for more

# A black eyed dog He knew my name

# A black eyed dog He knew my name

# A black eyed dog

# A black eyed dog

# I'm growing old and I wanna go home

# I'm growing old and I don't wanna know

# I'm growing old and I wanna go home

# A black eyed dog

# A black eyed dog

# A black eyed dog

# A black eyed dog

# I'm growing old And I wanna go home

# I'm growing old And I don't wanna know

# I'm growing old And I wanna go home

# I'm growing old And I don't wanna know

# A black eyed dog He called at my door

# The black eyed dog He called for more

# I know

# I'm growing old And I wanna go home

# I'm growing old And I don't wanna know

# I'm growing old And I wanna go home

# I'm growing old And I don't wanna know. #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

# When the day is done

# Down to earth then sinks the sun

# Along with everything that was lost and won

# When the day is done

# When the day is done

# Hope so much your race will be all run

# Then you find you jumped the gun

# Have to go back where you begun

# When the day is done

# When the night is cold

# Some get by but some get old

# Just to show life's not made of gold

# When the night is cold

# When the bird has flown

# Got no-one to call your own

# Got no place to call your home

# When the bird has flown

# When the game's been fought

# Newspaper blown across the court

# Lost much sooner than you would have thought

# Now the game's been fought

# When the party's through

# Seems so very sad for you

# Didn't do the things you meant to do

# Now there's no time to start anew

# Now the party's through

# When the day is done

# Down to earth then sinks the sun

# Along with everything that was lost and won

# When the day is done. #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Real sound, real lights, real people.

# Lifting the mask from a local clown

# Feeling down like him

# Seeing the light in a station bar

# And travelling far in sin

# Sailing downstairs to the Northern Line

# Seeing the shine of the shoes

# Hearing the trials of the people there

# Who's to care if they lose?

# Take a look, you may see me on the ground

# For I am the parasite of this town

# Dancing a jig in a church with chimes

# A sign of the times they say

# Hearing no bell from the steeple tall

# People all in dismay

# Falling so far on a silver spoon

# Playing the moon for fun

# Changing a rope for a size too small

# People all get hung

# Take a look You may see me coming through

# For I am the parasite who travels two by two

# Lifting the mask

# Lifting the mask

# Lifting the mask from a local clown

# And feeling down like him

# I'm seeing the light in a station bar

# And travelling far in sin

# Sailing downstairs to the Northern Line

# Seeing the shine of the shoes

# Hearing the trials of the people there

# Who's to care if they lose?

# Take a look You may see me coming through

# For I am the parasite Close inside of you

# And take a look You may see me in the dirt

# Cos I am the parasite That hangs from your skirt. #

HE WHISPERS: Parasite.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

# Betty came by on her way

# Said she had a word to say

# About things today

# And fallen leaves

# Said she hadn't heard the news

# Hadn't had the time to choose

# A way to lose

# But she believes

# Gonna see the river man

# Gonna tell him all I can

# About the plan

# For lilac time

# If he tells me all he knows

# About the way his river flows

# And all night shows

# In summertime

# Betty said she prayed today

# For the sky to blow away

# Or maybe stay

# She wasn't sure

# For when she thought of summer rain

# Calling for her mind again

# She lost the pain

# And stayed for more

# Gonna to see the river man

# Gonna to tell him all I can

# About the ban

# On feeling free

# If he tells me all he knows

# About the way his river flows

# I don't suppose

# It's meant for me

# Oh, how they come and go

# Oh, how they come and go. #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Thank you very much.

# Saw it written and I saw it say

# Pink moon is on its way

# And none of you stand so tall

# Pink moon gonna get you all

# And it's a pink moon, yeah

# Pink, pink, pink, pink, pink moon

# Pink, pink, pink, pink, pink moon

# I saw it written and I saw it say

# Pink moon is on its way

# And none of you stand so tall

# Pink moon gonna get you all

# And it's a pink moon, yeah

# Pink, pink, pink, pink, pink moon

# Pink, pink, pink, pink, pink moon

# Saw it written and I saw it say

# Pink moon is on its way

# And none of you stand so tall

# Pink moon gonna get you all

# And it's a pink moon, yeah

# Pink, pink, pink, pink, pink moon

# Ooh-ooh, it's a pink moon

# Ye-e-e-ah

# Ye-e-e-ah

# It's a pink moon

# Oooh-ooh-ooh

# Pink, pink, pink, pink, pink moon

# Pink, pink, pink, pink pink moon. #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

# Voice from the mountain

# And a voice from the sea

# Voice in my neighbourhood

# And a voice calling me

# Tell me, my friend, my friend

# Tell me with love

# Where can it end, it end?

# Voice from above

# The sound on the ocean wave

# And the sound in the tree

# Sound in a country lane

# Say can you be free?

# Tell me you crowd, you crowd

# Tell me again

# Tell me out loud, out loud

# This sound is rain

# Tune from the hillside

# And tune full of light

# A flute in the morning

# And a chime in the night

# I know the game again

# I know the score

# I know my name, my name

# But this tune is more

# Voice from the mountain

# And voice from the sea

# Voice from my neighbourhood

# And a voice calling me

# Tell me my friend, my friend

# Tell me with love

# Where can it end, it end?

# Voice from above

# Voice from the mountain

# Voice from the mountain

# Voice from the mountain

# Voice from the mountain

# Voice from the mountain

# Voice from the mountain

# Voice from the mountain

# Voice from the mountain

# Voice from the mountain

# Voice from the mountain

# Voice from the mountain

# Voice from the mountain

# Voice from the mountain

# Voice from the mountain

# Voice from the mountain

# Voice from the mountain. #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd