Patrick Humphries writes in Nick Drake: The Biography that the album Pink Moon came from “a well of despair, a cell of isolation… there is no permanence on Pink Moon”. Whereas in his previous albums nature is viewed as healing and positive, in this album nature poses a threat.
The lyrics of Pink Moon have a desperateness to them. Previously his lyrics use nature imagery in a positive sense to emphasise his attachment to the seasons and the earth. Whereas Bryter Layter’s atmosphere has a calmness throughout the despair, Pink Moon instead takes a more disturbed tone.
Poor Record Sales
Humphries writes that at the time of the creation of the album, “Nick was upset at the poor response which had greeted the release of both Five Leaves Left and Bryter Layter, and the transparent lack of success ate away at him. He saw poor record sales as a personal failure”.
Reluctant to tour due to his shyness on stage and his feeling uncomfortable around people, he could not promote his albums fully. Little promotion was available at a time when the radio would only play pop songs and there were few ways to be heard and gain popularity and success other than to play live.
Place to Be
Place to Be begins with the line “When I was young / Younger than before”, which gives a clue to how Drake felt about life. He was already young at the time of writing - he was only 26 years old when he died – but by thinking of a time when he was “young” shows that he feels like he is aged, worn down by the problems of the world.
During this time of youth everything seemed perfect “flowers grew and sun shone”. Now he is “Darker than the deepest sea” and “Weaker than the palest blue”. He has been broken down and now cannot escape the truths and harsh realities of the world.
From the Morning
From the Morning appears to be a joyous ending to a night of loneliness. “Now we rise and we are everywhere” gives a sense of self renewal and restored strength. As this was the last album before Drake died, it is often studied to try and understand his strength of mind at the time of writing.
The song gives hope for brightness, from “A day once dawned and it was beautiful” to “The night she fell and the air was beautiful”. As the final track to the final album it will ofcourse be analysed in terms of Drake’s death, perhaps providing hope that he was trying to view life from a more positive perspective.
Tracks:
- Pink Moon
- Place to Be
- Road
- Which Will
- Horn
- Things Behind the Sun
- Know
- Parasite
- Ride
- Harvest Breed
- From the Morning
Pink Moon is Drake's final album. As with his previous albums, Five Leaves Left and Bryter Layter, this gained more popularity after his death and his songs are frequently used in advertising and television. Many modern musicians cite him as an influence and Pink Moon has been included in lists such as Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of all Time.
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