13 Meanings
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Know Lyrics

Know that I love you

Know I don't care

Know that I see you

Know I'm not there
13 Meanings

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Cover art for Know lyrics by Nick Drake

This song is about quite possibly the most painful of loving- You know that I love you. I want you to know that I'm so tired and numb from having given my whole heart to you, I just don't care at this point. I see you every time your lovely eyes enter a room, and your wonderful self follows. I see you, but as far as you're concerned, I'm not even there. ...even though it's all true, just know that I'm so in love with you that it just doesn't matter anymore. To me, that's kind of what this song begins to mean. Without a doubt, it brings truth to the old adage that less is more. It's simplicity is beautiful. I just want you to know.

Cover art for Know lyrics by Nick Drake

I just heard this one for the first time today. I rather like solarion's interpretation - that truly would be inspired songwriting. But my first impression was that this is an ode to unconditional love. It reads, to me, like a call and response. The first two lines are Nick's acknowledgement of his family's love and acceptance, and the second two are his response to them.

In the first two lines, Nick's loved ones are saying, "Know that [we] love you, know [we] don't care (about your introversion, your quirky nature, your odd behavior - you are ours and we love you unconditionally)."

The second two lines are Nick's reply to them: "Know that I see you (I know how you feel about me and I appreciate it), know I'm not there (...but it's too late, there's nothing here for me anymore)."

If you wanted to, you could extrapolate this out to include us, Nick's growing fanbase. We love him, and we don't care about detractors (haters gonna hate!). His reply to us could well be, "I had to go, but I tried to leave something beautiful behind for you. Thanks for getting it."

Cover art for Know lyrics by Nick Drake

The lyrics seemed a bit strange to me in their grammar, but I've worked out two possible ways that they make more sense.

  1. They're from two different perspectives. Lines 1 and 3 are from the person in love, and 2 and 4 are from the object of their love.

  2. Some of the "knows" are actually "no's". If it's this one, then that's some inspired songwriting.

But a great song regardless.

I never thought of this song as being about unrequited love, but now i agree with what you say. I always thought it was kind of a bipolar disorder. Telling someone you love her, next day telling her you hate her. Unrequited love sounds more logical to me.

Cover art for Know lyrics by Nick Drake

Wow this song is so simple yet true to somone you love but you are nowere near them and even if you love them it makes no differnce yet you jsut want them to know

Cover art for Know lyrics by Nick Drake

This song is wonderful, it gives me the chills every time I hear it.

Cover art for Know lyrics by Nick Drake

Wow this song is so simple yet true to somone you love but you are nowere near them and even if you love them it makes no differnce yet you jsut want them to know

Cover art for Know lyrics by Nick Drake

I think he's just telling his love what he wants him/her to know.

Although I don't think of Drake as a lover. Perhaps this could also be a religious song - it could easily apply to God looking down at his people.

Cover art for Know lyrics by Nick Drake

I personally like solarion's interpretation, that it's about an unrequited infatuation... It seems to fit in more with Nick Drake's overall mood, especially on Pink Moon.

Cover art for Know lyrics by Nick Drake

This is a love song. But it's not needy, emotional or puppy dog.

Love that's mature and adult. Love that holds up for better or worse, doesn't matter. Love that doesn't need praise from another. Love that isn't needy. Love that stays true no matter what.

Cover art for Know lyrics by Nick Drake

I think this song is about God. "You know that I love you/You know I don't care." God loves us, but for all practical intents and purposes, God doesn't care. "You know that I see you/You know I'm not there." God sees right into our souls, sees us completely, yet to all human concerns, you may as well say that god doesn't exist. He is invisible and silent and uncaring. I think even the spareness of the music reflects this sense of aloneness in a deafeningly silent universe.

My Interpretation
 
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