This song is truly beautiful and poetic. Some may say the composition and lyrics of this song are, perhaps, somber or melancholy (not that they are criticizing the song). Others may express a feeling of peacefulness and calm when hearing the words and music. I don’t believe there is a right or wrong answer especially when it is of personal interpretation and feeling. That is what makes this song wonderful. It is mysterious and dense with meaning. It is true poetry for the reason that so many will talk, debate, or express their opinions about it because it strikes a chord within us and we have a connectedness to the lyrics and the music. I’ve read that some believe this was an Omen before his death. Perhaps it was.
For me, the lyrics express an awareness of nature and its beauty and essence. He honors the gift of perception. The lyrics reflect an essence of enlightenment and a quest to reach that essence. In Yoga tradition there is something called the blue pearl. During times of true enlightened stillness and meditation one is experiencing a union with God. When reaching this it has been described as a blue light emanating or resonating from the skull. This is how one author (Gilbert) describes it.
If Nick is the speaker and I am assuming he is, was he looking for a way to find God? “Don't you have a word to show what may be done/Have you never heard a way to find the sun” (Drake 1-2). The Sun is an indexical symbol for light, God, Enlightenment. Nature itself can be seen as an expression of God. Was Nick looking for a path, a prayer, or instruction? Did he have a premonition of death in which he was searching for non-resistance and acceptance? Was he struggling with life and its meaning? Was he struggling with his faith? Some say Nick Drake was not religious. This should not be interpreted as he was not spiritual. Religion just means bound to a Creed or dogma. That is why so many religious people are stuck in the level of thought and belief. I feel Nick had transcended religion and all its ossified structures. I believe he became spiritual but of course like so many of us were looking for higher enlightenment. I hope Nick came to the realization that we already have that enlightenment in us and that we don’t have to look anywhere accept inside ourselves. Nature can bring us back home and realize this.
In lines seven through twelve, it appears he is praying or perhaps requesting instructions to find answers; to know the unknowable. Perhaps he is praying to the Transcendent to explain the unexplainable, one being life after death. Language is so inadequate to do this. How do you explain what is ineffable.
Regardless, the song is beautiful and haunting at the same time.
I like all of your assessments and they were helpful in understanding the song on a deeper level. After some thought and reflection, I think there is a bit more to this song than has been mentioned.
First, I agree that Nick is suggesting there is some elusive transcendence to be found in the nature. But the catch in this song, is that - as someone else pointed out - the song is a conversation, or more accurately, a REQUEST for a conversation about heaven and nature.
In this Nick is implying that heaven is to be found in human...
I like all of your assessments and they were helpful in understanding the song on a deeper level. After some thought and reflection, I think there is a bit more to this song than has been mentioned.
First, I agree that Nick is suggesting there is some elusive transcendence to be found in the nature. But the catch in this song, is that - as someone else pointed out - the song is a conversation, or more accurately, a REQUEST for a conversation about heaven and nature.
In this Nick is implying that heaven is to be found in human connections sharing their deepest thoughts on spirituality. Its not enough to reflect on nature, but to share these reflections with others. Ironically, the content of the conversations are doomed to fall short of explaining heaven or nature, but the connections themselves - along with the connections to the natural world - actually show the way, or perhaps a glimpse, of 'blue'.
I also think that blue simeltaneously represents depression - or more precisely longing - and heaven. He's uniting the binary of sadness and joy and trying to express something more integrated and complex.
I like all of your assessments and they were helpful in understanding the song on a deeper level. After some thought and reflection, I think there is a bit more to this song than has been mentioned.
First, I agree that Nick is suggesting there is some elusive transcendence to be found in the nature. But the catch in this song, is that - as someone else pointed out - the song is a conversation, or more accurately, a REQUEST for a conversation about heaven and nature.
In this Nick is implying that heaven is to be found in human...
I like all of your assessments and they were helpful in understanding the song on a deeper level. After some thought and reflection, I think there is a bit more to this song than has been mentioned.
First, I agree that Nick is suggesting there is some elusive transcendence to be found in the nature. But the catch in this song, is that - as someone else pointed out - the song is a conversation, or more accurately, a REQUEST for a conversation about heaven and nature.
In this Nick is implying that heaven is to be found in human connections sharing their deepest thoughts on spirituality. Its not enough to reflect on nature, but to share these reflections with others. Ironically, the content of the conversations are doomed to fall short of explaining heaven or nature, but the connections themselves - along with the connections to the natural world - actually show the way, or perhaps a glimpse, of 'blue'.
I also think that blue simeltaneously represents depression - or more precisely longing - and heaven. He's uniting the binary of sadness and joy and trying to express something more integrated and complex.
I just realized another ingenious element to the lyric 'way to blue'. If 'blue' represents both joy and longing, then 'way to blue' signifies that they are longing(way) for longing/joy (to blue). But the paradox is once you reach it (blue or longing/joy) you are no longer longing for it and the feeling vanishes.
I just realized another ingenious element to the lyric 'way to blue'. If 'blue' represents both joy and longing, then 'way to blue' signifies that they are longing(way) for longing/joy (to blue). But the paradox is once you reach it (blue or longing/joy) you are no longer longing for it and the feeling vanishes.
This song is truly beautiful and poetic. Some may say the composition and lyrics of this song are, perhaps, somber or melancholy (not that they are criticizing the song). Others may express a feeling of peacefulness and calm when hearing the words and music. I don’t believe there is a right or wrong answer especially when it is of personal interpretation and feeling. That is what makes this song wonderful. It is mysterious and dense with meaning. It is true poetry for the reason that so many will talk, debate, or express their opinions about it because it strikes a chord within us and we have a connectedness to the lyrics and the music. I’ve read that some believe this was an Omen before his death. Perhaps it was.
For me, the lyrics express an awareness of nature and its beauty and essence. He honors the gift of perception. The lyrics reflect an essence of enlightenment and a quest to reach that essence. In Yoga tradition there is something called the blue pearl. During times of true enlightened stillness and meditation one is experiencing a union with God. When reaching this it has been described as a blue light emanating or resonating from the skull. This is how one author (Gilbert) describes it.
If Nick is the speaker and I am assuming he is, was he looking for a way to find God? “Don't you have a word to show what may be done/Have you never heard a way to find the sun” (Drake 1-2). The Sun is an indexical symbol for light, God, Enlightenment. Nature itself can be seen as an expression of God. Was Nick looking for a path, a prayer, or instruction? Did he have a premonition of death in which he was searching for non-resistance and acceptance? Was he struggling with life and its meaning? Was he struggling with his faith? Some say Nick Drake was not religious. This should not be interpreted as he was not spiritual. Religion just means bound to a Creed or dogma. That is why so many religious people are stuck in the level of thought and belief. I feel Nick had transcended religion and all its ossified structures. I believe he became spiritual but of course like so many of us were looking for higher enlightenment. I hope Nick came to the realization that we already have that enlightenment in us and that we don’t have to look anywhere accept inside ourselves. Nature can bring us back home and realize this.
In lines seven through twelve, it appears he is praying or perhaps requesting instructions to find answers; to know the unknowable. Perhaps he is praying to the Transcendent to explain the unexplainable, one being life after death. Language is so inadequate to do this. How do you explain what is ineffable.
Regardless, the song is beautiful and haunting at the same time.
I like all of your assessments and they were helpful in understanding the song on a deeper level. After some thought and reflection, I think there is a bit more to this song than has been mentioned. First, I agree that Nick is suggesting there is some elusive transcendence to be found in the nature. But the catch in this song, is that - as someone else pointed out - the song is a conversation, or more accurately, a REQUEST for a conversation about heaven and nature. In this Nick is implying that heaven is to be found in human...
I like all of your assessments and they were helpful in understanding the song on a deeper level. After some thought and reflection, I think there is a bit more to this song than has been mentioned. First, I agree that Nick is suggesting there is some elusive transcendence to be found in the nature. But the catch in this song, is that - as someone else pointed out - the song is a conversation, or more accurately, a REQUEST for a conversation about heaven and nature.
In this Nick is implying that heaven is to be found in human connections sharing their deepest thoughts on spirituality. Its not enough to reflect on nature, but to share these reflections with others. Ironically, the content of the conversations are doomed to fall short of explaining heaven or nature, but the connections themselves - along with the connections to the natural world - actually show the way, or perhaps a glimpse, of 'blue'. I also think that blue simeltaneously represents depression - or more precisely longing - and heaven. He's uniting the binary of sadness and joy and trying to express something more integrated and complex.
I like all of your assessments and they were helpful in understanding the song on a deeper level. After some thought and reflection, I think there is a bit more to this song than has been mentioned. First, I agree that Nick is suggesting there is some elusive transcendence to be found in the nature. But the catch in this song, is that - as someone else pointed out - the song is a conversation, or more accurately, a REQUEST for a conversation about heaven and nature. In this Nick is implying that heaven is to be found in human...
I like all of your assessments and they were helpful in understanding the song on a deeper level. After some thought and reflection, I think there is a bit more to this song than has been mentioned. First, I agree that Nick is suggesting there is some elusive transcendence to be found in the nature. But the catch in this song, is that - as someone else pointed out - the song is a conversation, or more accurately, a REQUEST for a conversation about heaven and nature.
In this Nick is implying that heaven is to be found in human connections sharing their deepest thoughts on spirituality. Its not enough to reflect on nature, but to share these reflections with others. Ironically, the content of the conversations are doomed to fall short of explaining heaven or nature, but the connections themselves - along with the connections to the natural world - actually show the way, or perhaps a glimpse, of 'blue'. I also think that blue simeltaneously represents depression - or more precisely longing - and heaven. He's uniting the binary of sadness and joy and trying to express something more integrated and complex.
I just realized another ingenious element to the lyric 'way to blue'. If 'blue' represents both joy and longing, then 'way to blue' signifies that they are longing(way) for longing/joy (to blue). But the paradox is once you reach it (blue or longing/joy) you are no longer longing for it and the feeling vanishes.
I just realized another ingenious element to the lyric 'way to blue'. If 'blue' represents both joy and longing, then 'way to blue' signifies that they are longing(way) for longing/joy (to blue). But the paradox is once you reach it (blue or longing/joy) you are no longer longing for it and the feeling vanishes.