On February 25, 1972, Nick Drake released his third and final studio album, entitled “Pink Moon.” Drake’s previous two albums released to very little critical and public acclaim during his career, and unfortunately “Pink Moon” was no different.
Drake did not heavily promote his music, and also had a reluctance to perform live due to his long battle with anxiety and depression. However, years after his untimely death in 1974, his discography was re-evaluated by audiences and critics alike, and his works are now regarded with overwhelming praise and acclaim. Drake is even considered one of the greatest English folk artists of all time.
Even though I have my personal favorites from Drake, “Pink Moon” is objectively his best work. I would even regard it as a masterpiece, and an extremely phenomenal piece of art in the form of music.
The first song off the album and the title track, “Pink Moon,” is a haunting introduction to this masterpiece of an album. Drake recorded the whole album in two nights with only his voice and guitar along with a piano melody present in the title track. This song encapsulates the album as a whole from the very beginning. It consists of a simple, yet effective piano backing, and Drake’s gentle strums and voice, with the vocals reaching even a whisper at some points.
The song is extremely melancholic and deals with the struggles of depression that no one can escape, which offers some insight into Drake as he struggled through a deep seated battle with anxiety and depression. “Pink Moon” is a beautiful representation of melancholia.
Another song off this album, and in my opinion one of the most beautiful songs ever written, is the second track, “Place To Be.” If the first track was melancholic, then this one is completely devastating. It is such an intimate look at Drake’s inner struggles as it discusses loss of innocence depression, “And I was green, greener than the hill / Where flowers grew and the sun shone still / Now I’m darker than the deepest sea”
The way Drake addresses the loss of innocence and depression within his life is overwhelmingly heart breaking. The melody and Drake’s voice is particularly touching in this song, and Drake uses beautifully haunting imagery to give the work so much more weight. This song is such an intimate look into the mind and struggles of Nick Drake, but is brief and does not let on too much, which echoes his reclusive nature in life.
The final song on the album, “From The Morning,” is a more hopeful one than the first two tracks of the album. It has a more upbeat melody and Drake’s vocals seem content and relaxed. This song urges one to do something they love, and use what life has taught them to simply have fun and enjoy their life. This is especially present in the set of lyrics, “So look, see the sights / The endless summer nights / And go play the game that you learnt / From the mornin’”
This is all around a beautiful and hopeful song, conveying its message through gorgeous and optimistic imagery. I also like that it is the last song on the album as it sends the listener off on a lovely, encouraging note.
While tragically snubbed in its time, “Pink Moon” has recently risen in acclaim and recognition. In my opinion, it is absolutely a form of art, and one of the best at that. The raw emotion and intimacy of the album gives it a unique listening experience that is extremely hard. to find in contemporary works and even music as a whole.
Nick Drake crafted a masterpiece when he created “Pink Moon,” and hopefully his work will be recognized and adored for generations to come.