Nick Drake, an English folk singer, was contemporary with The Beatles and Donovan, but not known by many people. In 1948, he was born in Yangon, Myanmar. In 1974, he died at home because of taking too many antidepressants. He only released three records before his death.

Some music critics say that Nick Drake is a man who sings on the moon, and his voice always floats in the air. Others say that his songs are like water mist, gloomy, damp and lingering. Drake's folk songs are low-key, which comes from a heart that doesn't know how to open

. Before his first album, he often wrote songs all night, then recorded them with an old-fashioned tape recorder, and erased them if he was slightly dissatisfied. Mother Molly Drake recalled: "He always suffers from insomnia, and the best songs are often written in the early hours of the morning ... ……Nick is a perfectionist."

Drake's early works were influenced by John Renbourn, Bert Jansch, Davey Graham, Joni Mitchell and others, focusing on melody and guitar arrangement. He has a set of his own playing methods, and many songs adopt open tuning, which has become the content that fans are keen to discuss, because he left no score and kept everything in his mind. Drake likes the works of William Blake, an English poet, and is also inspired when he writes words. He pays attention to rhythm, uses simple words, but has obscure meanings, pointing to his complex inner world. Those images are mostly related to nature: the sun, the sky, the ocean, birds, sand, trees ... The change of seasons and the alternation of colors all leave traces on this heart.

maybe that's why Drake was attracted by producer Joe Boyd. At that time, Boyd was already an important figure in British music, and made albums for Fairport Convention, The Incredible String Band and Pink Floyd. Boyd listened to Drake's tape and immediately decided to sign a contract with the 2-year-old. A year later (1969), Nick Drake's debut album Five Leaves Left was released.

"Five leaves left" is a phrase often written on the wrapping paper of cigarettes, which is intended to alert people to buy new ones when there are only five cigarettes left in a pack. Drake took it as the title of the album, all by instinct; Now people often understand it as a prophecy and think it implies Drake's short life. The music critics praised the record, but its sales were not good. Drake didn't expect the album to be cold-shouldered and gradually became depressed. He began to be unable to participate in the live performance, which made it difficult for him to face the audience.

However, he didn't give up his efforts. In 197, he collaborated with members of the Fairport Convention to record the second album Bryter Layter. Thanks to the help of Richard Thompson, John Cale and others, the orchestration of the songs is exquisite and full, and some works also incorporate Jazz elements. Even from the current perspective, this album is excellent. However, sales disappointed Nick Drake again, and he gradually lost confidence in music and life.

in p>1972, just when people thought that Drake's music career was completely over, he walked into the recording studio again. And with only one guitar, Drake is like a desperate gambler, on the verge of collapse. Two days later, Pink Moon was recorded, and 11 uncut songs made up his third album. Drake no longer seeks approval. He sings: "Know that I love you/know I don't care/know that I see you/know I'm not there."-This song is called "Know", and there are only four sentences and one chord.

in p>1974, Drake recorded the last four songs, which were included in the album "Time of No Reply" published after the author's death, together with some of his early songs recorded on tape. Like the romantic poet who died early in the 19th century, Drake's works were valued by later generations. However, for sensitive souls, it was all too late, just like a joke of life.

Nick Drake is lonely. You can't even imagine him sitting opposite you singing with his guitar, because loneliness can't be shared. If folk songs are a direct and natural expression, Drake's "expression" is inward, which is closer to the soliloquy in an empty room. Only because he didn't give up seeking approval, he was disappointed again and again-even though this disappointment was a vague premonition, so he sang: Fame is a sick fruit tree, and it can't wait for a prosperous tree all his life.