July 02, 2005
Your New Favorite Song.
Soundtrack for an Imaginary Wes Anderson Film, Track #5.
Nowadays you can't listen to Nick Drake without thinking of his impending suicide at 26; this is a mistake, as it seems to inadvertently cast a doomy shadow over everything he sang.
This music download is cheating somewhat; after all, Drake's "Fly" already shows up on The Royal Tenenbaums soundtrack. But this is probably my favorite song of his, from his 1970 album Bryter Later, and it wouldn't be out of place in an Anderson film. (Surprised it hasn't been prominently used in a movie, actually.)
It's one of those jauntily melancholic tunes that qualify for Sad Happy Songs ("Here Comes The Sun," "Wouldn't It Be Nice"). I've always liked that florid piano counterpoint, and the slightly surreal lyrics -- "could've been a signpost, could've been a clock" -- that vaguely reminds one somewhat of high school poetry. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Hear it (6.71 mb, .m4a).