Biography:
Nick Drake (Nicholas Rodney Drake, Rangoon, Burma, June 19, 1948 - Tanworth-in-Arden, England, November 25, 1974) was an English folk singer known for his gentle, enigmatic songs and his virtuosic right-hand finger picking technique.
Although he recorded only three albums, critics and fellow musicians hold his work in very high esteem. Drake failed to find a wide audience during his lifetime and had a strong aversion to performing. Since his death, however, Drake's music has gained a significant cult following.
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Other songs:
- Day Is Done
- Northern Sky
- Parasite
- Place To Be
- Ride
- River Man
- Road
- Time Has Told Me
- Way To Blue
- All My Trials
- At The Chime Of A City Clock
- Been Smokin Too Long
- Black Mountain Blues
- Blues Run The Game
- Cello Song
- Clothes Of Sand
- Fly
- From The Morning
- Hazey Jane I
- Hazey Jane Ii
- Hazy Jane 2
- I Was Made To Love Magic
- Joey
- Man In A Shed
- One Of These Things First
- Pink Moon
- Poor Boy
- Saturday Sun
- Strange Meeting Ii
- Things Behind The Sun
- Time Of No Reply
- Tunings
- Which Will
Four years of hard work!This month of May we celebrated four years on the air. We continue working on the dissemination of this wonderful instrument, thank you for participating in our story!
One of These Things First (Bryter Layter)
Standard Tuning (EADGBe)
Chords Used:
E - 022100
F#m7/E - 04222x or 044220
G#m/E - 06644x or 066440
E/D - xx0454 or xx0450
A - x02220
G - 320003
F#m - 244222
Notes:
In the recording off of Bryter Layter it sounds like Nick is using an open tuning of some sort.
I prefer to stay in standard tuning when I play so here's how I have written out the chords.
Note that the E/D chord is a quick passing chord and may be omitted if difficult to play at the recorded
speed. Chords my not be exactly in line with lyrics since Mr. Drake tends to play and sing in more complex
rhythms.
I added a couple alternative chord fingerings on three of the chords that work musically and might be
easier to move around.
[Intro]
E F#m7/E G#m/E E/D F#m7/E (x4)
[Verse 1]
E
F#m7/E G#m/E
I could have been a sailor
F#m7/E E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
Could have been a cook
E
F#m7/E G#m/E
A real live lover
F#m7/E E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
Could have been a book
A
I could have been a signpost
G
Could have been a clock
E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
As simple as a kettle
E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
Steady as a rock
G F#m
I could be
E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
Here and now
G F#m
I would be, I should be
E F#m7/E G#m/E
But how?
[Chorus]
A F#m
I could have been
E F#m7/E G#m/E
One of these things first
A F#m
I could have been
E F#m7/E G#m/E E/D F#m7/E
One of these things first
E F#m7/E G#m/E E/D F#m7/E
[Verse 2]
E
F#m7/E G#m/E
I could have been your pillar
F#m7/E E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
Could have been your door
E
F#m7/E G#m/E
I could have stayed beside you
F#m7/E E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
Could have stayed for more
A
I could have been your statue
G
Could have been your friend
E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
A whole long lifetime
E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
Could have been the end
G F#m
I could be
E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
Yours so true
G
I would be
F#m
I should be
E F#m7/E G#m/E
Through and through
[Chorus]
A F#m
I could have been
E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
One of these things first
A F#m
I could have been
E F#m7/E G#m/E E/D F#m7/E
One of these things first
[Instrumental]
E F#m7/E G#m/E E/D F#m7/E
G
F#m
E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
G
F#m
E F#m7/E G#m/E
A
F#m
E F#m7/E G#m/E E/D F#m7/E
E F#m7/E G#m/E E/D F#m7/E
[Verse 3]
E
F#m7/E G#m/E
I could have been a whistle
F#m7/E E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
Could have been a flute
E
F#m7/E G#m/E
A real live giver
F#m7/E E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
Could have been a boot
A
I could have been a signpost
G
Could have been a clock
E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
As simple as a kettle
E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
Steady as a rock
[Chorus 2]
G F#m
I could be
E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
Even here
G F#m
I would be, I should be
E F#m7/E G#m/E
So near
A F#m
I could have been
E F#m7/E G#m/E
One of these things first
A F#m
I could have been
E F#m7/E G#m/E
One of these things first
[Outro]
A
F#m
E F#m7/E G#m/E E/D F#m7/E
E
Standard Tuning (EADGBe)
Chords Used:
E - 022100
F#m7/E - 04222x or 044220
G#m/E - 06644x or 066440
E/D - xx0454 or xx0450
A - x02220
G - 320003
F#m - 244222
Notes:
In the recording off of Bryter Layter it sounds like Nick is using an open tuning of some sort.
I prefer to stay in standard tuning when I play so here's how I have written out the chords.
Note that the E/D chord is a quick passing chord and may be omitted if difficult to play at the recorded
speed. Chords my not be exactly in line with lyrics since Mr. Drake tends to play and sing in more complex
rhythms.
I added a couple alternative chord fingerings on three of the chords that work musically and might be
easier to move around.
[Intro]
E F#m7/E G#m/E E/D F#m7/E (x4)
[Verse 1]
E
F#m7/E G#m/E
I could have been a sailor
F#m7/E E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
Could have been a cook
E
F#m7/E G#m/E
A real live lover
F#m7/E E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
Could have been a book
A
I could have been a signpost
G
Could have been a clock
E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
As simple as a kettle
E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
Steady as a rock
G F#m
I could be
E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
Here and now
G F#m
I would be, I should be
E F#m7/E G#m/E
But how?
[Chorus]
A F#m
I could have been
E F#m7/E G#m/E
One of these things first
A F#m
I could have been
E F#m7/E G#m/E E/D F#m7/E
One of these things first
E F#m7/E G#m/E E/D F#m7/E
[Verse 2]
E
F#m7/E G#m/E
I could have been your pillar
F#m7/E E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
Could have been your door
E
F#m7/E G#m/E
I could have stayed beside you
F#m7/E E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
Could have stayed for more
A
I could have been your statue
G
Could have been your friend
E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
A whole long lifetime
E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
Could have been the end
G F#m
I could be
E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
Yours so true
G
I would be
F#m
I should be
E F#m7/E G#m/E
Through and through
[Chorus]
A F#m
I could have been
E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
One of these things first
A F#m
I could have been
E F#m7/E G#m/E E/D F#m7/E
One of these things first
[Instrumental]
E F#m7/E G#m/E E/D F#m7/E
G
F#m
E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
G
F#m
E F#m7/E G#m/E
A
F#m
E F#m7/E G#m/E E/D F#m7/E
E F#m7/E G#m/E E/D F#m7/E
[Verse 3]
E
F#m7/E G#m/E
I could have been a whistle
F#m7/E E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
Could have been a flute
E
F#m7/E G#m/E
A real live giver
F#m7/E E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
Could have been a boot
A
I could have been a signpost
G
Could have been a clock
E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
As simple as a kettle
E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
Steady as a rock
[Chorus 2]
G F#m
I could be
E F#m7/E G#m/E F#m7/E
Even here
G F#m
I would be, I should be
E F#m7/E G#m/E
So near
A F#m
I could have been
E F#m7/E G#m/E
One of these things first
A F#m
I could have been
E F#m7/E G#m/E
One of these things first
[Outro]
A
F#m
E F#m7/E G#m/E E/D F#m7/E
E
Nick Lowe
Nick Santino
Nick Smolenski
Nick Wilson
Nickasaur