The Nick Drake appreciation society continues to be fed snippets from the back catalogue of this much-mourned singer-songwriter. The album Made To Love Magic included, among other gems, a solo acoustic version of River Man.
Here we have the version from the 1969 album, Five Leaves Left. The voice is the same - haunting, breathy, very beautiful - and the low-key orchestration arranged by Harry Robinson is subtle and exquisite.
If you're young enough to have just come across Nick Drake you will need this version in your collection. And I know everyone keeps on saying it, but listening to it again - so melodic, so wistful - really does make you realise what a tragedy it was that we lost him so young.
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