Listen to a Stripped-Down Version of Nick Drake’s ‘Hazey Jane 1,’ With Only Guitar and Vocals

A member of the the Nick Drake Appreciation Society (yes, there is such a group and you can join it on Facebook) emailed us awhile back with a link to the above video, a version of the song “Hazey Jane 1” from Nick Drake’s 1971 album Bryter Layter, minus everything but guitar and vocals.

Without the string and woodwind arrangements, Drake’s complex fingerpicking and delicate vocals are heightened. We can’t stop listening to it.

The British singer-songwriter died on November 25, 1974 at age 26 from an overdose of antidepressants — his music largely undiscovered for 25 years until Volkswagen included his song “Pink Moon” in a TV ad.

Read more about how Drake’s melancholy and mystique continue to inspire guitarists in this feature from the December 2014 issue. –Whitney Phaneuf