Poor Boy

Album: Bryter Layter (1970)
Play Video
  • Never sing for my supper
    I never help my neighbor
    Never do what is proper
    For my fair share of labor.

    I'm a poor boy
    And I'm a rover
    Count your coins and
    Throw them over my shoulder
    I may grow older
    Nobody knows
    How cold it grows
    And nobody sees
    How shaky my knees
    Nobody cares
    How steep my stairs
    And nobody smiles
    If I cross their stiles.

    Oh poor boy
    So sorry for himself
    Oh poor boy
    So worried for his health.
    You may say every day
    Where will he stay tonight.

    Never know what I came for
    Seems that I've forgotten
    Never ask what I came for
    Or how I was begotten.

    I'm a poor boy
    And I'm a ranger
    Things I say
    May seem stranger than Sunday
    Changing to Monday.
    Nobody knows
    How cold it flows
    And nobody feels
    The worn down heels
    Nobody's eyes
    Make the skies
    Nobody spreads
    Their aching heads.

    Oh poor boy
    So worried for his life
    Oh poor boy
    So keen to take a wife.

    He's a mess but he'll say yes
    If you just dress in white.

    Nobody knows
    How cold it blows
    And nobody sees
    How shaky my knees
    Nobody cares
    How steep my stairs
    And nobody smiles
    If you cross their stiles.

    Oh poor boy
    So sorry for himself
    Oh poor boy
    So worried for his health.
    You may say every day
    Where will he stay tonight.

    Oh poor boy
    So worried for his life
    Oh poor boy
    So keen to take a wife.

    Oh poor boy
    So sorry for himself
    Oh poor boy
    So worried for his health
    Oh poor boy. Writer/s: Nick Drake
    Publisher: Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 1

  • Andy from Lake City, Flnick finally reveals a sense of humor here directed at himself. coming from a wealthy family surrounded by ambitious, successful people, expectations were high for nick. the money and priveledge do not make him happy or enhance his work. nick admits the "tortured artist" label sounds absurd yet it fits him. being so entirely focused on music limits his social connections and excuses his drug use. nick invites our sympathy yet resents it as well.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

00s Music Quiz 1

00s Music Quiz 1Music Quiz

Do you know the girl singer on Eminem's "Stan"? If so, this quiz is for you.

Lip-Synch Rebels

Lip-Synch RebelsSong Writing

What happens when Kurt Cobain, Iron Maiden and Johnny Lydon are told to lip-synch? Some hilarious "performances."

Songs About Movies

Songs About MoviesSong Writing

Iron Maiden, Adele, Toto, Eminem and Earth, Wind & Fire are just some of the artists with songs directly inspired by movies - and not always good ones.

Best Band Logos

Best Band LogosSong Writing

Queen, Phish and The Stones are among our picks for the best band logos. Here are their histories and a design analysis from an expert.

Todd Rundgren

Todd RundgrenSongwriter Interviews

Todd Rundgren explains why he avoids "Hello It's Me," and what it was like producing Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell album.

Max Cavalera of Soulfly (ex-Sepultura)

Max Cavalera of Soulfly (ex-Sepultura)Songwriter Interviews

The Brazilian rocker sees pictures in his riffs. When he came up with one of his gnarliest songs, there was a riot going on.