In and out in just over two minutes, “Pink Moon” is the go-to track for proselytizers of the Church of Drake. Spare, acoustic strumming and that breathy, beaming tenor color the original’s distinct melody, one that’s shaped the work of indie-tunesmith Damien Jurado. In a nod to his influence, Damien supplied Spin with a reverent rendition of the classic. Grab it here.
Beck payed homage a while back, too, adding some brushed snare work, subtle phase shifts, and the occasional piano tinkle in updating ? but still falling short of ? Drake’s naked charm:
That dude used the craziest guitar tunings.
UPDATE: The more covers of “Pink Moon” we hear, the more we note artists’ deference to the original’s feel. (And then there’s Sebadoh!) Thanks to those sending these in. Keep ‘em coming.
 |
 |
Cool covers…it’s Damien Jurado, though, not Damien Jurardo. just in case people are (as they should be) looking for more of his stuff.
thanks for the catch!
i know this is gay, but its “proselytizers”
I once tuned my guitar for “Pink Moon” and it sounded great, and was really easy.
D A D G D F#
But you might break a few strings. Anyone got a ‘fake’ tab for us lazy strummers?
I bet you guys still read Guitar World…
I just buy Guitar World for the pictures.
Then, of course, there’s the Sebadoh version. Which actually did something different with the song.
Hey Scott, I think Beck tuned down his guitar to a DROP C tuning for this Nick Drake cover, giving it a slightly heavier edge, which I like a lot. I love DROP C tunings, especially on acoustics. Plus, down-tuning is less risky than up-tuning, as you probably know from experience.
here’s another cover, piano this time
http://www.sendspace.com/file/95l6g3
tom barman – pink moon
Sebadoh destroyed his song. Such a beautiful song was never meant to be performed like that. PINK PINK PINK PINK… PINK MOON!
I love you Stereogum.
Walt Mink did a horrible punky version of it a while back.
okay, I need to hear this sebadoh cover. someone please send! if anyone has any other “pink moon” covers, feel free to pass ‘em along.
Note this version is marred with Beck.com sound effects.
The Sebadoh version is great!
beck did an awesome version of parasite a while back too. I managed to record it while it was streaming from his website before he took it off (dunno if it was ever released).
beck – parasite: http://www.sendspace.com/file/v4jjtg
The thing about this recording is that, in the same way the beck.com sound effects interfere with his pink moon cover, they sound awesome alongside this song.
here’s the sebadoh version:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/95ep3i
sebadoh – pink moon
i usually like sebadoh and folk implosion etc. but i’m going to go with: this cover sucks…
Is it me, or if it had not been for the VW commercial with “Pink Moon” nobody would have heard of Nick Drake.
and he is covering Morphine’s Buena on the new album but calls it Nausea what’s up with that?
Drake recorded the Pink Moon album in two 2-hour late night sessions without his label’s knowledge. [I can't recall, but I think the janitor let him in?] I imagine he spent half that time just re-tuning.
Skim his bio sometime if you’re ever at a library or B&N, there are some great chapters.
Where’s the Walt Mink version?
That one kicked total ass…
I’m pretty sure that song made me buy a Cabrio. (Well, I wanted a cheap European convertible and it was pretty much the only one at the time, but I still think Nick Drake gets the credit.)
Leave it to Sebadoh to take a perfect folk-pop song and make it cooler. One more reason (besides Dino Jr.) why Sebadoh rulz.
He’s pretty clearly strumming with a pick on this song, not fingerpicking.
Sorry to be nerdy, but this is a music blog.
Oh god. As if there weren’t enough reasons to hate Sebadoh, here they go and give us the uneccessary reason #456.