At the Chime of a City Clock

A city freeze get on your knees
Pray for warmth and green paper.
A city drought you're down and out
See your trousers don't taper.
Saddle up kick your feet
Ride the range of a London street
Travel to a local plane
Turn around and come back again.

And at the chime of the city clock
Put up your road block
Hang on to your crown.
For a stone in a tin can
Is wealth to the city man
Who leaves his armour down.

Stay indoors beneath the floors
Talk with neighbours only.
The games you play make people say
You're either weird or lonely.
A city star won't shine too far
On account of the way you are
And the beads around your face
Make you sure to fit back in place.

And at the beat of the city drum
See how your friends come in twos,
Or threes or more.
For the sound of a busy place
Is fine for a pretty face
Who knows what a face is for.

The city clown will soon fall down
Without a face to hide in.
And he will lose if he won't choose
The one he may confide in.
Sonny boy with smokes for sale
Went to ground with a face so pale
And never heard about the change
Showed his hand and fell out of range.

In the light of a city square
Find out the face that's fair
Keep it by your side.
When the light of the city falls
You fly to the city walls
Take off with your bride.

But at the chime of a city clock
Put up your road block
Hang on to your crown.
For a stone in a tin can
Is wealth to the city man
Who leaves his armour
Down.


[credits]
Bass: Dave Pegg
Alto sax: Ray Warleigh
Drums: Mike Kowalski
All tracks by Nick Drake
All brass and string arrangements by Robert Kirby
Engieer: Joe Wood
Produced by Joe Boyd for
Witchseason Productions Ltd.