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BSTL... I wrote "Been Smoking Too Long" in Autumn, 1966 when I was living in Aix-en-Provence, France. The guitar/vocal demo (see link above) was recorded in early 1967 at a friend's flat. At that time, I was playing around Aix and Marseilles in various clubs. One evening, after a performance in Aix, a couple of young Englishmen introduced themselves. One of them was Nick Drake. We spent a few evenings playing songs for each other and one night Nick asked for the lyrics to "Been Smoking To Long" which I wrote out for him. It's an easy, bluesy song that seemed to capture the feel of the times. Nick picked up music very quickly; he never asked me for the chords. His guitar arrangement is sophisticated and smooth. Years later, when I heard his home demo on the TIME OF NO REPLY album, I realized he had changed a line - 'Got the marijuana blues' became 'Got no other life to choose' - a fatalistic turn of phrase that strikes me as very like him. He recorded the song a couple of times, first on the "Aix Tape" and then on the home demo which was included on TIME OF NO REPLY. It was a good party song and no one - including me - paid any attention to what the lyrics were really saying. I've written more about Aix and my friendship with Nick in the article Nick Drake: A Place To Be. Been Smoking Too Long
I go to fix me some breakfast But I ain't got no food Go to take me a shower But the water don't feel no good Tell me, tell me, what have I done wrong Ain't nothin' goin' right for me Must be I been smoking too long. Got opium in my chimney Got the marijuana blues Got a nightmare made of hash dreams Got the devil in my shoes Tell me, tell me, what have I done wrong Ain't nothin' goin' right for me Must be I been smoking too long. Now when I get to smokin' I put my worries on a shelf Don't think about nothin' Try not to see myself Tell me, tell me, what have I done wrong Ain't nothin' goin' right for me Must be I been smoking too long. Now in these blues I'm singing There's a lesson to be learned Don't go round smokin' 'Less you want to get burned Tell me, tell me, what have I done wrong Ain't nothin' goin' right for me Must be I been smoking... Ain't nothin' goin' right for me Must be I been smoking... Ain't nothin' goin' right for me Must be I been smoking too long. © 1966 Robin Frederick. All rights reserved. Used by permission. More versions of Been Smoking Too Long... Graham Coxon: Been Smoking Too Long on video. Straight from the heart. Placebo bootleg version: Been Smoking Too Long. (mp3 stream) Stoned. Hederos & Helberg's version is available at iTunes Outstanding! Mudflow - Check out this great Chicago blues-style version from Swedish band Mudflow at MySpace. High energy and plenty of punch! Dale Miller & Alison Faith Levy - Audio & album available at CDbaby.com The real deal. Dale Miller is a superb guitarist and Levy's vocals are right on target. A chill version of Been Smoking Too Long by Miguel Varela (mp3 stream) Very nice! C. Ashleigh Caldwell - Audio & album available at CDbaby.com. Bluesy and haunting. Sixtysix A new French band. Scroll down click "Been Smoking To Long" link on the left. YouTube Several video versions of "Been Smoking Too Long." Some are pretty good!
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