I wrote "Been Smoking Too Long" in the last few weeks of 1966. I was living in Aix-en-Provence, in the south of France, playing around Aix and Marseilles in various clubs. The guitar/vocal demo (see link above) was recorded in early 1967 at a friend's flat.
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 much 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.
I continued to play the song during the early 1970's and then put it in a drawer and forgot about it. Times changed. I changed. I thought it might be worth revisiting this song. Instead of the original acoustic blues arrangement, I chose to lay down a chill groove which just seemed to feel right to me. I was surprised at how easy it was to sing and how much better I now understand what I wrote so long ago.
Many other artists have covered this song including Graham Coxon, Placebo, Hederos and Helberg, Dax Riggs, Alison Faith Levy, and lots of people who just like to sing it. Below the lyrics are some links to mp3 and video files. If you have a version of this song posted on the internet and would like a link posted here, please send an Email and include the complete URL.
Been Smoking Too Long
Words & Music by Robin Frederick
Am
Am/G
I wake up in the morning
Am/F
E7
Look at my clock
Am
Am/G
It's way past noontime
Am/F
E7
I know I'm late for work
Dm7
E7
Am
Tell me, tell me, what have I done wrong
Am/G
Ain't nothin' goin' right for me
F7
E7
Am
Must be I 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.
