Parasite

 

Lifting the mask from a local clown
Feeling down like him
Seeing the light in a station bar
And travelling far in sin
Sailing downstairs to the Northern Line
Watching the shine of the shoes
Hearing the trials of the people there
Who’s to care if they lose

Take a look you may see me on the ground
For I am the parasite of this town

Dancing a jig in a church with chimes
A sign of the times today
Hearing no bell from the steeple tall
People all in dismay
Falling so far on a silver spoon
Making the moon for fun
Changing a rope for a size too small
People all get hung

Take a look you may see me coming through
For I am the parasite who travels two by two

When lifting the mask from a local clown
And feeling down like him
And I’m seeing the light in a station bar
And travelling far in sin
And I’m sailing downstairs to the Northern Line
Watching the shine of the shoes
And hearing the trials of the people there
Who’s to care if they lose

Take a look you may see me on the ground
For I am the parasite of this town
And take a look you may see me in the dirt

For I am the parasite who hangs from your skirt

 

These are the lyrics as recorded by Nick and have been compiled in this format by Bryter Music, the Nick Drake estate. Our thanks go to them for permission to reproduce the lyrics on this site.

The copyright in these lyrics remain with Warlock Music/Evergreen Copyrights and any commercial use of the lyrics has to be cleared with both Nick's Estate and Evergreen in the U.S.