Who is Nick Drake's song "The Thoughts of Mary Jane" about?

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Who is Nick Drake's song "The Thoughts of Mary Jane" about?

Question #104215. Asked by gentlegiant17.
Last updated Jun 13 2021.

Related Trivia Topics: Music People

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pagea

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The affectionate way that he talks about her suggest that she may be an old lover.

http://www.metrolyrics.com/the-thoughts-of-mary-jane-lyrics-nick-drake.html

http://www.musicbanter.com/album-reviews/35367-complete-assessment-nick-drake.html

Mar 28 2009, 10:53 AM

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Answer 1

The Thoughts of Mary Jane is a cryptic song, the title seems like it would be a poorly hidden allusion to something else, but the lyrics talk of some almost angelic girl, perhaps from his teenage or childhood, some lost love

http://www.musicbanter.com/album-reviews/35367-complete-assessment-nick-drake.html

Answer 2

Who can know
The thoughts of Mary Jane
Why she flies
Or goes out in the rain
Where she’s been
And who she’s seen
In her journey to the stars

http://www.nickdrake.com/thoughts_of_mary_jane_lyrics.html

Haven't found any definitive reference yet but I've always thought it was about either suicide or Marijuana (Mary Jane was a common name for it in this era)

Answer 3

There is a debate on this site about it - some think its definately a woman and others definately Marijuana. He was quite a have pot smoker apparently. I just found this reference to the name of the album it was on interesting:

"whether he intended a full-blown metaphor or simply a little nod to marijuana is debatable, but neither is a stretch. after all, the album itself is named after an inscription found on joint papers which served as a heads-up to let people know they were down to their last five. (Album was called Five leaves Left)

https://songmeanings.com/songs/view/66150/

Who is Nick Drake's song "The Thoughts of Mary Jane" about?

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