Three Hours Review By Joe Boyd

Making Nick Drake's Five Leaves Left was one of the most enjoyable studio experiences for me. This track (Three Hours) "cooks" more than almost any other, because of the rhythm section of Danny Thompson and Rocki Dzidzornu from Ghana. The title reflects, I assume, the time it took in those days to get from London to Cambridge, where Nick had been going to university. It shows off his startling guitar technique. He had listened to some of Robin Williamson's colleagues like Bert Jansch, John Martyn and Davy Graham, but he had his own style with complex tunings which have often mystified imitators. His photographic image shows a delicate and shy person, which is true in a way, but his hands and fingers were very large and incredibly strong. People often talk about his voice, his melodies, and his lyrics, but it was the cleanliness and strength of his guitar playing that served as the spine of most tracks and made everything work.

-Joe Boyd.