One of these things first

Nick Drake

One of these things

 

__ _____ _____ _____ a sailor, _____ have _____ __ cook
___ real live lover, ____ ___ ___ ___ ______
__ _____ _____ ________ a signpost, could have been a clock
___ _______ ____ a kettle, steady ___ ___ rock
____ ______ ____
_____ and _____
I _______ be, I _______ be
_____ ______?
____ _______ ______ ______
____ ___ _______ _____ ______
_____ ______ ______ _______
____ ___ _______ _____ ______

I could have been your ______, could have been your _____
I could have stayed _______ you, could have ______ ___ _____
I could have been )_____ ______, could have been _____ _____
A whole long lifetime ____ _____ _____ ____ _____
__ _____ ____ yours so true
I would be, I should be ______ ____ _______
I could have been
One of these things first
I could have been
One of these things first

I could have been ___ ________, could have been __ _______
A real live giver, could have been __ _______
I could have been __ ________, could have been __ ______
___ ________ ____ a kettle, _____ ____ ___ _______
I could be _____ here
I would be, I _______ be ____ near
I could have been
One of these things first
I could have been
One of these things first

I could have been a sailor, could have been a cook
A real live lover, could have been a book
I could have been a signpost, could have been a clock
As simple as a kettle, steady as a rock
I could be
Here and now
I would be, I should be
But how?
I could have been
One of these things first
I could have been
One of these things first

I could have been your pillar, could have been your door
I could have stayed beside you, could have stayed for more
I could have been your statue, could have been your friend
A whole long lifetime could have been the end
I could be yours so true
I would be, I should be through and through
I could have been
One of these things first
I could have been
One of these things first

I could have been a whistle, could have been a flute
A real live giver, could have been a boot
I could have been a signpost, could have been a clock
As simple as a kettle, steady as a rock
I could be even here
I would be, I should be so near
I could have been
One of these things first
I could have been

One of these things first 

Discuss

These are some of the things the singer says he could have been ‘first’

What do you think he means by each of these things?

What does the thing do? What adjectives does it make you think of?

 

E.g.

Kettle – it’s “simple”, it keeps you warm

Rock – It’s steady, it stays in one place

 

Sailor

Signpost

Clock

Kettle

Rock

Pillar

Door

Statue

Whistle

Flute

boot