NickDrake.com

[lemonade kid]

Elton John Nick Drake Sessions 1968 (1970)
Couldn't find this anywhere - sorry if its been posted.

Issued by Totonka in 1994
Catalog Number: CDPRO10
Unreleased studio tracks
Only the first 10 tracks were from the Nick Drake Sessions, the rest were DJM demos
Lists track 5 as "Shadows On The Wall"
Lists track 6 as "You Can't Deny That I'm You"
Lists track 8 as "Give Me Something To Hold On To"

Time Has Told Me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90ILaeRPyA4




The past couple of weeks have found me spinning a disc comprised of the following Elton John session (from July 1970) in which the artist lays out, among other tracks, a selection of Nick Drake covers. Yes, you read that correctly. Let’s first address the 800 lb gorilla in the room: on paper the often gregarious bombast of Elton John coupled with the work of the introspective Drake looks rough. But it actually works. As a fan of both artists, the session provides a not only interesting but equally entertaining look at the Drake material. This was just prior to John’s mega-stardom, and prior to his parading around on stage dressed as Donald Duck. Below are some notes a friend gave me along with the tracks (note: they may have been culled from elsewhere). -aquarium drunkard

http://www.aquariumdrunkard.com/2009/06/05/elton-john-does-nick-drake-july-1970-session/

“Apparently Joe Boyd arranged a recording date to showcase some new songs, including some other material from Mike Heron and John Martyn (among others). The future Linda Thompson,then known as Linda Peters, handled backing vox and then sang lead on a few more songs. Possibly some people from Fairport Convention and/or Traffic were in the band.”

Way To Blue
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPLgaQxa7sQ

Elton John's demo sessions at richard James Music Studio in 1970-mistitled as 1968 for some reason.

Here (above link) you can listen Elton John singing songs of Mike Heron, John Martyn, Nick Drake and Beverly Martin arranged by Drake's producer, Joe Boyd.
The sessions featured Elton John - vocals/piano, Linda Peters (later Thompson) - vocals, Jim Capaldi - drums, Simon Nicol - guitar, Pat Donaldson - bass.

1. Day Is Done (Nick Drake)
2. Saturday Sun (Nick Drake)
3. Sweet Honesty (Breverly Martin)
4. Way To Blue (Nick Drake)
5. Stormbringer (John Martyn)
6. You Get Brighter (Mike Heron, vo.Linda Peters)
7. I Don't Mind (Ed Carter, vo.Linda Peters)
8. Pied Pauper (Ed Carter, vo.Linda Peters)
9. Time Has Told Me (Nick Drake)
10. Go Out And Get It (Mike Heron)
11. The Tide Will Turn For Rebecca
12. When The First Tear Shows
13. Angel Tree
14. Turn To Me
15. I Can't Go On Living Without You
16. When I Was Tealby Abbey
17. A Dandelion Dies In The Wind
18. You'll Be Sorry To See Me Go
19. Where It's At
20. I Get A Little Bit Lonely
21. Hour Glass
22. Taking The Sun From My Eyes
23. And The Clock Goes Round


Saturday Sun
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0GqTeu7t-I

When The Day Is Done
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsfk4hd6uiI

allmusic-review

The title looks like a joke, or a misprint: Elton John sings at a session that had anything to do with Nick Drake? Surely you jest, sir! But this session actually did take place, though in July 1970, not 1968, as the title indicates. And it's not John and Drake performing together: John does sing much of the material, but Drake is not present in any way. The full story is that producer Joe Boyd organized these tracks as a publisher's demo to circulate the compositions of Drake, John & Beverley Martyn, Mike Heron, and Ed Carter. John actually only covers four Drake tunes, and John's versions are so different that you might not even recognize the songs without looking at the titles. John strips the music of its odd melancholia; the results sound like, well, early Elton John records. So, despite the good fidelity, it's a curiosity for both Drake and John fans, nothing more. John also offers covers of other British folk songwriters on the disc, and some of the tracks feature Linda Thompson (then known as Linda Peters) rather than John on vocals. The documentation on this particular bootleg isn't perfect, incidentally; it's missing one of the 11 songs that circulate from this session, though not one of the ones that Drake wrote. As a bonus, the CD also contains 14 songs grouped together under the heading "Best of 1968 DJM Demos," from the time just before John issued his first solo album. The sound quality on these studio recordings isn't great (though it's all right), but these are interesting glimpses of the singer/songwriter as his style formed, even if the writing in particular is more derivative at this point than it would be within a couple of years. It's strongly influenced by late-'60s Beatlesque pop and, to a lesser extent, early singer/songwriters, the Bee Gees, and psychedelia. The material's more a promising kernel than it is the work of a distinctive talent, although the best of it is modestly enjoyable on its own terms.

Ahhhh. I see it was posted by bernie49 in 2006 and updated by Nossuri in 2011...but if you wanted more...now you have it.

http://www.nickdrake.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=3401&sid=8dda31ad8a75ee139b6f465e585ba0ce
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[chris w]

I just wanted to say a big thankyou to lemonade kid for all his interesting posts on this forum (and in the General section). Breath of fresh air for this site and some very interesting and informative stuff. Much appreciated...!

[lemonade kid]

[JoeChrisMorris]

And yet you never saw Love. Go figure!
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[lemonade kid]