Of his last recorded songs, this is the best one, in my opinion, in particular the alternate version appearing on the later Magic compilation. When I first heard this version, I was puzzled that he’d had difficulty singing the high notes and wondered why it had been released at all. So I went back to the version kept for the earlier Time of No Reply introduction and think I can understand. The guitar is so much better on this take: a deeper resounding vibrating guitar which didn’t come off on the other more controlled take. What does this mean? I presume, the first recorded version was recorded in a key which was too high for him to sing on the recording day. The guitar was superb but the voice would not come across. And perhaps it was decided that a lower key was needed – and indeed the voice came out right but at the expense of the guitar lines. This is total conjecture, of course, but how I visualise the song: a wonderfully minimalist guitar drone which sounds like it was written 20 years after Five Leaves Left.
The song is understood to be referring to Nick’s disappointment with how his work had been left unattended by his recording company.  The lyrics do indeed painfully point to someone who has felt stranded too long.

No more cool observations.