One Of These Things First – Unraveling the Threads of Missed Opportunities
Olivia Shea
Published Apr 16, 2026
by SMF AI·
Lyrics
I could have been a sailor, could have been a cookA 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
Nick Drake’s haunting melody, ‘One Of These Things First,’ serves as a lyrical canvas depicting a poignant reflection on choices not taken, and the ephemeral nature of potential. The song, taken from Drake’s 1970 album ‘Bryter Layter,’ is a subtle and intricate folk ballad that continues to resonate with listeners through its exploration of life’s what-ifs.
With its delicate piano melodies and Drake’s own tender acoustic guitar, the song’s gentle arrangement belies the depth of yearning and introspection within its lyrics. The narrative is a stream of musings on alternative realities that might have unfolded had different paths been chosen, encapsulating a universal human experience of conjecture and reminiscence.
Sailing Through a Sea of Contemplation
Drake’s opening lines, ‘I could have been a sailor, could have been a cook,’ immediately set the listener adrift in a vast ocean of possibility. These careers, symbolic of adventure and nurturing, are among the many roles he muses about embodying. By invoking the idea of occupations unexplored, Drake delicately illustrates the richness of life’s potential and the human tendency to ponder the lives we might have led.
These initial musings are representative of the freedom and confinement presented by our choices – the sailor embodying the spirit of exploration met with the inevitable isolation of the sea, and the cook capturing the essence of creation tinged with servitude. Drake’s poetic economy leaves these contrasts unsaid, yet deeply felt.
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Notably, the lyrics often return to the imagery of time, represented by a signpost and clock, suggesting a preoccupation with the passage of time and the markers that signify life’s directions and durations. Drake’s existential inquiry lays bare a profound awareness, encapsulating a sense of enduring presence – ‘steady as a rock’ – coupled with the transient, ever-ticking nature of existence.
By juxtaposing the steadfastness of a rock with the ceaseless march of time, encapsulated in a clock, the artist seems to question his own place within the flux. Here, the temporal theme of the song subtly underscores both the perpetuity and the impermanence of choices in the unforgiving flow of time.
The Statuesque Frame of What Might Have Been
In the canvas of stipulated roles Drake could have occupied, there is also a tender remark on companionship and loyalty. Being someone’s statue or door hints at a desire for constancy, protection, and perhaps even silent observance – a poignant nod to the human need for connection and the roles we assume in each other’s lives.
The enduring image of a ‘whole long lifetime’ that ‘could have been the end’ serves as a solemn tribute to the depth of commitments unmade and the understanding that some relationships bear a breadth and intensity profound enough to feel like a concluded destiny.
Unearthing the Song’s Hidden Rhythms
Beyond the tangible and emblematic, ‘One Of These Things First’ ventures into metaphorical instruments, like a whistle or flute, suggesting avenues for expression that were left unexplored. The ‘real live giver,’ as mentioned in the song, carries the elusive potential for generosity and joy that may never be fully realized.
This insight into the song’s hidden meaning elucidates that it’s not merely roles and relationships that Drake mourns, but also the unexpressed parts of the self – the aspects that yearn to create, share, and be musically heard, yet remain silent and unseen like an instrument untouched.
Echoes of the Memorable Lines: Nostalgia’s Narrative
The enduring question, ‘I could be, here and now, I would be, I should be, but how?’ is the song’s refrain and, in many ways, its heart. It highlights the tension between desire and action, intention and hesitation, encapsulating the quintessential plight of potential unacted upon.
At the core of Drake’s ruminations is the realization that amidst the myriad possibilities, the most haunting are not those of what we’ve been, but rather those of what we’ve not allowed ourselves to become. It is in these lines that Drake’s introspection finds its most poignant echo, leaving the listener amidst the bittersweet crossroads of timeless wonder and regret.
