Songfacts®:

• One of Drake's very few linear lyrics, in this one he basically chides himself for his own indomitable despair. Much of the Bryter Layter album follows a similar theme, including probably the best known song from it, "One of These Things First." >>>

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• South African jazz musician, Chris McGregor, recorded his incredible piano for this track in just one take. McGregor is perhaps best-known for founding and leading the South African sextet, The Blue Notes.
• The producer, Joe Boyd, seized upon the jazzy song's cloaking of self-pity in self-mockery in an arrangement that featured a Greek chorus sung by PP Arnold and Doris Troy. Nick Drake wasn't very happy with the way his song had turned out. Boyd recalled to Mojo: "On his original demo of 'Poor Boy,' Nick sang the line, 'Oh poor boy. So sorry for himself,' mocking himself. The minute I heard that I thought of emulating the mocking female voices on Leonard Cohen's 'So Long, Marianne.' Nick said, 'Do you think so?' and in retrospect I think that may have been him saying, 'I don't think so.'"
  
• PP Arnold recalled recording the backing vocals during an interview with Uncut magazine: "I got a call from my good friend Doris Troy, who said, 'Hey Pat, do you want to come and do this session with me?' I didn't know who Nick was, but he was a lovely guy. Goosebumps are going up my arm while I'm talking about this, because it was really a lovely evening. It's as if I'm feeling his spirit or something. We got such a great sound on that track, it really is timeless."