A silken, satin sunset, dew-drop dusk, placid night,
Show me to my rest.
In a dream, I got so mad, curled about and carried away,
On the wings of what we had.
Now stand, knees buckle beneath the weight and the road is so long,
Until we all sing this song...
Letters from home, was it as simple as that?
To see what we'd taken without giving back,
If this is love, I know that glow,
Letters from home.
I must have thought of you in a thousand different ways,
Like the sun and the moon, the star and the sea,
Like night and day.
But I'm learning you like you're learning me,
You could open your eyes then maybe you'd see,
Circles of life, a welcoming light,
Letters from home...
Letters from home, was it as simple as that?
To see what we'd taken without giving back,
If this is love, I know that glow,
Letters from home.
Letters from home, was it as simple as that?
To see what we'd taken without giving back,
If this is love, I know that glow,
Letters from home.
Letters from home, was it as simple as that?
To see what we'd taken without giving back,
If this is love, I know that glow,
Letters from home.
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Of the songs I've written, 'Letters From Home' has consistently been the tune that listeners say they enjoy the most.
I wrote it in early 1995 during a particularly bleak period in my post-adolescent life. Curiously enough, the melody and words of the song are relentlessly positive, which was contrary to my state of mind when I composed the piece.
Along with 'Stride' (see Dreamscape) - which was written during the same period - I've come to believe that both songs were an unconscious effort to balance out the turbulence of my inner life.
Early four-track demos of the tune were recorded in 1995. Another version was recorded live with a three-piece band in winter 1996, and appeared on a mixtape released early the next year.
In every case, the song's arrangement was simple, consisting of vocals, guitar, bass and drums. On the version recorded in 1996, a bongo track was also added to flavour the mix.
The song was reworked in 2004 to include a two chord turnaround at the end of the chorus, as well as Beach Boys-esque harmonies during the second verse.
In 2007, I offered 'Letters' to an associate as a potential candidate for a collaborative venture.
Working from the ideas presented in the earlier demos, the piece was re-imagined as a full-on country song - complete with dobro solo - which was played by a session musician.
The harmony arrangement was also refined during this time, and became the basis for the a capella reprise following the second chorus.
Lyrically, the song describes the sundering of an important relationship and the hope that a future reconciliation may one day be possible.
(1995-2007)
(1995-2007)
