Richards grew up in San Francisco, the daughter of Ted and Teresa Richards, stars of the underground comics revolution. Her father created The 40 Year Old Hippie; her mother was one of the founding editors and contributors of Wimminβs Comix in the 1970βs. βGrowing up, I got the message that if you do what you love to do, money will follow, just not a lot of it.β It was a very Bohemian upbringing to put it lightly.
Richards played in school bands, but never considered music as a profession until her senior year of high school, when fate offered a unique hand. Her best friend began dating Kirk Hammett of Metallica, and Hammett taught Richards a few songs on guitar. βAs soon as I knew how to play, I started writing and everything just clicked. Eventually I got a piano to expand my musical repertoire.β
Richards recorded her first demo in Hammettβs basement studio. Dave Deresinski, the then manager of the Brian Jonestown Massacre, passed the recording along to singer Anton Newcombe, who asked Richards to sing with the group. Shortly thereafter, Ondi Timoner began filming the BJM for her seminal documentary DIG! (2004). In one scene, a hiker observed the all white-clad members of The Brian Jonestown Massacre and friends gathered on a mountain top location. βExcuse me,β he asked, βis this a cult or a photo shoot?β Miranda ------then candidly replied, βHonestly sir, I donβt know the answer to that question.β
Richards had since moved down the coast to LA to further pursue a music career. βI played clubs and open mics while I worked odd jobs and made demos. A mutual friend introduced me to Rick Parker (producer/musician who went on to work with BRMC and The Von Bondies), and weβve been working together ever since.β After recording a few sets of demos, she signed with Virgin, and began tracking her debut, The Herethereafter.
The Herethereafter (credits include Jon Brion and David Campbell) enjoyed critical acclaim, and over 40 film and TV licenses that allowed her to continue playing music full time. Since itβs release, Miranda has collaborated in the studio with Tricky, Tim Burgess (Charlatans), Neil Halstead (Mojave Three), Joe Firstman, and The Shore. She joined The Jesus and Mary Chain for the West Coast leg of their 2007 tour, singing duets with Jim Reid on βSometimes Alwaysβ and βJust like Honey.β In the fall of 2007, she toured the UK in support of a vinyl single called βLife Boatβ on Sonic Cathedral; in early 2008, she supported Tim Finn (Crowded House), and in late August she supported Neil Halstead, both on solo acoustic tours. The Early November EP was released digitally November 4, 2008 on Nettwerk Records; the full-length sophomore effort, Light of X, is due for worldwide release February 10, 2009.
Light of X is moody and introspective, the kind of music to play while youβre getting dressed up at night, sitting by the phone, and waiting for it to ring. The album fairly shimmers with folk, country, psychedelic, and even classical influences. Richards and Parker assembled a top-notch group of players including Eva Gardner (Mars Volta, Tim Burgess) on bass; main drummer Keith Mitchell (Mazzy Star); Ben Peeler (Wallflowers, Shelby Lynne) on pedal steel, and Josh Schwartz (Beachwood Sparks) on guitar. Rick Parker produced, engineered, mixed the record, and played guitar; Richards composed the material including string arrangements, and played acoustic guitar, piano, and organ.
As a songwriter, Richards has an uncanny knack of finding the diamonds in the dust of every day life and the relationships within. Sheβs able to look at an average moment and describe it in a way that transforms it into something much more powerful, a talent evident on every tack of Light of X. The album balances Richardsβ beautiful, close to the heart vocals, with music that has the wide open, spacious feel of a desert sky or an empty church. Call it Ambient Americana, or Richardsβ self coined term βPsychedelic Chamber Folk Rockβ if you like, Light of X is an album full of love and loss, desolation and salvation, both moody and comforting.
βCourtney Taylor from the Dandy Warhols calls my genre βPixie Fairy Dust Chick Music,ββ Miranda Lee Richards laughs, from her home in Los Angeles. βBut I think another fitting description for Light of X might be βPsychedelic Chamber Folk Rock.ββ
The Reach
Miranda Lee Richards Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The light is gone but I am still here with you.
You are so far away thinkin' you should roam,
My arms are ready for you to come back home.
And can you feel me, feel my reach?
Oh honey take it easy, honey, just be.
And now we're grown, we're giants standing tall.
In being who you are there is no shame,
Through the eyes of compromise it never looks the same.
And can you feel me, feel my reach?
Oh honey, take it easy, honey, just be.
And can you feel me, feel my reach?
Oh honey, don't conceal me, honey, just be.
No, I could not forgive myself thinkin' I held you back.
Go ramblin' like a freight train and get yourself on track.
In being who you are there is no shame,
And through the eyes of compromise it never looks the same.
And can you feel me, feel my reach?
Oh honey take it easy, honey, just be.
And can you feel me, feel my reach?
Oh honey, don't conceal me, honey, just be.
The lyrics of Miranda Lee Richards's song The Reach seem to describe a situation where the singer is trying to convince someone to come back home, after wandering away for too long. The singer reassures the person that they are still there for them and willing to pull them through even though the light seems to be gone. In trying to convince the person, the singer emphasizes the importance of being who they truly are without shame and being in touch with their feelings.
The lyrics also reflect on the growth that comes with age where being in love may seem so small and childish, but it eventually blossoms into something more profound. The singer emphasizes the importance of compromise and encourages the person not to conceal themselves but to be who they truly are. However, the fear of holding the person back seems to loom over the singer, and they repeatedly ask if the person can feel their reach.
In summary, the song is an ode to love, growth, and the importance of being true to oneself. The lyrics urge the person to come back home and not hide who they truly are.
Line by Line Meaning
Take my hand and I will pull you through,
I am here to help and support you through whatever difficult situation you may be facing.
The light is gone but I am still here with you.
Even in darkness, I will never leave your side and will provide comfort and companionship.
You are so far away thinkin' you should roam,
You may feel lost or disconnected, and the urge to wander and explore is strong.
My arms are ready for you to come back home.
I eagerly await your return, and offer a sense of belonging and safety.
And can you feel me, feel my reach?
Can you sense the depth of my love and concern, and the lengths I will go to stay connected to you?
Oh honey take it easy, honey, just be.
Don't stress or worry, just relax and be yourself, and know that I accept you completely.
When we were young in love our world was so small
In our early relationship, our focus and perspective were limited to each other and our shared experiences.
And now we're grown, we're giants standing tall.
As we mature and gain new experiences, we become stronger and more capable, able to handle challenges with confidence.
In being who you are there is no shame,
You have nothing to feel embarrassed or ashamed about in being your authentic self, free from pressure or judgment.
Through the eyes of compromise it never looks the same.
Even when we try to find common ground and make concessions, there may always be some differences or disagreements that persist.
Oh honey, don't conceal me, honey, just be.
Please don't hide your true thoughts or feelings from me, just be open and honest so we can work through anything together.
No, I could not forgive myself thinkin' I held you back.
I would never forgive myself if I thought I was responsible for limiting or suppressing your potential.
Go ramblin' like a freight train and get yourself on track.
Explore and pursue your dreams with the freedom and power of a moving train, and find your own path forward.
Writer(s): Miranda Lee Richards, Laura Holloway, Maesa Pullma, Rosa Pullman
Contributed by Jack J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@silverwinterskies
Take my hand and I will pull you through,
The light is gone but I am still here with you.
You are so far away thinkin' you should roam,
My arms are ready for you to come back home.
And can you feel me, feel my reach?
Oh honey take it easy, honey, just be.
When we were young in love our world was so small
And now we're grown, we're giants standing tall.
In being who you are there is no shame,
Through the eyes of compromise it never looks the same.
And can you feel me, feel my reach?
Oh honey, take it easy, honey, just be.
And can you feel me, feel my reach?
Oh honey, don't conceal me, honey, just be.
No, I could not forgive myself thinkin' I held you back.
Go ramblin' like a freight train and get yourself on track.
In being who you are there is no shame,
And through the eyes of compromise it never looks the same.
And can you feel me, feel my reach?
Oh honey take it easy, honey, just be.
Can you feel me, feel my reach?
Oh honey, don't conceal me, honey, just be.
Ohhhhhhhhh whoa ohhh
Ohhhhhhhhh ohhh
Ohhhhhhhhh mmmmm....
@BSweet-TV
Stopped the show (Burn Notice) just to find the song online. This is such a beautiful song!!!
@Fkidd702
Same. Google told me it was " broken" but I was looking for this
@BSweet-TV
Ya, google is silly sometimes. I recently bought the song too, after getting tired of going to the YTube lol
@YoutubemarketingTips
Yep, me too. After all these years still gives me the chills. β€ this song!
@happilyl0w
Where did you end up buying it?
@sofianedjafer5409
same here
@codyryan6664
I'm 23 and remember being a lot younger, my grandfather watched the series (Burn Notice) the whole way through but I'd only ever watch some episodes with him. I don't remember the plot at all, but he raised me and passed away a couple years ago. I thought I'd watch the show to kinda honor him in some weird way, he loved it. Never thought it'd bring me to such a beautiful love song.
@RAMrkry
thank you its so amazing, i love it as i love how all of your songs take me to that world.
@nikolailu
Amazing song and so beautifully sung, thank you. And of course thank you Michael and Fiona :)
@DSClevClar
It is a lovely song, pristine in presentation, managing to convey both calm and yearning in equal proportions. Very nice.