Yamagata became the vocalist for the Chicago funk-fusion band Bumpus, spending six years with them while writing and recording three albums and touring the country. However, she began to write songs which took on a style that conflicted with the funk vision of the band. In 2001, Yamagata decided to take those songs and pursue a solo career. In September 2002, she landed a two-record deal with Arista's Private Music label, and her EP was released in October.
She also made an appearance in Jason Mraz's second album, singing a song with him called Did You Get My Message?
She also teamed with with Toots & the Maytals to sing Blame On Me.
She also worked with Ryan Adams & The Cardinals on their first album Cold Roses. On that album, where she is credited as: "Our little sis", she did some vocals and played "listenable" piano on the tracks 'Let It Ride', 'Cold Roses' and 'Friends'.
Yamagata sang with Rhett Miller on Fireflies from his 2006 release The Believer.
Her songs have featured on several TV shows, including How I Met Your Mother, ER , Nip/Tuck, Men in Trees, Alias, One Tree Hill, Brothers & Sisters and The O.C., to which she made a guest performance in season 2. Yamagata also contributed a song to Mandy Moore's 2007 album, Wild Hope. She also toured with Moore, opening many of her shows around the country.
Yamagata's second studio album is Elephants...Teeth Sinking Into Heart. That album was released on October 7, 2008.
On October 9th, 2008, a two-song live acoustic video performance premiered on LiveDaily Sessions, featuring the songs "Faster" and "Sunday Afternoon".
Her highly acclaimed CD Chesapeake premiered on October 11, 2011, and was followed by an extensive tour.
On April 23, 2016, Yamagata released an acoustic version of Happenstance, Acoustic Happenstance. Later that year, she released her fourth studio album, Tightrope Walker on September 23.
Letter Read
Rachael Yamagata Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How could you do this to me
My love, my love, my love
You were supposed to be
And I shouldn't have to tell you to explain yourself
My love, my love, my love
How could you do this to me
You're not enough for me
And I shouldn't have to tell you to explain yourself
All I have is your letter read
And I cannot get it out of my head
And I'm afraid, and I can't breathe
And I'm in love with you
But you are not with me
And I have put so much into a life
I made too much about you now to lie
My love, my love, my love
How could you do this to me
My love, my love, my love
You're not enough for me
And I shouldn't have to tell you to explain yourself
But all I have is your letter read
And I cannot get it out of my head
All I have you letter read
And I cannot get it out of my head
And I'm afraid, and I can't breathe
And I'm in love with you
But you are not with me
And I have put so much into a life
I made too much about you now to lie
Time passes by
While I wait for your call
Time passes by
I hear nothing at all
And I'm afraid, and I can't breathe
And I'm in love with you
But you are not with me
And I have put so much into a life
I made too much about you now to lie
I'm afraid, and I can't breathe
And I'm in love with you
But you are not with me
And I have put so much into a life
I made too much about you now to lie
I'm afraid, and I can't breathe
And I'm in love with you
But you are not with me
The lyrics to Rachael Yamagata's song "Letter Read" are emotional and heart-wrenching. The song is a lament to a lost love. The repetition of the phrase "my love" gives the impression of someone who is struggling to come to terms with the fact that their partner has betrayed them. The phrase "how could you do this to me" suggests that the singer is both heartbroken and angry at their lover's actions.
Throughout the song, the singer wrestles with their feelings for their partner. They are still in love with them but are also frustrated at the fact that they are not responding to their attempts to communicate. The lines "and I'm afraid, and I can't breathe" suggest that the singer is struggling to cope with the pain of the breakup. The repetition of the phrase "you are not with me" is a reminder that the singer is alone and that their partner is not coming back.
The chorus of the song features the line "all I have is your letter read." This line suggests that the singer is holding on to a letter from their partner, which they have read over and over again. This line is poignant because it highlights the fact that sometimes, all we have left of a relationship is a memory or an object. The singer's desperation is palpable in the final lines of the song, where they repeat the phrase "I'm afraid, and I can't breathe." This repetition emphasizes the emotional turmoil they are going through as they come to terms with their loss.
Line by Line Meaning
My love, my love, my love
The singer is addressing someone they love deeply and affectionately.
How could you do this to me
The singer is hurt and confused about the actions of the person they love.
You were supposed to be
The singer had certain expectations of the person they love.
And I shouldn't have to tell you to explain yourself
The singer believes that the person they love should know why they did what they did, without having to be asked.
You're not enough for me
The singer realizes that the person they love is not what they need or want.
All I have is your letter read
The only way the singer knows what the person they love is thinking or feeling is through a letter they wrote.
And I cannot get it out of my head
The singer is obsessing over the letter and what it means.
And I'm afraid, and I can't breathe
The singer is scared and overwhelmed with emotions.
And I'm in love with you
Despite the pain, the singer still loves the person they are addressing.
But you are not with me
The singer and the person they love are not together.
And I have put so much into a life
The singer has invested a lot in their relationship with the person they love.
I made too much about you now to lie
The singer realizes that they have been too focused on the person they love and cannot pretend otherwise.
Time passes by
Time goes on.
While I wait for your call
The singer is waiting for the person they love to reach out to them.
I hear nothing at all
The person the singer loves is not communicating with them.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RACHAEL AMANDA YAMAGATA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind