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.
Would You Please
Rachael Yamagata Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And would you please let me slide a few words under your door
The first three say "I love you"
The last five
"But I can't no more"
I don't believe in miracles
Not like I did before
And would you please let me slide a few words under your door
And would you please try to understand
There's a paragraph or two devoted to the memories that we shared
In the dramatized songs about how there'll be no more memories
No more memories
And if you'll notice
In the corner there's a tiny little heart I've enclosed
Like a little surprise
(Oh)
(Yes I did)
And if you'll please ignore the smeared
Smudged writing
It came from the tears in my eyes
You're probably gonna get it after a long day
You may not even believe it's true
I know you know
You know
You know my crazy ways
Yeah
But Sleeping Beauty is going to bed
She put a little tiny hole in her own head
Gotta find her own way home before she's dead
Yeah
But Sleeping Beauty is going to bed
She put a little tiny hole in her own head
Gotta find her own way home before she's dead
Woah
Sleeping Beauty is going to bed
She put a little tiny hole in her own head
Gotta find her own way home before she's dead
Before she's dead
Before she's dead
The lyrics of Rachael Yamagata's "Would You Please" suggest a desperate plea to reconnect with a past lover. The singer proposes to slip a written message under their door, containing a confession of love followed by the admission that it's impossible to sustain the relationship any longer. The phrase "I don't believe in miracles, not like I did before" implies that the singer had once held onto hope that love could overcome all obstacles, but that hope has since faded. The message also reveals a paragraph or two dedicated to memories shared with the lover, dramatized in songs but now resigned to form a past that will likely never be updated.
The second half of the song appears to switch focus to the singer herself, as she compares herself to a "Sleeping Beauty" figure who has put a "tiny hole" in her head, presumably in the form of low self-esteem or a self-destructive behavior. She acknowledges that she needs to find her own way back to a healthy mental space before it's too late. Overall, the lyrics seem to convey a sense of regret, longing, and the desperation to move on from a past relationship, while also acknowledging the singer's own personal struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
Would you please let me slide a few words under your door
May I express my feelings to you through a letter that I will slide under your door?
And would you please let me slide a few words under your door
May I make another request for you to read the letter I wrote to you?
The first three say "I love you"
The first three sentences of the letter express my love for you.
The last five
"But I can't no more"
The last five sentences of the letter convey my inability to continue the relationship anymore.
I don't believe in miracles
Not like I did before
I have lost faith in the possibility of miracles happening as easily as I used to believe.
And would you please try to understand
I am requesting for you to attempt to empathize with my situation.
There's a paragraph or two devoted to the memories that we shared
I have written part of the letter to reminisce about the times we spent together.
In the dramatized songs about how there'll be no more memories
No more memories
I reference dramatic songs that reinforce the idea that our relationship will end and there will be no more shared experiences.
And if you'll notice
In the corner there's a tiny little heart I've enclosed
Like a little surprise
(Oh)
(Yes I did)
I am pointing out a little heart I drew in the letter as a small token of affection.
And if you'll please ignore the smeared
Smudged writing
It came from the tears in my eyes
Please disregard the smudges on the letter; they were caused by the tears I cried as I wrote it.
You're probably gonna get it after a long day
You may not even believe it's true
I know you know
You know
You know my crazy ways
You will most likely receive the letter after a difficult day, and may have doubts about its sincerity. However, you are well aware of my tendency towards unpredictable behavior.
Yeah
But Sleeping Beauty is going to bed
She put a little tiny hole in her own head
Gotta find her own way home before she's dead
Although the situation is difficult, I must find my own path towards resolution instead of relying on external factors to rescue me.
Before she's dead
Before she's dead
I must take action before it's too late, before the relationship deteriorates completely.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RACHAEL AMANDA YAMAGATA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind