Strawberry Letter 23
Shuggie Otis Lyrics

Hello my love, I heard a kiss from you
The singer is starting the song by expressing the excitement that they feel having received a kiss from their lover.

Red magic satin playing near, too
The singer is describing the environment around them, where there is something magical and mysterious happening.

All through the morning rain I gaze, the sun doesn't shine
The singer is revealing that it is a gloomy day, and they are gazing at the rain pouring down even though the sun is not visible.

Rainbows and waterfalls run through my mind
The artist is sharing that their mind is filled with pleasant and happy thoughts, like the sight of colorful rainbows and soothing waterfalls.

In the garden, I see
The artist is now noticing their surroundings in more detail, and there is a shift of location from the previous verse.

West purple shower bells and tea
The singer is describing the beautiful flowers they can see that are purple in color and could resemble shower bells. There is also a mention of tea, which could signify relaxation and peace.

Orange birds and river cousins
The singer continues describing their surroundings in the garden, where they observe colorful birds and relatives of rivers like streams, brooks or creeks.

Dressed in green
The birds and cousins are garbed in green leaves that provide them with camouflage and safety in the garden.

Pretty music, I hear
The artist is shifting their focus to the beautiful and harmonious music they can hear around them.

So happy and loud
The music makes the artist truly happy and elated, and it is loud enough for them to hear it clearly and distinctly.

Blue flower echo
The happiness that is sparked by the music echoes within the singer as vividly as the sight of a blue flower.

From a cherry cloud
The cherry cloud could depict the creative and imaginative space from which the happiness and music originates.

Feel sunshine sparkle pink and blue
The singer describes feeling the energy and warmth of the sun's rays, which have a beautiful pink and blue appearance.

Playgrounds will laugh
The singer believes that even inanimate objects like playgrounds can be elated and happy in the presence of the joy they are experiencing.

If you try to ask 'Is it cool?'
The singer is aware that the listeners might ask them if it is cool to feel this way, and the answer is a definitive 'yes'.

If you arrive and don't see me
The artist is giving a heads up to their friends that are coming to meet them, that they may not find them in the same place.

I'm going to be with my baby
The artist is disclosing that they are in love and will be with their beloved, which is the reason for their significant shift in feelings and emotions.

I am free, flying in her arms
The singer feels completely free of any constraints or issues when they are with their lover, who holds and holds them together.

Over the sea
The singer is indicating that they are traveling away from where they are, most likely with their loved one, over the sea.

Stained window, yellow candy screen
The artist has moved onto the next scene, picturing a stained glass window and a yellow screen that may represent television or computer screens.

See speakers of kite
The artist is describing the sight of speakers in a kite, probably the type of speakers that are connected to a music group's equipment.

With velvet roses diggin'
The velvet roses digging may be a metaphor for how the music that the artists produce reaches deep within the hearts of the listeners.

Freedom flight
The singers make the listener feel free to fly and reach new heights of freedom and joy, an allusion to the feelings of flying with a loved one and how music can take people to transcendent places.

A present from you
The artist has received a gift from someone, possibly their lover, that matters a lot to them.

Strawberry letter 22
Strawberry Letter 22 is the song's prequel and a reference to a letter sent to the singer that may have inspired the emotions and joy that the singer feels. It holds an important place in the singer's heart.

The music plays
The singer is back in the present, and the music is still playing.

I sit in for a few
This is a moment of reflection where the singer sits and thinks about everything that has happened so far, allowing the listener to do the same.

Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh
These are sounds of joy and pleasure that the artist is feeling and spreading through music.