The Letter
The Black Heart Procession Lyrics


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I carried this letter
All through the winter
In fear of what it might say
I know the reasons
They change so fast
And we can never make it back

In the letter that you wrote
I heard the words that you never spoke
It is time for you to come home

So, I travelled the seas
To return for you
But I did not make it through

And I know it's not easy
Things can be so wrong
As we are lost in the waves

And in the letter that I wrote
Were the words I never spoke
This is why I cant come home
And in the letter that I wrote,
Were the words I never spoke
This is why I cant come home

And in the letter that you wrote
Was it a letter as a friend?
This is what i must know
And in the letter that you wrote




Was it a letter as a friend?
This is what I must know

Overall Meaning

The Black Heart Procession's song The Letter tells a story of two people whose relationship has gone through a tumultuous phase, and communication has become difficult, possibly even non-existent. The singer carries a letter all through winter, unsure of what it might say. The writer of the letter invites the singer to come home, and the singer travels the seas to attempt the return. However, the singer does not make it through, and the reasons are left unknown. The lyrics are left open-ended with an air of sadness, as the singer reflects on the difficulty of the relationship and the fact that the words they spoke could not bridge the distance. It seems that the letter was never meant to be sent, as they were filled with the words that the two could never bring themselves to say to each other.


The lyrics suggest the fragility of relationships and the way things can change so fast, leaving one with many unanswered questions. The theme of the letter serves as a metaphor for the unspoken emotions and feelings that two people typically hold back in a relationship. The song's simplicity allows the listener to feel the raw emotions and understand the meaning behind the lyrics. The unresolved situation leaves listeners with a sense of longing and heartache, reflecting the pain that many relationships go through.


Line by Line Meaning

I carried this letter
I physically had this letter with me


All through the winter
I held onto this letter for months


In fear of what it might say
I was scared of the message inside the letter


I know the reasons
I am aware of what caused the situation


They change so fast
The reasons behind things can shift quickly


And we can never make it back
We can't go back to how things were before


In the letter that you wrote
Referring to the message contained in a letter received


I heard the words that you never spoke
The letter contained unspoken thoughts and truths from the sender


It is time for you to come home
The sender is urging the recipient to return


So, I travelled the seas
I went on a journey to seek out the recipient


To return for you
I was trying to come back to you


But I did not make it through
I failed to get to the recipient


And I know it's not easy
I understand that things are tough


Things can be so wrong
Everything can fall apart


As we are lost in the waves
We are struggling in a difficult situation


Were the words I never spoke
I wrote out things I couldn't say aloud


This is why I can't come home
There are reasons why I can't return to the recipient


Was it a letter as a friend?
Questioning the nature of the letter received


This is what I must know
The sender needs to understand the intent behind the letter




Contributed by Wyatt V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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