A three-part harmony-driven band, the trio has toured California multiple times playing festivals such as Make Music Pasadena, Echo Park Rising, Claremont Folk Festival, Lightning in a Bottle, and successfully captured large audiences every Monday night in December with their Holiday Residency at The Satellite.
In 2014 the band released their formal debut album, Blind and Brave, produced by Raymond Richards at Red Rockets Glare (Parson Redheads, Honey Honey, Local Natives, Dustbowl Revival). The album release kicked off during a very special show at the historic Troubadour.
Blind and Brave illustrates the story of the working class, and encourages listeners to genuinely care about the place they inhabit, keep it beautiful, connect with people, and be brave. The message found in these songs is that you have to get through the hard stuff to get to the good stuff, just as you have to go through the bad parts of town to find the best parts, whether it be a venue down an old dark alley way, or a friend’s house at the top of a hill. In everything you do, do it out of love.
With their debut album released, and a bright future ahead, we can only expect great things from The Wild Reeds. They joined Newport Folk Festival’s sister of the west, Way Over Yonder with artists such as Jackson Brown, Local Natives, Lucinda Williams.
Love Letter
The Wild Reeds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wrote my first love letter and I waited for the post
To see if I'll have courage I'll send you all my soul
I wrote my first love letter, now I can't seem to let it go
It cost me 3 cents extra to get it packed with care
But baby this one's fragile, so if you read please beware
If I should ever send this page
Oh, be brave, oh, be brave.
It's too late.
If I ever gained the courage before we're old and grown
When you read my letter it's gon' rock your heart and soul
'Cause baby in my letter is my love written so bold.
The Wild Reeds’ song “Love Letter” is an introspective and heartfelt track that explores the mixed emotions of writing one's first love letter. The singer reveals that they wrote their first love letter when they were 21 years old, and they are unsure of what to do with it. They waited for the post in anticipation, unsure of whether they had the courage to send it. The love letter holds so much of their soul that they cannot bear the thought of letting it go.
The singer reveals the care and consideration that they had put into the love letter, as evidenced by the extra cost to carefully pack it. However, despite the careful packing, the love letter is still fragile, and the singer warns the recipient to handle it with care. The haunting refrain of “What's my fate? What's my fate? If I should ever send this page” reflects the singer's uncertainty and fear of judgement should they ever send the letter. They know that sending the letter would be brave, but as the final lines suggest, they fear that it is too late.
In the final verse, the singer imagines a world where they muster up the courage to send the letter. They picture the explosive effect of the love letter on the receiver, knowing that the words in the letter will rock their heart and soul. The singer's love is bold, and they believe that the recipient will be unable to resist their declaration of love. Overall, “Love Letter” by The Wild Reeds speaks to the cautious and vulnerable nature of love while acknowledging the courage it takes to express one's feelings.
Line by Line Meaning
I wrote my first love letter at 21 years old
At 21, I wrote my first letter of love
I wrote my first love letter and I waited for the post
After writing, I waited for the letter to be sent
To see if I'll have courage I'll send you all my soul
I draw courage to send you my heart by means of this letter
I wrote my first love letter, now I can't seem to let it go
After writing, I find it hard to detach myself from the letter
It cost me 3 cents extra to get it packed with care
I spent extra 3 cents on this letter so that it arrives undamaged
But baby this one's fragile, so if you read please beware
Please be cautious when reading, for this letter is delicate
What's my fate? What's my fate?
What could happen should I send this letter?
If I should ever send this page
Should I actually send this letter
Oh, be brave, oh, be brave.
Have the strength to deal with its content
It's too late.
Now I feel like it's too late to send it
If I ever gained the courage before we're old and grown
Assuming I ever build the courage before we grow old
When you read my letter it's gon' rock your heart and soul
On reading, it will take you by surprise and touch you deeply
'Cause baby in my letter is my love written so bold.
This letter carries my intense love for you
Contributed by Jasmine I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.