Feb 16 folk
Artist Favorite Lyrics
53 Letters
53 letters you wrote me that autumn
Hope sent in small careful lines
Your words said your heart was still pledged to another
But I could pretend it was mine
You gave me 53 reasons to doubt you
And I didn’t want to resist
And when you returned in the spring still encumbered
We shared one prohibited kiss
Ooo time moves on
Only the echoes remind us
Ooo that it’s gone
Seven months later with three states between us
I’d put you out of my mind
When you asked if I'd like to come for a visit
I left discretion behind
And even though I too had my own beloved
When caught in your orbit, I fell
I never told him where I’d gone that weekend
The start of just one more farewell
Ooo time moves on
Only the echoes remind us
Ooo that it’s gone
I still have those 53 letters you wrote me
Tucked in a box on a shelf
I haven’t reread them but still they remind me
Of stories I tell to myself
Since then I’ve been careful of hunger and heartache
I’ve hidden my yearning from view
But I learned that autumn I couldn’t be trusted
And I still fear that it’s true
Ooo time moves on
Only the echoes remind us
Ooo that it’s gone
© Beth DeSombre 2021 #15 (Elephant #7: Nice White Liberals/FAWM #11)
@sherrycanary 5 weeks
Your story telling is amazing.
I love the honesty
The heart wants what the heart wants.
No recriminations; just learning and accepting
the oooos are very effective.
Excellent feel on the vocals
@leepat 7 weeks
nice picking and a great write - I like how it's more about learning (to know oneself) than about regret (or cheating).
marvellously evocative chorus too - bearing the distinct flavour of autumn...
@berni1954 7 weeks
Moving evocation of the inner conflict that the slightest "infidelity" can generate. Who is your narrator being unfaithful to, though? Her "own beloved" or herself? Deeply felt and emotional performance.
PS Just downloaded this.
@hmstreetteam 7 weeks
Beautiful. I can’t think of a more potent encapsulation of the human condition.
@scottlake 8 weeks
I like the precision of the number 53. Not dozens, not a bunch of. 53. Exactly 53. And then the 7 months and 3 states. perfect.
@markg 8 weeks
A complex story, and told with a light touch. It's a lovely balance of details and the listeners' imagination to fill it all in.
There's a quiet power, and not really any guilt, in the lines "But I learned that autumn I couldn’t be trusted/ And I still fear that it’s true"
@tunecat 8 weeks
So sweet.. Lovely tonal quality of the voice and guitar.. Lovely song too.. Love the fact that you feature numbers.. And some great rhymes.. and the story.. Brilliant.
@emkaydeebee 8 weeks
Such stunning storytelling! A real poignancy to both the lyrics and the way you deliver them. The gorgeous picking underneath like running water, reminding us of the way time is moving on even as you sing. Beautiful.
@stephenwordsmith 8 weeks
I really like the structure here - the stanzas are a short story in three parts, and the chorus is a brief meditation on the underlying theme. The sweet and gentle delivery made me almost forget the cognitive dissonance at play, and the forbidden nature of the relationship between singer and subject. There's some delicate phrasing which is just perfect, my favourite being
'I still have those 53 letters you wrote me
Tucked in a box on a shelf
I haven’t reread them but still they remind me
Of stories I tell to myself'
@mikegtz Feb 20
This is an amazing vulnerable song and very pretty, Beth. Way to dig down there!
@eas3637 Feb 20
I love how you have encapsulated the story in this song! The title is such a strong pull, and the 53 letters is an amazing image. I also love the sharp self-observation that is embedded in the stanzas: "I haven’t reread them but still they remind me/Of stories I tell to myself." Plus also the simplicity of the chorus is gorgeous.
@cleanshoes Feb 18
These lyrics are really fabulous, and your gentle fingerpicking and delivery allow them to shine. We like to think in absolutes; this speaks to the complications and gray areas of love and longing in such a real way. I agree with some of the previous comments: that minimal chorus is just enough.
@ofishell Feb 17
Beth, as the others have already said, this is such a lyric powerhouse. I am in awe indeed of the songwriting prowess of this one, especially given the theme of telling a story about yourself that is uncomfortable to share. So much honesty delivered with true beauty and no small amount of true reflection. "And when you returned in the spring still encumbered / We shared one prohibited kiss" - my personal favorite of the lines. I honestly don't think you need to replace the chorus with anything...all the strength is in the versus, and you're making your points there perfectly.
@mistermann Feb 17
This is a perfect “ill-fated love” folk song. Very vulnerable and very human. I look forward to seeing what you end up replacing the chorus with.
@serene123 Feb 17
Perfect songwriting that just draws the listener in... I love the chorus too. You are very talented!
@kenmattsson Feb 17
This song just drew me in and held me until the end. The chords changes and your playing just feel right. I particularly like "And even though I too had my own beloved, When caught in your orbit, I fell"
@calicocat Feb 17
Beautiful uncomfortable song. “Hope sent in small careful lines / Your words said your heart was still pledged to another / But I could pretend it was mine” oh this reminds me of some things.
“I learned that autumn I couldn’t be trusted / And I still fear that it’s true” cuts right to a very uneasy place.
Well done. The chorus works as is, but I think you could also change it without pulling out a keystone of the song, if you decide that is what you want to do.
@deena Feb 17
What a great song. All the details and elements tear at your heart. It feels so true.
@jyllian Feb 16
Wow - what a story! Loved it. It’s hard to be vulnerable like this. I like the chorus - just simple.
@sheslin Feb 16
This song is just beautiful. I love hearing the lilting melody as you tenderly sing this story. It sounds so vivid and real as you disclose the details and the heartache that is attached to those letters and that relationship. I like the break in the lyrical pattern with the chorus and also the melodic change up. Brava!
@midwayfair Feb 16
Damn, that second verse.
>the chorus is kind of a placeholder at the moment; really not sure what it should be
I'm actually trying to think of what a chorus would even add to this song. You could just leave out a chorus entirely, there's enough melodic variation in the verses and not every song needs a sing-along component (especially given the subject matter of this one ...).
@mikeb Feb 16
The simple chorus actually works well with the rest of the song. A very nice listen.
@wacha Feb 16
This is powerful and beautiful, I actually like the chorus a lot but would be interested to see who you rework it. "53 letters you wrote me that autumn / Hope sent in small careful lines" is a brilliant opener to the song, it says a lot.
Your performance of this has a fragile beauty to it that elevates the already beautiful lyrics. This is a an excellent song, very well done.
@colgoo Feb 16
Wow! This is so powerful. I can see why this is a favorite.