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From album
Hi Infidelity
REO Speedwagon · 1980 · Track 7
Details
Duración3:16
ÁlbumHi Infidelity
Año1980
ISRCUSSM11102619
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The story behind
The story behind In Your Letter has a rather peculiar origin, born from a personal situation that affected one of the members of REO Speedwagon. According to Kevin Cronin, upon returning from a tour, Neal Doughty found a letter from his wife. The content was direct: she was leaving him for another man. The curious thing, which Cronin recalls with a smile, is that this "other man" was the one who supplied the band with illicit substances. Doughty's reaction, surprised by the situation, was an ironic comment: "I'm going to miss that guy a lot." The song's lyrics, written by Gary Richrath, reflect that bitterness with phrases laden with accusations and alliterations, such as "you hid behind your poisonous pen and its pride" or "you could have left him alone for an afternoon, left him in solitude."
Musically, In Your Letter presents itself as a nod to the music of the 1950s and 60s. It has been described as a "sunny" homage to the 60s, with the lively charm of a pop song from that decade, or even as a lament with a 60s style but an accelerated rhythm. Some compare it to the sound of a 1950s "sock hop," and others note a similarity to the Pointer Sisters' song Should I Do It. The demo version of the song, included in the 30th-anniversary edition of Hi Infidelity, reveals a touch of rockabilly in the guitar. Originally, Cronin mentions that the melody and chord structure were very simple, close to the 1950s doo-wop style, with a progression similar to The Beatles' This Boy.
Released in July 1981 as the fourth single from the album Hi Infidelity, the song reached number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 26 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary. In Canada, it peaked at number 34. The album Hi Infidelity, released in 1980, became a resounding success, reaching number one on the Billboard 200 and being the best-selling album of 1981. Although Epic Records initially wanted In Your Letter to be the next single after the success of Keep On Loving You, the band preferred Take It On The Run. Following the passing of Gary Richrath in 2015, Guitar Aficionado included In Your Letter among its top 10 moments with the band.