Letter from America (Song)

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"Letter From America" is a song written and performed by Scottish band, The Proclaimers. It appears on their debut album, This Is the Story.

Lyrically, the song reflects Scotland's long history of emigration, with Scots leaving behind economic depression in their own nation to start new lives in America, Canada and Australia. There is also an allusion to the enforced emigrations of the Highland Clearances, when wealthy landowners forcibly evicted whole communities in order to turn their land over to the more profitable enterprise of raising sheep.

The song was later recorded in a fuller arrangement with producer Gerry Rafferty and became a hit in December 1987 reaching #3 on the UK singles chart.

The song is featured in the 1991 film The Commitments playing in the background at a wedding; however it is criticised as "shite" by the character Jimmy Rabbitte.