Writing to Reach You

"Writing to Reach You"
Single by Travis
from the album The Man Who
Released 8 March 1999
Format 7", CD single, Cassette
Recorded 1998-1999
Genre Post-Britpop
Length 3:41
Label Independiente
Producer(s) Nigel Godrich
Travis singles chronology
"More Than Us"
(1998)		 "Writing to Reach You"
(1999)		 "Driftwood"
(1999)
CD2 Cover

"Writing To Reach You" is the first single taken from Indie band Travis' second studio album, The Man Who.

Background

The song was written by Fran Healy, who admitted that he took the guitar chords from Oasis' "Wonderwall"; as an overt acknowledgement of this, the song contains the lyric "and what's a wonderwall, anyway?". In 2004, both "Writing to Reach You" and "Wonderwall" were mixed with Green Day's Boulevard of Broken Dreams in the popular mash up, "Boulevard of Broken Songs". The single was the group's first release in Japan and Australia, following their success in the United Kingdom. The song also earned Travis their first appearance on Top of the Pops. The single peaked at #14 on the UK Singles Chart. Fran was reading Letters to Felice from Franz Kafka while he wrote this song.

Music video

The video was directed by John Hardwick. It features Healy walking in the countryside and being attacked by a pair of innocent looking schoolchildren. They pelt him with stones and shoot him with arrows, only to find that he is wearing body armour, which he takes off with the arrows still embedded. They then ambush him with a Bf109 fighter aircraft.

Track listing

  1. "Writing To Reach You" – 3:41
  2. "Green Behind The Ears" – 3:39
  3. "Only Molly Knows" – 3:20
  1. "Writing To Reach You" – 3:41
  2. "Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah" – 3:49
  3. "High As A Kite" – 2:30
  1. "Writing To Reach You" – 3:41
  2. "Only Molly Knows" –3:20
  1. "Writing To Reach You" – 3:41
  2. "Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah" – 3:49
  3. "High As A Kite" – 2:30
  4. "Green Behind The Ears" – 3:39
  5. "Only Molly Knows" – 3:20

Appearances in popular culture

The song's intro is used as bumper music on the Ring of Fire radio program.

External links