The Letter

The Box Tops

About The Letter

"The Letter" is a song written by Wayne Carson that was first recorded by the American rock band The Box Tops in 1967. It was sung in a gruff blue-eyed soul style by Alex Chilton. The song was the group's first and biggest record chart hit, reaching number one in the United States and Canada. It was also an international success and reached the top ten in several other countries. "The Letter" launched Chilton's career and inspired numerous cover versions. English rock and soul singer Joe Cocker's 1970 rendition became his first top ten single in the U. S.; several other artists have recorded versions of the song which also reached the record charts. Rolling Stone magazine included the Box Tops original at number 372 on its list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time"; the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame added it to the list of the "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll". In 2011, the single was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. 


Year:
1972
1:58
114 
#2

 Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer

Gimme a ticket for an aeroplane
Ain't got time to take a fast train
Lonely days are gone, I'm a-goin' home
My baby, just a wrote me a letter

I don't care how much money I gotta spend
Got to get back to my baby again
Lonely days are gone, I'm a-goin' home
My baby, just-a wrote me a letter

Well, she wrote me a letter
Said she couldn't live without me no more
Listen mister, can't you see I got to get back
To my baby once-a more
Anyway, yeah

Gimme a ticket for an aeroplane
Ain't got time to take a fast train
Lonely days are gone, I'm a-goin' home
My baby, just-a wrote me a letter

Well, she wrote me a letter
Said she couldn't live without me no more
Listen mister, can't you see I got to get back
To my baby once-a more
Anyway, yeah

Gimme a ticket for an aeroplane
Ain't got time to take a fast train
Lonely days are gone, I'm a-goin' home
My baby, just-a wrote me a letter, my baby just-a wrote me a letter

 The easy, fast & fun way to learn how to sing: 30DaySinger.com


The Box Tops

The Box Tops were a Memphis rock group from the 1960s. They are best known for the hits "The Letter", "Cry Like a Baby", and "Soul Deep" and are considered a major blue-eyed soul group of the period. They performed a mixture of current soul music songs by artists such as James and Bobby Purify and Clifford Curry, pop tunes such as "A Whiter Shade of Pale" by Keith Reid, Gary Brooker and Matthew Fisher of Procol Harum, and songs written by their producers, Dan Penn, Spooner Oldham, and Chips Moman. Vocalist Alex Chilton went on to front the powerpop band Big Star and to launch a career as a solo artist, during which he occasionally performed songs he had sung with the Box Tops. more »

0 fans

Written by: Wayne Carson Thompson

Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


3 facts about this song

I. Joe Cocker Version
1. "The Letter" by Joe Cocker was released in 1970 as a single from their live album, Mad Dogs and the Englishmen. 2. Joe Cocker's version was arranged by his longtime collaborator Leon Russell who is also a famed musician. 3. Interestingly, Cocker's cover isn't a straightforward replication but a reimagining of the song, which includes a slower, bluesy introduction before it picks up speed. 4. Joe Cocker's version of the song was a commercial success and reached number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1970. 5. Cocker’s version of the song is especially noted for the performances of the group of backup singers who created a rich, gospel-like sound that became a significant feature in many of Cocker's future covers.
II. The Box Tops Version
1. The Box Tops' version of "The Letter" was the original and it was released in 1967. 2. It was written by Wayne Carson Thompson, a talented songwriter who also wrote a string of other hit songs. 3. The lead vocals for The Box Tops' version were sung by Alex Chilton, who was only 16 years old at the time making the success of the song quite extraordinary. 4. In the Box Tops' version, a jet airplane take-off sound effect was used to make the song distinct. 5. The song was the band's first and biggest record chart hit, reaching number one in the United States and Canada. 6. The Box Tops' version of "The Letter" was also nominated for two Grammy Awards in 1968. 7. Interestingly, The Box Tops version of "The Letter" was recorded in more than 130 minutes. 8. Full of soulful urgency and a catchy hook, "The Letter" was one of the big hits that defined the blue-eyed soul genre. 9. The Box Tops' version was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2011, cementing its status as a classic of the late 60s.
III. Miscellaneous
1. The Letter has also been covered by various artist apart from Joe Cocker and Box Tops, including Al Green and Bachman-Turner Overdrive. 2. Despite its, less-than-2-minute running time, it was one of the most successful singles of 1967, selling over four million copies. 3. The song’s enduring popularity can be seen by its appearance in many movies and adverts, including a recent one for Amazon Prime.

Discuss the The Letter Lyrics with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add these lyrics to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "The Letter Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/206535/The+Box+Tops/The+Letter>.

    Missing lyrics by The Box Tops?

    Know any other songs by The Box Tops? Don't keep it to yourself!

    Watch the song video

    The Letter

    22.2M
    151.2K     3,000

    Top Hot 100 Songs 1967

    Billboard #1


    Browse Lyrics.com

    Quiz

    Are you a music master?

    »
    What are Golden Earring's 1973 and 1982 biggest hit singles?
    A Twilight Zone, When the Lady Smiles
    B Radar Love, When the Lady Smiles
    C Radar Love, Twilight Zone
    D Radar Love, Going to the Run

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Chrome

    Get instant explanation for any lyrics that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Firefox

    Get instant explanation for any acronym or abbreviation that hits you anywhere on the web!

    The Box Tops tracks

    On Radio Right Now

    Loading...

    Powered by OnRad.io


    Think you know music? Test your MusicIQ here!

    Movies soundtrack

    The Letter

    »