September 23, 1967
One of the great blue-eyed soul groups of the 60’s, The Box Tops, began a 4-week stay at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with a song called The Letter.
It ended Bobbie Gentry’s own 4-week run at the top with the million-selling Ode To Billie Joe.
A month later, ‘The Letter’ would be overtaken by Lulu‘s biggest hit, To Sir, With Love for a 5-week stay.
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In Memphis, TN, a group known as The Devilles were just one of thousands of bands from the south playing R&B; but their rise to fame began after a couple of changes occurred. First, they added a local, gritty-sounding, just 16-year-old singer named Alex Chilton. And second, to avoid confusion with another outfit with the same name, they became ‘The Box Tops.’
The Original Box Tops Lineup:
(L-R) Bill Cunningham, Danny Smythe, Alex Chilton, Gary Talley and John Evans
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The new soul-laced sound of the Box Tops soon caught the attention of legendary southern songwriters/producers Chips Moman and Dan Penn, who’d been seeking an American version of Britain’s Spencer Davis Group (Gimme Some Lovin‘, I’m A Man) with their 19-year-old black-sounding white vocalist Stevie Winwood.
Moman helped secure a recording deal for the group with New York City-based Bell Records, and soon began recording them at his legendary American Studio in Memphis.
‘The Letter’ was written by a friend of Moman’s, Wayne Carson, (often credited as Wayne Carson Thompson) who’d recorded a demo version for Chips to evaluate. When it became clear to both Moman and Penn that the song had huge potential – but not with Carson recording it – they turned to Chilton and the Box Tops to give it that southern ‘blue-eyed soul’ feel.
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[Note] Some audio song files may not play on smartphones, tablets or connected devices. A laptop, desktop PC or Mac may be required for optimal enjoyment.
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Two versions of ‘The Letter’ are presented here: First, the slightly longer hit single version in mono.
THE LETTER
The Box Tops
(Mono Single Mix & Length)
[1967]
[REPLAY]
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‘The Letter,’ which reached #5 hit in the UK, went on to sell over four million copies and receive two Grammy Award nominations.
Here’s the album mix of ‘The Letter’ – it contains a lot more ‘reverb,’ a few seconds earlier fade-out, and is in stereo.
THE LETTER
The Box Tops
(Stereo Album Mix & Length)
[1967]
The Box Tops’ one other million-selling hit, co-written by Penn, was Cry Like A Baby (1968 • #2). But they recorded a number of other great Top 40 hits, which in my opinion, are better songs than their peak chart positions indicate; Neon Rainbow (1967 • #24), Choo Choo Train (1968 • #26), I Met Her In Church (1968 • #37), Sweet Cream Ladies, Forward March (1969 • #28) and Soul Deep (1969 • #18).
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EXTRAS!
After ‘The Letter’ had become a major #1 hit, producer Penn began exerting increasing influence over the Box Tops and their selection of material to record. In fact, on some of the recordings that followed, often only studio musicians were used, leaving Chilton as the only band-member on their records.
By 1968, not surprisingly, Alex had become increasingly exasperated with Penn’s control, not only over song choices and musicians, but also a refusal to allow him to record his own songs. As a result, Chilton quit the Box Tops, but, beginning in 1971, he went on to achieve cult status with a power-pop band he co-founded called Big Star.
Alex Chilton (R) with ‘Big Star’
Beginning in the mid-70’s he embarked on a solo career, recording a number of disjointed albums, such as 1975’s Bach’s Bottom and Like Flies On Sherbert in 1979.
And in the 80’s, he released a 7-track vinyl EP (Extended Play) called Black List, on which he recorded a cover version of the Ronny & The Daytonas 1964 hot-rod classic, Little GTO.
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Notes: Alex Chilton was living in New Orleans in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina exacted her wrath on ‘The Big Easy,’ and was missing for a number of days – even being feared dead. But he was finally located, safe and sound.
But sadly, less than five years later in 2010, Chilton died from a heart attack, again, in New Orleans. He was only 59.
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BONUS TRACK
‘The Letter’ was also a big hit for the late Joe Cocker. This is his initial ‘live’ hit single version (1970 • #7) – and a total re-arrangement of the Box Tops original by famed record producer Leon Russell. It was recorded on a sound stage to promote Cocker’s upcoming Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour.
A ‘live’ concert version of the song was later released from the album of the same name. Recorded at the Fillmore East during the ‘Mad Dog’ tour, it was never released as a single, and is now often played on ‘Classic Hits’ radio stations (often in error) instead of the ‘live’ hit single version – BUT, it ain’t the hit!!
THE LETTER
Joe Cocker
(‘Live’ Hit Single)
[1970]
[REPLAY]
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Songs Source: The Music Vault of HouseoftheHits, Inc.
Billboard® Chart Data: Joel Whitburn’s Record Research (eBook Editions)
Record Sleeve & Label Graphics: Courtesy of 45cat
