| "The Letter" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
&sq=Envato&lang=en&file=File:The_Letter_(The_Box_Tops_single)_coverart.jpg) UK single picture sleeve | ||||
| Single by the Box Tops | ||||
| B-side | "Happy Times" | |||
| Released | August 1967 | |||
| Studio | American Sound (Memphis, Tennessee) | |||
| Genre | Pop rock, blue-eyed soul | |||
| Length | 1:58 | |||
| Label | Mala | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Wayne Carson | |||
| Producer(s) | Dan Penn | |||
| The Box Tops singles chronology | ||||
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| Official audio | ||||
| "The Letter" on YouTube | ||||
"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 the group's first and most successful single, reaching number one on the record charts in the United States and Canada. It was also an international success and placed in the top ten in several other countries.
The Box Tops lead vocalist Alex Chilton sang "The Letter" in a gruff blue-eyed soul style. The song 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 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",[1] and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame added it to the list of the "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll".[2] In 2011, the single was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.[3]
- ^ "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. No. 963. December 9, 2004. Archived from the original on July 6, 2017. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
- ^ "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 1995. Archived from the original on May 2, 2007. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
- ^ "Grammy Hall of Fame Awards – Past Recipients". Grammy.org. 2011. Archived from the original on June 26, 2015. Retrieved June 8, 2017.