Take a Letter Maria

1969 single by R. B. Greaves From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Take a Letter Maria" is the debut single written and recorded by American soul singer R. B. Greaves. It was recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio on August 19, 1969, using the house studio musicians. These include Donna Jean Thatcher on vocals (later Donna Jean Godchaux of the Grateful Dead), Roger Hawkins on drums, Barry Beckett on electric piano, Eddie Hinton and Jimmy Johnson on guitar, David Hood on bass, and Mel Lastie on trumpet.[1] "Take a Letter Maria" was released in September 1969, and quickly gained regular airplay.[2] The single peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100,[3] and was kept from the top spot by the 5th Dimension's "Wedding Bell Blues".[4] It was the last #2 hit of the 1960s.

Quick Facts Single by R. B. Greaves, from the album R. B. Greaves ...
"Take a Letter Maria"
Single by R. B. Greaves
from the album R. B. Greaves
B-side"Big Bad City"
ReleasedSeptember 1969
GenreSoul
Length2:44
LabelAtco/Atlantic
Songwriter(s)R.B. Greaves
Producer(s)Ahmet Ertegun
R. B. Greaves singles chronology
"Take a Letter Maria"
(1969)
"Always Something There to Remind Me"
(1970)
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The single was certified gold by November 1969; one million copies had shipped.[5] By 1970, sales totalled 2.5 million.[6]

Background

"Take a Letter Maria" has a Latin music flavor, complete with a mariachi-style horn section, and tells of a man who has learned of his wife's infidelity the night before. He dictates a letter of separation to Maria, his secretary, whom he asks out for dinner later in the song in order to "start a new life."

Chart positions

More information Chart (1969-1970), Peak position ...
Chart (1969-1970) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 2
U.S. Billboard Best Selling Soul Singles[7] 10
U.S. Billboard Easy Listening[8] 21
Argentina [9] 2
Australia Kent Music Report[10] 6
Canada RPM (magazine)[11] 3
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Personnel

Cover versions

"Take a Letter Maria" has had two charted cover versions by country music singers:

  • In 1992, the song was featured in The Wonder Years, in the sixth-season episode "Kevin Delivers".[14]
  • In 1994, it was featured in the soundtrack of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
  • In 1995, it was featured in the episode Home Season 2, Episode 9 of ER when Carol and Shep dance to it in her new home. However, the song has meaning with another storyline as Mark discovers his wife is in a relationship with someone else.

References

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