The Letter ( the Box Tops song ) - wikipedia The Letter ( the Box Tops song ) `` The Letter '' UK single picture sleeve Single by The Box Tops B - side `` Happy Times '' Released August 1967 ( 1967 - 08 ) Format 7 - inch single Studio American Sound, Memphis, Tennessee Length 1 : 58 Label Mala ( no. 565 ) Songwriter ( s ) Wayne Carson Producer ( s ) Dan Penn The Box Tops singles chronology `` The Letter '' ( 1967 ) `` Neon Rainbow '' ( 1967 ) Audio sample file help `` 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. Contents 1 Composition and recording 2 Chart performance 2.1 Weekly charts 2.2 Year - end charts 3 Joe Cocker renditions 4 Chart performance 4.1 Weekly charts 4.2 Year - end charts 5 Other recorded versions 6 References 7 External links Composition and recording Wayne Carson wrote `` The Letter '', built on an opening line suggested by his father : `` Give me a ticket for an aeroplane ''. Carson included the song on a demo tape he gave to Chips Moman, owner of American Sound Studio in Memphis, Tennessee. When studio associate Dan Penn was looking for an opportunity to produce more songs, Moman suggested a local group, the DeVilles, who had a new lead singer, sixteen year - old Alex Chilton. The other four members of the group that played on the session were Danny Smythe on drums, Richard Malone on guitar, John Evans on organ, and Russ Caccamisi on bass. Penn gave the group Carson 's demo tape for some songs to work up. With little or no rehearsal, the group arrived at American Sound to record `` The Letter ''. Chilton recalled : We set up and started running the tune down... ( Dan ) adjusted a few things on the organ sound, told the drummer not to do anything at all except the basic rhythm that was called for. No rolls, no nothin '. The bass player was playing pretty hot stuff, so he did n't mess with what the bass player was doing. Penn added : `` The guitar player had the lick right -- we copied Wayne 's demo. Then I asked the keyboard player to play an ' I 'm a Believer ' type of thing ''. Chilton sang the vocal live while the group was performing ; Penn noted : `` I coached him ( Chilton ) a little... told him to say ' aer - o - plane, ' told him to get a little gruff, and I did n't have to say anything else to him, he was hookin ' em, a natural singer. '' He later explained, `` ( Chilton ) picked it up exactly as I had in mind, maybe even better. I had n't even paid any attention to how good he sang because I was busy trying to put the band together... I had a bunch of greenhorns who 'd never cut a record, including me ''. About thirty takes were required for the basic track. Then Penn had Mike Leach prepare a string and horn arrangement for the song to give it a fuller sound. Leach recalled : `` My very first string arrangement was ' The Letter ', and the only reason I did that was because I knew how to write music notation... Nobody else in the group did or I 'm sure someone else would have gotten the call. '' Penn also overdubbed the sound of an airplane taking off to the track from a special effects record that had been checked out from the local library. He explained : That was a big part of the record... When I finished it up, I played it for Chips ( Moman ), and he said, `` That 's a pretty good little rock & roll record, but you 've got to take that airplane off it. '' I said, `` If the record 's going out, it 's going out with the airplane on it ''. He said, `` Okay, it 's your record. '' The DeVilles were renamed the Box Tops and `` The Letter '', at only 1 minute, 58 seconds, was released by Mala Records, a subsidiary of Bell Records. Chart performance `` The Letter '' reached number one on the Hot 100 singles chart published by Billboard magazine on September 23, 1967. It remained at the top position for four weeks and Billboard ranked the record as the number two song for 1967. The single sold more than one million copies and the RIAA certified it as gold. Weekly charts Chart ( 1967 ) Peak position Australia KMR Canada RPM Top Singles Ireland ( IRMA ) 11 New Zealand Listener UK Singles Chart 5 US Billboard Hot 100 US Cash Box Top 100 Year - end Charts Chart ( 1967 ) Rank Australia 37 Canada US Billboard Hot 100 US Cash Box `` The Letter '' also reached the top 10 in several other countries, including Belgium, France, Holland, Malaysia, Israel, Norway, Poland, Germany, South Africa, Sweden, Denmark, Spain, Greece, and the Philippines. Joe Cocker renditions `` The Letter '' German single picture sleeve Single by Joe Cocker B - side `` Space Captain '' Released April 1970 ( 1970 - 04 ) Format 7 - inch single Recorded March 17, 1970 Studio A&M soundstage, Hollywood, California Genre Rock Length 4 : 10 Label A&M Songwriter ( s ) Wayne Carson Producer ( s ) Denny Cordell, Leon Russell Joe Cocker singles chronology `` She Came In Through the Bathroom Window '' ( 1970 ) `` The Letter '' ( 1970 ) `` Cry Me a River '' ( 1970 ) Audio sample file help English singer Joe Cocker recorded `` The Letter '' during the rehearsals for his upcoming Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour on March 17, 1970. Leon Russell and the Shelter People provided the back up ; Russell and Denny Cordell produced the recording. A&M Records released it as a single, with `` Space Captain '' as the B - side. It appeared in Billboard 's Hot 100 in April 1970 and eventually reached number seven.. `` The Letter '' became Cocker 's first top ten single in the U.S. In the UK, the single reached number 39. Cocker performed the song ( and `` Space Captain '' ) during his 1970 performance at the Fillmore East auditorium in New York City. Recordings of both songs are included on the live Mad Dogs & Englishmen album, which was released in August 1970 and was a best seller. The concert was also filmed in its entirety and released in theaters. In 2003, it was released on DVD. Chart performance Weekly charts Chart ( 1970 ) Peak position Australia KMR 37 Canada RPM Top Singles 7 UK Singles Chart 39 US Billboard Hot 100 7 US Cash Box Top 100 5 Year - end charts Chart ( 1970 ) Rank Canada 91 US Billboard Hot 100 80 US Cash Box 37 Other recorded versions 1967 -- The Mindbenders released a cover in the UK which reached number 42. 1967 -- The Beach Boys covered The Letter, which was released on the 1983 compilation album Rarities, and on the 2017 compilation album 1967 -- Sunshine Tomorrow. Alex Chilton covered several Brian Wilson songs in his career, such as Solar System and I Wanna Pick You Up. 1969 -- The Arbors ' cover of `` The Letter '' reached number 20 in the U.S. 1976 -- Alex Chilton covered `` The Letter '' for the Pickwick Records label ( which specialized in re-recordings of hit songs for budget - album releases ). He sang on a re-recording of the Box Tops ' `` Cry Like a Baby '' at the same time. Both recordings were released by Pickwick in the UK on a various - artists Lp set called `` The Heart Breakers and Tear Jerkers Collection '' and credited to the Box Tops. 1979 -- Country singer Sammi Smith 's version reached number 27 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. 1987 -- Disc jockey David Kolin released a 12 - inch single of a parody called `` Vanna, Pick Me a Letter, '' credited to Dr. Dave. His parody has the narrator as a contestant on Wheel of Fortune. 2017 -- Haley Reinhart released a cover of the song as the second single from her third studio album, What 's That Sound ? References Jump up ^ Rolling Stone ( December 9, 2004 ). `` The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time ''. Rolling Stone ( 963 ). Retrieved June 8, 2017. Jump up ^ `` 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll ''. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 1995. Archived from the original on 2007. Retrieved June 8, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Grammy Hall of Fame Awards -- Past Recipients ''. Grammy.org. 2011. Retrieved June 8, 2017. ^ Jump up to : Dunbavan, Peter ( 2017 ). An Avid 's Guide to Sixties Songwriters. AuthorHouse. eBook. ^ Jump up to : Jones, Roben ( 2010 ). Memphis Boys : The Story of American Studios. University Press of Mississippi. pp. 78 -- 81. ^ Jump up to : George - Warren, Holly ( 2014 ). A Man Called Destruction : The Life and Music of Alex Chilton. Penguin. eBook. ISBN 978 - 0 - 670 - 02563 - 3. Jump up ^ McKeen, William ( 2000 ). Rock and Roll Is Here to Stay : An Anthology ( 1st ed. ). New York City : W.W. Norton. pp. 495 -- 496. ISBN 0 - 393 - 04700 - 8. Jump up ^ McNutt, Randy ( 2002 ). Guitar Towns : A Journey to the Crossroads of Rock ' n ' Roll ( 1st US ed. ). Bloomington, Indiana : Indiana University Press. pp. 104 -- 105. ISBN 0 - 253 - 34058 - 6. Jump up ^ Billboard ( September 23, 1967 ). `` Hot 100 ''. Billboard. 79 ( 38 ) : 24. ISSN 0006 - 2510. Jump up ^ Billboard ( December 30, 1967 ). `` Top Records of 1967 ''. Billboard. 79 ( 52 ) : 42. ISSN 0006 - 2510. ^ Jump up to : Whitburn, Joel ( 1997 ). Joel Whitburn 's Top Pop Singles. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin : Record Research. p. 64. ISBN 0 - 89820 - 122 - 5. Jump up ^ `` Gold & Platinum Search -- The Box Tops ''. RIAA. Retrieved June 8, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Australian-charts.com ''. Australian-charts.com. Retrieved May 1, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada ''. Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Missing or empty url = ( help ) ; access - date = requires url = ( help ) Jump up ^ `` The Irish Charts -- Search Results -- The Letter ''. Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 11, 2017. Jump up ^ Flavour of New Zealand, 17 November 1967 Jump up ^ `` Box Tops -- Singles ''. Official Charts. Retrieved June 8, 2017. Jump up ^ Hoffmann, Frank ( 1983 ). The Cash Box Singles Charts, 1950 -- 1981. Metuchen, New Jersey : Scarecrow Press. p. 58. Jump up ^ `` Go - Set Magazine Charts ''. www.poparchives.com.au. Barry McKay. January 2007. Retrieved 10 June 2017. Jump up ^ Canada chart Jump up ^ Cash Box Year - End Charts : Top 100 Pop Singles, December 23, 1967 Jump up ^ Billboard Nov 11, 1967 Jump up ^ Billboard Nov 18, 1967 Jump up ^ Billboard Dec 2, 1967 Jump up ^ Billboard Dec 16, 1967 Jump up ^ Billboard Dec 9, 1967 Jump up ^ Billboard Dec 16, 1967 Jump up ^ Billboard Dec 23, 1967 Jump up ^ Billboard Feb 10, 1968 ^ Jump up to : Mad Dogs & Englishmen ( DVD notes ). Joe Cocker. Santa Monica, California : A&M Records. 2005. p. 7. B0005532 - 09. Jump up ^ Joel Whitburn 's Top Pop Singles 1955 - 1990, ISBN 0 - 89820 - 089 - X ^ Jump up to : `` Joe Cocker -- Singles ''. Official Charts. Retrieved June 15, 2017. ^ Jump up to : Eder, Bruce. `` Joe Cocker : Mad Dogs & Englishmen ( 2003 Video / DVD ) ''. AllMusic. Retrieved June 15, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada, July 4, 1970 ''. Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2017 - 06 - 04. Jump up ^ Joel Whitburn 's Top Pop Singles 1955 - 1990 - ISBN 0 - 89820 - 089 - X Jump up ^ Cash Box Top 100 Singles, June 20, 1970 Jump up ^ `` Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada ''. collectionscanada.gc.ca. Jump up ^ Musicoutfitters.com Jump up ^ Cash Box Year - End Charts : Top 100 Pop Singles, December 26, 1970 Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2008 ). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 390. ISBN 0 - 89820 - 177 - 2. Jump up ^ Goldstein, Patrick ( March 15, 1987 ). `` Pop Eye ''. Jump up ^ Fred Bronson ( July 13, 2017 ). `` Watch ' American Idol ' Alum Haley Reinhart Cover ' 60s Classic ' The Letter ' ( EXCLUSIVE ) ''. Variety. Retrieved July 14, 2017. External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Preceded by `` Ode to Billie Joe '' by Bobbie Gentry Billboard Hot 100 number one single September 23, 1967 ( four weeks ) Succeeded by `` To Sir, with Love '' by Lulu The Box Tops Rick Levy Gary Talley Bill Cunningham Ron Krasinski Barry Walsh Rick Allen Thomas Boggs Alex Chilton Harold Cloud John Evans Bobby Guidotti Gene Houston Rick Pipkin Joe Savage Swain Schaefer Danny Smythe Larry Spillman Studio albums The Letter / Neon Rainbow Cry Like a Baby Non-Stop Tear Off ! Compilation albums Super Hits The Greatest Hits The Ultimate Box Tops The Best of the Box Tops - Soul Deep Songs `` The Letter '' `` A Whiter Shade of Pale '' `` Neon Rainbow '' `` Cry Like a Baby '' `` You Keep Me Hangin ' On '' Related articles Big Star Bell Records Sundazed Records Haley Reinhart Discography Videography Songs Studio albums Listen Up ! ( 2012 ) Better ( 2016 ) What 's That Sound ? ( 2017 ) EPs American Idol Season 10 Highlights : Haley Reinhart ( 2011 ) Songs `` Baby, It 's Cold Outside '' `` Free '' `` Ca n't Help Falling in Love '' `` Better '' Concert tours American Idols LIVE ! Tour 2011 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Letter_(The_Box_Tops_song)&oldid=815616726 '' Categories : 1967 singles 1970 singles Billboard Hot 100 number - one singles Number - one singles in Norway Joe Cocker songs Songs written by Wayne Carson Song recordings produced by Denny Cordell The Box Tops songs 1967 songs Hidden categories : Pages using web citations with no URL Pages using citations with accessdate and no URL Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Ireland2 Singlechart called without artist All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from June 2017 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Čeština Dansk Deutsch Español Français Nederlands Svenska Edit links This page was last edited on 15 December 2017, at 23 : 16. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. 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Question: who sings my baby wrote me a letter
Answer: Wayne Carson