The Letter - Box Tops 1967

"The Letter", a song by Nashville songwriter Wayne Carson Thompson, and recorded by the Box Tops in 1967. As the story goes, Thompson's father suggested "Give me a ticket for an aeroplane" as the opening line for a song. "The Letter", along with other songs on a demo tape, were given to producer Dan Penn was anxious to cut his first record, but needed a band as well. A Memphis disc jockey recommended a rather unknown local group called the Devilles who had never cut a record either.

Penn met with the group's lead vocalist, 16 year old Alex Chilton, and told him to do the lyrics in a gruff voice and to make sure and say 'aer-o-plane'. After augmenting the song with strings and horns, the jet airplane sound, and 30 recording takes, the song was cut. The band's original name Devilles was in conflict with a more well known group of the same name. One of the members jokingly suggested a name contest where people can send in 50 cents and a 'box top'. Considered blue-eyed soul, the Box Tops best known hit would sell 4 million copies was ranked as the #1 hit in 1967.

Видео The Letter - Box Tops 1967 канала 60s70sTheBest