Take a Letter Maria

"Take a Letter Maria" is a song written and recorded by R. B. Greaves, an American soul singer. The song was recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio on August 19, 1969, using the house studio musicians. These include Donna Jean Thatcher, vocals (later Donna Jean Godchaux of the Grateful Dead), Roger Hawkins, drums, Barry Beckett, electric piano, Eddie Hinton and Jimmy Johnson, guitars, David Hood, bass, and Mel Lastie, trumpet.[1] "Take a Letter Maria" has a Latin music flavor, complete with a mariachi-style horn section featuring trumpets, 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."

"Take a Letter Maria"
Single by R. B. Greaves
from the album R. B. Greaves
B-side"Run Diane"
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)

"Take a Letter Maria" was released in September 1969, quickly gained regular airplay.[2] The single peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100.,[3] and was kept from #1 by "Wedding Bell Blues" by The 5th Dimension.[4]

The single was certified gold by November 1969; one million copies had shipped.[5] By 1970, sales totaled 2.5 million.[6]

Chart positions
Chart (1969) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 2
U.S. Billboard Best Selling Soul Singles[7] 10
U.S. Billboard Easy Listening[8] 21
Australia Kent Music Report[9] 6

Personnel

Cover versions

"Take a Letter Maria" has had two charted cover versions by country music singers. Anthony Armstrong Jones, from his album of the same name, reached number 8 on Hot Country Songs in 1970.[10] In 1999, Doug Stone released the song from his album Make Up in Love, reaching number 45 on Hot Country Songs.[10]

Jimmy Ruffin recorded a cover with Motown on his album The Groove Governor released in 1970.

The New Riders of the Purple Sage included a cover of the song on their 1975 album Oh, What a Mighty Time.

The alt-country supergroup The Pleasure Barons included a high-energy cover of the song on their Live in Las Vegas CD, with vocals by Country Dick Montana of the Beat Farmers.

Gary Puckett also included a cover of it on his Greatest Hits CD in 1986.

Country music singer Sammy Kershaw recorded a version for his 2015 album I Won't Back Down.

  • 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
  1. The Muscle Shoals Sound CD liner notes: Rhino Records, 1993
  2. "WLS 890 Hit Parade". October 6, 1969. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
  3. "Singles chart listings for R.B. Greaves". Allmusic. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
  4. https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1969-11-22
  5. "RIAA search results for R.B. Greaves". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 2, 2009.
  6. Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London, UK: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 259. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
  7. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 236.
  8. Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 107.
  9. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 129. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  10. Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 212. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
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