Clocking in at just under two minutes, The Letter is one of the shortest #1 hits in rock history.
And the gruff, raspy vocals heard on the song belong not to some grizzled veteran of the chitlin circuit but to a young kid on his first visit to a recording studio – Alex Chilton was only 17 when he sang on The Letter.
The single was recorded at American Recording Studios in Memphis, Tennessee, in March 1967.
Though it was launched against the prevailing winds of psychedelia in the summer of 1967, the single would not be denied its place on the charts, holding down the #1 position for four weeks.
Alex Chilton
Vocals, guitar
John Evans
Organ
Gary Talley
Guitar
Bill Cunningham
Bass, piano
Danny Smythe
Drums
Rick Allen
Organ
Tom Boggs
Drums
Jerry Riley
Guitar
Swain Schaefer
Piano
Harold Cloud
Bass
