The Letter (Don & Dewey song)
"The Letter" was a song first released in 1958 by Don & Dewey, written by Dewey Terry and Don "Sugarcane" Harris.[1] It was later recorded by The Long and The Short, and then Caesar and Cleo.
Don & Dewey version
| "The Letter" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45rpm single by Don & Dewey | ||||
| A-side | "The Letter" | |||
| B-side | "Koko Joe" | |||
| Released | July 1958 | |||
| Length | 2:20 | |||
| Label | Specialty 639 | |||
| Composer(s) | Harris-Terry | |||
| US chronology | ||||
| ||||
Airplay
For the week of 6 September 1958, "The Letter" was at no. 9 on the WHAT playlist in Philadelphia on the Disk Jockey Regional Record Reports list. It was also at No. 8 on the WHAT playlist on the R&B Disk Jockey Regional Record Reports list.[2][3]
Sales
For the week of 20 September it was at no. 8 at Comer's Record Nook for the R & B Retail Outlet list.[4]
The Long and the Short version
| "The Letter" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45RPM single by The Long and The Short | ||||
| A-side | "The Letter" | |||
| B-side | "Love Is a Funny Thing" | |||
| Released | 1964 | |||
| Label | Decca F 11964 | |||
| Composer(s) | Harris, Terry | |||
| Producer(s) | Robert Hartford-Davis | |||
| UK chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background
The Long and The Short were made up of Robert Taylor on bass, Allan Grindley on drums, Robert McKinnely on rhythm guitar, Gerry Watts on piano and Les Saint on lead guitar.[5] They recorded "The Letter" which was backed with "Love is a Funny Thing" and released on Decca F.11964.[6]
Charts
For the week ending 18 September, "The Letter" peaked at no. 35 in the Record Mirror Britain's Top 50 chart.[7][8] The record was still in the chart at no. 49 for the week ending October 10, 1964.[9]
For the week of 3 October 1964, "The Letter" debuted at no. 46 on the Radio Caroline chart.[10]
Caesar And Cleo, Sonny & Cher version
| "The Letter" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Song by Caesar and Cleo | ||||
| A-side | "The Letter" | |||
| B-side | "String Fever" | |||
| Released | March 1964 | |||
| Recorded | 18 February 1964 | |||
| Length | 2:02 | |||
| Label | Vault V-909 | |||
| Composer(s) | Harris - Terry | |||
| US chronology | ||||
| ||||
| "The Letter" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Song by Sonny & Cher | ||||
| A-side | "The Letter" | |||
| B-side | "Spring Fever" | |||
| Released | 7 October 1965 | |||
| Recorded | 18 February 1964 | |||
| Length | 2:02 | |||
| Label | Vault V-916 | |||
| Composer(s) | Harris - Terry | |||
| Producer(s) | Sonny Bono | |||
| US chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background
The song was recorded on 18 February 1964.[11] The record was originally credited to Caesar & Cleo. The song was recorded under the direction of Richard Delvy. The arrangements were handled by Harold Battiste. The B side was "String Fever".[12] Ceasar & Cleo were actually Sonny & Cher. When they had a hit with "I Got You Babe" under their name Sonny & Cher, Vault Records took advantage of an opportunity and re-released the single as a Sonny & Cher record, which gave the label its first national chart hit.[13]
Reception
As reported in the 7 March 1964 issue of Music Reporter, the new Caesar & Cleo single, "The Letter" was a "grand slam West Coast Pick". The stations playing the single were KYA and KEWB in San Francisco and KFWB and KRLA in Los Angeles. The distributors ATCO Records reported that dealers were finding it hard to keep up with the orders.[14]
The record was one of the Pop Spotlights in the 14 March issue of Billboard. The reviewer referred to the single as a driver, unrelenting and highly danceable.[15]
Airplay
For the week of 30 October 1965, the Cash Box Radio Active Chart showed that 15% of radio stations had added "The Letter" to their program schedule that week.[16]
Charts
The record, credited to Sonny & Cher debuted at no. 47 in the Cash Box Looking Ahead chart for the week of 23 October.[17][18] It peaked at no. 4 on the Cash Box Looking Ahead Chart for the week of 20 November.[19][20][21]
For the week of 27 November 1975, "The Letter" debuted at No. 9 in the Record World Singles Coming Up chart.[22][23] The Sonny & Cher version of "The Letter" peaked at no. 75 nationally. [24]
References
- ^ The Sonny and Cher Guide, By Daniel Wheway · 2017 - ISBN 9781520359342 - Songs Recorded By Sonny & Cher, The Letter
- ^ The Cash Box, Volume XIX-Number 51 September 6, 1958 - Page 36 Disk Jockey REGIONAL RECORD REPORTS, "LLOYD FATMAN" WHAT—Phila., Pa, 9. The Letter (Don & Dewey)
- ^ The Cash Box, Volume XIX-Number 51 September 6, 1958 - Page 43 Top Selling Records Reported by R & B Retail Outlets From Coast to Coast, "LLOYD FATMAN" WHAT—Philo, Pa., 8. The Letter (Don & Dewey)
- ^ The Cash Box, Volume XX-Number 1 September 20, 1958 - Page 5 Top Selling Records Reported By R & B Retail Outlets From Coast to Coast, COMER'S RECORD NOOK Son Antonio, Texas, 8. The Letter (Don & Dewey)
- ^ Record Mirror, Wewe ending September 18, 1964 - Page 18 PETER JONES'S NEW FACES, THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT
- ^ Record Mirror, Week ending September 26, 1964 - Page 11 Moving UP Fast! Now at No. 38!
- ^ Record Mirror, Week ending September 18, 1964 - Page 19 BRITAIN'S TOP 50, 45 THE LETTER, 40 (2) The Long and the Short (Decca)
- ^ MusicVF.com - The Long & The Short songs, Top songs / Chart singles, 1964 1 09/1964 The Letter
- ^ Record Mirror, Week ending October 10, 1964 - Page 15 BRITAIN'S TOP 50, 49 THE LETTER, 39 (5) The Long and the Short (Decca)
- ^ Radio London - Radio Caroline - 1964, Saturday, October 3, 1964, last Week _, This Week 46, Title The Letter*
- ^ The Sonny and Cher Guide, By Daniel Wheway · 2017 - ISBN 9781520359342 - Songs Recorded By Sonny & Cher, The Letter
- ^ 45Cat - Caesar And Cleo - Discography, USA, The Letter
- ^ Both Sides Now Publications - Vault Album Discography By Patrice Eyries, Mike Callahan, Randy Watts, and David Edwards
- ^ Music Reporter, Vol. VIII, No. 31 - (Page unknown) TRADE BRIEFS, ATCO SINGLE GRAND SLAM
- ^ Billboard, March 14, 1964 - Page 28 SINGLES REVIEWS, POP SPOTLIGHT, CAESAR & CLEO, THE LETTER
- ^ Cash Box, October 30, 1965 - Page 12 CASH BOX RADIO ACTIVE CHART, 15% The Letter—Sonny and Cher—Vault
- ^ Cash Box, October 16, 1964 - Page 7 Cash Box LOOKING AHEAD
- ^ Cash Box, October 23, 1965 - Page 10 Cash Box Looking Ahead 47 THE LETTER
- ^ Cash Box, November 13, 1965 - Page 16 Cash Box LOOKING AHEAD, 5 THE LETTER
- ^ Cash Box, November 20, 1965 - Page 10 Cash Box LOOKING AHEAD, 4 THE LETTER
- ^ Cash Box, November 27, 1965 - Page 8 Cash Box LOOKING AHEAD, 19 THE LETTER
- ^ Record World, Vol. 20, No. 963 November 20, 1965 - Page 16 SINGLES COMING UP
- ^ Record World, Vol. 20, No. 964 November 27, 1965 - Page 29 SINGLES COMING UP, 9 THE LETTER
- ^ MusicVF.com - Sonny and Cher songs Top songs / Chart singles discography, 1965 5 10/1965 The Letter
External links
- Discogs - Don And Dewey* – Koko Joe / The Letter
- Discogs - The Long And The Short – The Letter / Love Is A Funny Thing
- Discogs - Caesar & Cleo – The Letter / String Fever
- doowopAmnon channel, Oct 19, 2011 - The Letter - Don & Dewey '57 Specialty 639 (audio)
- Paul Yates channel, Sep 26, 2011 - Long And The Short - The Letter Decca F 12043 1964.wmv (audio)
- musicalcliff channel, Mar 3, 2013 - CAESAR & CLEO (Sonny & Cher) sing THE LETTER in 1963 (audio)