In memory of R.B. Greaves, who recently passed away from cancer, this post features his biggest hit, "Take A Letter, Maria." It reached No. 2 on the Billboard charts in 1969.
Greaves penned the song about a man sending a letter to his unfaithful wife after he walks in on her "in the arms of another man." The narrator, after packing his bags and leaving the house, dictates a letter to his secretary, which is repeated in the song's chorus:
"So take a letter, Maria, address it to my wife
Say I won't be coming home, gonna start a new life
So take a letter, Maria, address it to my wife
Send a copy to my lawyer, gotta start a new life"
"Was I wrong to work nights to try to build a good life
All work and no play just cost me a wife"
I think the song takes a cute twist at the end when he turns his attention to Maria:
"I never really noticed how sweet you are to me
It just so happens I'm free tonight
Would you like to have dinner with me?"
I believe the horns in the song give the song a Latin flavor. It was recorded at the famed Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Alabama.
If you read the obituary, you'll find that Greaves was a nephew to the late, great singer Sam Cooke, one of my all-time favorite artists.
"Take A Letter, Maria" lyrics
