"Take a Letter Maria" is the debut single written and recorded by American soul singer R. B. Greaves. It was recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio on August 19, 1969, using the house studio musicians. These include Donna Jean Thatcher on vocals (later Donna Jean Godchaux of the Grateful Dead), Roger Hawkins on drums, Barry Beckett on electric piano, Eddie Hinton and Jimmy Johnson on guitar, David Hood on bass, and Mel Lastie on trumpet. "Take a Letter Maria" was released in September 1969, and quickly gained regular airplay. The single peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was kept from the top spot by the 5th Dimension's "Wedding Bell Blues". The single was certified gold by November 1969; one million copies had shipped. By 1970, sales totalled 2.5 million.

Background

"Take a Letter Maria" has a Latin music flavor, complete with a mariachi-style horn section, 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."

Chart positions

Personnel

Cover versions

"Take a Letter Maria" has had two charted cover versions by country music singers:

Song in popular culture