The Box Tops- "The Letter"/Interview 1967 [Reelin' In The Years Archives]

[@johnhouston6142]

And many many years later my friends band played with him in Scotland.. Teenage Fanclub.. they were big fans of Alex as a person and as a songwriter and musician. so it was a match made in heaven for the Scottish boys.. rest in peace Alex.. peace and love from Scotland ❤ J x 🤘👍👌

[@veritomartin5876]

Peace a and love from México 🇲🇽 😊❤

[@justinherbert9146]

The amazing thing is at 16 years old Alex gave us one of the all time greatest vocal performances ever recorded.

[@quercus5398]

That video the band made believe they were live,they were having fun.

[@spurs19571]

RIP Alex Chilton

[@mosely2009]

I have this on 45 from decades ago. The 60s still enjoy it. Thanks for posting

[@pg1171]

I remember listening to my big brother's copy of this a few years after it first came out. It was possibly my introduction to Rock music. I was probably 6 or 7 at the time. Born in late 64.

[@thomashusted]

The very first song they recorded was a number 1 hit and the lead singer, Chilton was only 16, unheard of!

[@daniellagarcia3948]

My uncle isn't in this one but if you watch the original one, he filled in on the drums. Wish I knew him well 😪 . RIP uncle Danny Smythe 2016

[@arthurdepinto2174]

Danny Smythe, was an American drummer and a founding member of The Box Tops!

[@Selvikus]

He actually is! Right next to john evans! You can see him pretending to play guitar(probably because they can’t get a drumset into the tv studio)

[@tomlehr861]

Saw them in 67

[@tomlehr861]

Not sure who was drumming then he had black hair, seem kind of big to me, i was 13

[@veritomartin5876]

​@@tomlehr861really? 😮

[@johnhouston6142]

I think its the shortest American number one song ever.. I may be wrong.. but good timing because the American boys were in Nam.. 🤘🤘🤘💕

[@countrygal4205]

I was 14 In 1967 ,I liked this song.

[@scott7521]

congrats

[@deangelobayley7079]

stargnoc

[@jonathannieto4343]

This song, "The Letter", is the soundtrack of my youth! Wow! Eternal music! Ever! Keep in my heart! The Box Tops is the best rock band in the world! 🏆🎖️✌️👍🎸☮️

[@JeanPaul-xn6qt]

QUE POCA MADRE DE CANCIÓN Y DE VOZ...SUPER CHINGONERÍA...!!!

[@continentalgin]

Great band! I remember this song along with Steppenwolf's Born To Be Wild being a turning point in AM pop radio. Those two records ushered in the hippie era. Of course, The Beatles did their part too, in 1967.

[@haintedhouse2990]

so did the Doors and Jefferson Airplane.

[@richwiz2]

Thanks for this video. They are hard to find and this is awesome.

[@juancarlossalas-fi7yt]

Love all this songs to this wonderful and great artist bands because is the number one on my heart and in my mind and I live a one experience to this son and the song to the crye like a baby wow God bless all theys boys

[@asacarrick1440]

Nicely put amigo

[@CosmicPowerCP]

Thanks. 'Tis a classic.

[@daisyglaze1817]

I just noticed Gary's hand appears above Bill's on the keyboard @ 1:30 😂 They were always making Alex laugh when he was trying to sing.

[@russellmakar579]

Nice catch.

[@JMarinelli]

Bill Cunningham on the killer Mosrite bass. A few years later he did the string arrangements on Big Star's Third.

[@tracemontgomery5459]

He had the Memphis accent back then! Cool to see/hear.

[@shyman99]

A bunch of goofy kids with a #1 hit. How I miss these days when music wasn't just a manufactured marketing machine.

[@Darm0k]

60s music couldn't have been more manufactured. There were professional songwriting staffs, and studio musicians played nearly everything. There were instrumental "bands" that had their faces plastered on album covers and never saw the inside of a recording studio. They even assembled a "band" for a TV show. A lot of great songs came out of the era, but the kids doing the singing were barely responsible for any of it.

[@shyman99]

@@Darm0k - If they chose kids to create a manufactured band strictly for TV and album jackets, then they would have chosen all pretty boys and not the homely dudes you see. Many of these kids grew up to be major figures in the music industry, such as Ted Templeman from Harpers Bizarre. David Crosby was not playing on the Byrds albums but still contributed to the success of that band and a long successful career. You can find examples of manufacturing in all eras, but today it is strictly about how you look and an image before there is any consideration about talent. Not the case in the 60's.

[@Darm0k]

@@shyman99 Do you think every member of The Monkees was a pretty boy? No, but they were still assembled for TV. I'm not saying there were no talented musicians who became stars in the 60s. Remember, you're talking about people who were good enough to be remembered over 50 years later. There were plenty of bands who had hits but nobody remembers. And many of them were probably almost entirely molded by the record companies.

[@shyman99]

@@Darm0k - The Monkees were chosen for acting, not for music. They needed to get a hybrid of looks for comedy skits. Completely different animal altogether. Most bands who had a decent amount of hits continued to play concerts for years to come, although losing members along the way. Often times they were not in the recording studio for the sake of saving time and money. Not for the lack of skills. It would have been suicidal for a group to not have solid skills because they wouldn't have been able to reproduce on stage the songs that made them famous. It was okay to be ugly yet talented in the 60's. Can't say the same thing today.

[@daisyglaze1817]

@@shyman99 Alex Chilton was far from homely. He was extremely attractive, charismatic and had a sexy voice. I read that he had girls lined up outside his hotel room waiting their turn to sleep with him. He was a bit young in this clip but if you watch the video of 'The Letter' from their Upbeat performance you can see why girls went crazy for him. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fpPOkn6ue9Njrtk

[@WallyPeterson]

The song that birthed the musical genius that was Alex Chilton.

[@rodneysammons5544]

The studio wanted him to change is voice to this sound on the record.

[@moffettcoates6455]

Outstanding

[@TheRedDevil_NC]

Music Videos were being made long before MTV appeared. This would qualify but imagine what they could do with the songs from the 50s and 60s using MTV type video stories

[@bwrobeson]

Not into lipsyning...it felt like a joke because the music was so real...Alex I still lov you...b

[@ahmedkemak454]

Très très belle chanson 💕 ma jeunesse 💕 une belle époque 💕👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@EdKazO-Vision]

Most perfect pop single ever.

[@IsaacAsimov1992]

+Ed Kaz! Yeah, so simple and unpretentious. Everything just worked. Very catchy. People just loved that song. Classic for the Ages.

[@Hal9000ize]

And then Alex topped it with September Gurls

[@elisecliftonklitz]

The Memphis Sound 💙

[@mikelord9860]

Yeah I couldn't wait for that song to come back on the radio. And where'd they get that 12-string?!

[@stephenkane2464]

I know right! What kind of 12 string is that !

[@shave-a-thon3415]

@@stephenkane2464 Usually Vox made those funky looking guitars back then like the Teardrop, but I couldn't tell the brand name on the top of the neck @ 1:49. I know he was playing bar chords but I couldn't tell if the other guitarist with the glasses was actually fingering any real chords.

[@shave-a-thon3415]

Now I know why the other guitarist's chord structure didn't look right. That's Danny Smythe (glasses) and he was the band's drummer!

[@flagemdown66]

It's by Labaye the same company that made the 2x4 electric guitar.

[@iVenge]

@@flagemdown66 Are you sure? I see what you mean, but the head stock is totally different, and it’s more ornate than the LaBayes I’ve seen.

[@angelsalazar9093]

I love his suits

[@jimmygrieves2909]

Ah yes, there was a time when there were actual staff at railway stations !

[@louiso.4325]

...children by the millions...

[@clutch2827]

I love how he clearly doesn't give a fk that he's not singing perfectly to the recording.

[@rhiannas1355]

I’m crushing on Alex😍😍😍😍

[@FeduL34]

Такое впечатление,что вокалист под кайфом.Отлиная группа,жаль мало клипов.

[@moonglow1311]

Gosh‼️Alex💙 didn't even make an effort to lip-sync the song✌️

[@Youtubeiswoke-p7i]

The hollies and this guy..where the hell did he get that voice..looks like he isn't even trying..wow great voice

[@steveshattah]

2:00 I recognize this emcee's voice. He's the announcer on the Beatles 1965 Atlanta concert.

[@marianofuentes504]

Very nice video. The short letter and the ticket office selling a ticket for an airplane.

[@thadonis.]

2:50 - what does the host say after 'Memphis'..?

[@feferosette]

👏👏👏👏

[@johnchesterman6016]

RIP Alex

[@kenpenn3844]

Back when Music was Real

[@professionalmoron1565]

You’re gosh dang right. I have the album and 45 single of this song

[@rociosolano58]

El chico màs sexy del planeta!! Siempre pensè eso.. ✨

[@oscarallen9096]

Dont get me wrong i love this song but people who think he was singing live, he wasnt. Most songs were lip-synced or was a sing along. There are many points during this performance he isnt singing into the mic but yet the sound's volume doesn't change.

[@lazyrrr2411]

Knew a guy who claimed he wrote this song on-staff in 1962 & sold it outright for $200 - - - BUT THEN people say a Lot of things ...

[@elisecliftonklitz]

❤️❤️❤️LX rip

[@Khultan]

Why weren't they playing live?

[@MysterFade]

Memphis bred!!! A dope song.

[@misterb7070]

I think this is the shortest #1 record in history

[@VirreFriberg]

I Am Henry The Eight, I Am by Herman's Hermits and Old Town Road by Lil Nas X are slightly shorter

[@jonnybirchyboy1560]

The shortest #1 record would actually be “Stay” by Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs

[@Zoltan-sb2hh]

Figyelemreméltó a basszusgitáros.

[@daisywrabbit]

keep your eye on the bass player. He’s being goofy and acting up the whole time. Shaking his leg, waggling his eyebrows, mouthing the words comically, reaching over the keyboard, etc. 😂🎸

[@reflective5001]

First time seeing video (gob-smacked they are white [pinkish anyway]!), but always a fan of the record-remember hearing it on David Jason's hit or a miss prog on BBC. Never any doubt it was a hit, as voted so, -only bettered IMHO by first hearing of TV premier of Beatles' Hello, Goodbye on midweek teatime TV in UK-shock jock effect! Those were the days! 😎

[@chipgaasche4933]

How many lineups did this band have??

[@richalderson6069]

Alex was 17 here? Comes across as much older than his years but he's obviously got youthful attitude and is not interested in faking the lip syncing.

[@rickyrudd28texacohavolinef2]

William Alexander Chilton (December 28, 1950 - March 17, 2010) Alex was still 16 till the end of December 1967. I was barely driving around with my girlfriend in my car & Alex with his group The Boxtops, has a number one song. How cool was that!

[@hopelesswonderchild]

Drumming comes from tape ?

[@jtf2dan]

So the color video of the song with them with longer hair and facial hair must have been years later...singer definitely looks 16 in this video, not the other one.

[@NoEgg4u]

Too bad the sound was not from the event. It was the studio recording dubbed in to this video.

[@robertsuttie3307]

I did not know he was such a young kid. He doesn't sound like it.

[@Fregulus5]

What kind of guitar is that the blondish guy is playing?

[@allencarpenter6203]

I think that it's a Mosrite made popular by the Ventures!

[@ripthereverb]

The blonde chap is lead guitarist, Gary Talley. I have no idea what that very unusual strange 12 string is that he is playing? Perhaps someone may know? The bass player is playing a Mosrite Celebrity bass created by Semi Mosley and The Ventures helped make Mosrite very famous.

[@TommyPleasants]

The blonde guitar player is actually named John Evans. He later worked as an awesome guitar tech for a big music shop called Strings n Things in Memphis.

[@davevogelar9965]

I just can't believe hes only 16.

[@PaulSmith-pz9eq]

I miss Alex

[@skipnaxer7705]

From a Man vet. This was a popular song.

[@daisywrabbit]

👍

[@sporting06]

Alex Shilton not even holding the microphone. only Jim Morrison could do that in 1967.

[@daisyglaze1817]

Alex Chilton. He was too stoned to even lip sync 😂 But he was way hotter and cooler than Jim Morrison in my opinion.

[@stepcher]

CHILTON

[@cherixbiggs5819]

D P were you there????? Wth!

[@daisyglaze1817]

@@cherixbiggs5819 No, I wasn't born until 12 years later. Are you asking cause I said Alex was stoned? I read in his biography that he had smoked a joint before this performance. Alex enjoyed weed but this was the only performance I've seen him look stoned in. I saw a couple of pictures that a friend of his had taken when Alex and his first wife were moving and he was high in the photos. He just had the most adorable, stoned smile while carrying a mattress. In the other pic him and his wife were in the truck and his wife was holding a cat. I find it so cute to think of Alex having a cat. Anyway, I wasn't trying to make an assumption, I was going by what I've read about him. I'm a huge fan of Alex. So much so that I listen to his music every single day for hours and it's the only music I listen to. It drives my family crazy but my husband kindly tolerates my Alex addiction, lol. I have books about Alex on my nightstand and I drink coffee from my Alex mug every morning. I just love him so much 😁

[@cherixbiggs5819]

D P Thank you for sharing that👍 You, are undoubtedly, possibly his biggest fan! And that makes me smile that you are actually a kind person.... that is very appreciated by me. I get that attachment to Alex! ❤️. I have musicians who, much to my broken heart, are gone. Yet I dont have a single mug! 😢. And I expect they all smoked weed. Whatever. I smoke nothing, and I do not care if my heroes did or do. I just love them for the joy they have given me all my life thru sharing their lives with all of the fans. God bless you; keep on loving Alex, and thank you for taking the time to be kind enough to share that story. It is a gem. It is very sweet to think of Alex with a kitty cat! What a gentle soul he must have been. ❣️❣️ You made my day! ☺️☕️🍩

[@ASHole71]

This is not live

[@daltonwarwick3583]

Obviously it’s not but he looks like a young John fogerty,phenomenal voice for being 16.It was the 60’s so he must’ve smoked a million cigarettes by that age

[@jfaulkner5881]

👍

[@Retroscoop]

What a stranger guitar, that white one on the right

[@marksoquetjr4693]

Where's the drummer and horn players? I think he's lip syncing too

[@daisyglaze1817]

They're pretending to sing/play but it's just a recording. That was done a lot back then for these types of performances. I read in Alex Chiltons (lead singer) biography that the band barely played on the records. The execs just had Alex go in and record with different (more experienced?) musicians. I also read that Alex smoked a joint before this which is fitting because he definitely looks high. I think the video of this song being performed by them at The Bitter End is live though.

[@JettTyler17]

The drummer is the guy behind Alex playing the black guitar- I assume they were fooling around a bit with that as a lot of bands hated lip-syncing on TV.... Here in the UK a lot of bands messed around on a show called Top of the Pops if they had to lip sync

[@superanfibio1]

Eterna

[@JoelKiyak]

Dude is not actually singing here if you couldn't tell

[@victoriacushing1514]

looks like lennon son

[@80sruler]

I’m sure he loved lip syncing

[@stevenschlussel1361]

Invisable Drummer

[@mildotCadet]

Песня ассоциируется с войной в в Вьетнаме!?

[@jhankline8963]

A known fact alex was ripped on weed on this tv show. Check his eyes and his body and he hardly makes an attempt to sing. Also hands in pockets. Why no drums well the drummer is playing guitar . the one with the glasses

[@cherixbiggs5819]

Jhan Kline who the hell cares, Big Shot! Like you never smoked or drank?!!!!😈

[@deangelobayley7079]

*ripped* on weed ..ok boomer

[@rickyrudd28texacohavolinef2]

He’s only sixteen years old when this show was filmed.

[@straceshow3212]

Lip syncing sucks.

[@drdope666]

Dorks

[@namcat53]

Projecting

[@RedArrow73]

Alex's pose while singing looks unnatural and contrived.

[@andrewcarlton6357]

HERMAN'S HERMITS is my favorite band and these guys are just a cheap rip-off.

[@vietnamvietnam2653]

Vietnam war