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R.B. Greaves-Take a letter Maria

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Deleted User 15502

R.B. Greaves-Take a letter Maria

Post by Deleted User 15502 » Sat Mar 27, 2021 10:29 pm



I always liked this song.



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Musicrewired
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Re: R.B. Greaves-Take a letter Maria

Post by Musicrewired » Sun Mar 28, 2021 1:36 am

The label refers to Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, and was one of the early records made there by the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, a/k/a The Swampers, after they left FAME Studios to start their own venture. The studio opened in 1969, the same year this song was recorded and released, eventually reaching #2 on the Billboard Hot 100.

That's the biggest hit with Maria in the title until Santana's "Maria Maria" thirty years later, if I'm not mistaken. B.W. Stevenson hit with "My Maria" in 1973, going to #9.

Plus, you're right. It's a good song and well worth revisiting.
Last edited by Musicrewired on Wed Apr 07, 2021 8:56 am, edited 1 time in total.



sfpcc
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Re: R.B. Greaves-Take a letter Maria

Post by sfpcc » Sun Mar 28, 2021 1:44 am

The New Riders Of The Purple Sage do a really good cover of that song.

There's also Maria from West Side Story.



matt1
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Re: R.B. Greaves-Take a letter Maria

Post by matt1 » Sun Mar 28, 2021 4:26 am

Also "Maria" by Blondie (from 1999 "No Exit").



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Re: R.B. Greaves-Take a letter Maria

Post by matt1 » Sun Mar 28, 2021 4:30 am

From ABC "The Music Scene" hosted by David Steinberg from late 1969 Monday nights, here is "Take A Letter Maria" which R.B. Greaves tries to start the reel to reel tape but explodes at the end!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9Y0x1j ... ssikRocker



matt1
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Re: R.B. Greaves-Take a letter Maria

Post by matt1 » Sun Mar 28, 2021 4:32 am

The other Top 40 song by R.B. Greaves was "Always Something There To Remind Me" (written by David & Bacharach) & went to # 27 in February of 1970. Later done by Naked Eyes in February of 1983.



matt1
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Re: R.B. Greaves-Take a letter Maria

Post by matt1 » Sun Mar 28, 2021 5:37 am

Greaves died on September 27, 2012 at 68 years old. Story from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._B._Greaves



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Re: R.B. Greaves-Take a letter Maria

Post by stopnswop2 » Tue Mar 30, 2021 2:48 pm

When I was a kid I thought he was singing gibberish, with the only recognizable words being "on a Saturday night" (which are not even actually said anywhere in the song, lmao).
I should post that one in the misheard lyrics thread


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Bobbert
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Re: R.B. Greaves-Take a letter Maria

Post by Bobbert » Wed Apr 07, 2021 7:30 pm

I always liked that punchline:

It just so happens I'm free tonight
Would you like to have dinner with me?



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Re: R.B. Greaves-Take a letter Maria

Post by Bobbert » Wed Apr 07, 2021 7:33 pm

Pop songs from 1969 and 1970 have a special sound. The energy and enthusiasm of the 60s, plus an extra bit of punch in the production that was a preview of the heavily produced pop songs of the 1970s. My family had a swimming club membership those two years, and I can still hear those songs playing on the jukebox in the big recreation room.



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