The Box Tops - The Letter (Upbeat 1967)

[The60sfanatic]

Good video. Shame the audio isn't live.

[peterthelesser]

Eddie Money? lol

[blueticecho]

...my bitch text me and said get fuck ass hole she said that she couldn't wait. Hello 2012 !

[edcaley]

I always think this is a good tune.....but am I the only who thinks it could have been fleshed out a bit (both lyrically and in terms of the music) to make it a classic song?

[HickysBoy]

@edcaley Agree completely! Always thought the same thing.

[cottoncandycloud4you]

Lovely.....

[BuzCzar]

Heard this the first time on Armed Forces Radio in a little place named AnKhe, Republic of Vietnam. The lyrics hit home pretty hard.

[basicaa]

I always associate it with partying in Daytona Beach in the '60's

[echovector]

That looks like a pre-incarnate Judd Nelson from the breakfast club days

[slayerrules114]

Alex.... so attractive. x.x

[SuperMiro73]

rip alex

[chiefashley56]

Thank you!

[billeybop]

I'm so blessed to be part of this scene! Never would give it up!!!!

[WX5G]

First heard it on Boss Radio KHJ out of LA in the summer of 67......

[Democrat64]

The great R&B, soul man Bobby Womack, originally played the lead guitar during the recording session of this song for the Boxtops...just a little information some may, or may not have known.

[mlkemper]

a 16 year old phenom ..Alex Chilton

[ftsjr]

RIP, Alex.

[mutley4851]

StratoBlaster420,

I think I like the song lyrics better.

[strappingone]

Who is the guy at 1:15

[glueonhair]

lummy......i fort dey were blick!

[blynn1952]

Alex Chilton is Alex Chilton, born once. Eddie Money doesn't come close. Listen to Big Star. Very early precursors of power pop. None Come close.

[alwaysengines]

@blynn1952 I agree but I bet Eddie Money was a hug fan of the Box Tops and took his cues from Alex. It's uncanny likeness - hair, dress and attitude.

[balloonfarmer]

unbelievable song from an unreal artist

[taypar11]

Alex Chilton is Eddie Money reincarnated. They look so much alike. I love the circus feel of the organ, sounds like an old coliape. Nice horns and violins,too.

[Tony1949d]

Hah-hah-hah, too much man!

[monkusbee]

that guy is a cool rock star

[gracieiam]

This video is hysterical. The expressions on their faces are priceless.

[Beatlejoose56]

This guy was my age , this is getting scary

[orpheumshn]

I can remember back in the days, on my porch with friends groovin to this tune, first time tonight I get to see the recording..thanks for posting and r.i. p. alex..

[manthony1956]

They all look so excited to be there!

[wardka]

@manthony1956 I agree. They need to tone down the exuberance a little. They're wearing me out. ;-)

[TheRob5]

Poor Alex, he looks so uncomfortable in this video, I love the song, but now I feel kinda bad.

[pdorn777]

Dextrorotary version of one of my all-time favourite songs!

[cmmwiz]

Great song and we got to see what these dudes look like.Not sure if they wanted to do this.

[gdosic]

@cmmwiz Awesome comment.. hahahahaha And I hope you know that, you put a big smile on my face. :D

[Syzygy60]

idiots think like idiots



[Syzygy60]

even this lead singer was too high to realize his importance

[Syzygy60]

this is mandatory

[luckyslimester]

1:15-16 & 1:24-28 hahaha! these guys are so cute xD

[blueticecho]

Well today you would better off to take the train you will be three hours at the gate with some fag-fed looking up your bungie looking for a box cutter.

[1967foghorn]

the guitar player at the end looks like he's really jammin on some other song.I watch this once a week just to laugh,I think they knew exactly what they were doing!(messin with the TV audience!!)

[RegisPPalmer]

I think these lip-synch are the best...It's a different animal than a visual presenting the performer playing the instruments...moreover, you get the best of both worlds, equitable audio and visuals. also this process was less taxing on the bands time constraints. Love this tune...Excellent upload...I could watch this a 1,000 times....thankz :)

[strappingone]

what has become of these guys....

[livetoshop1]

@strappingone I know lead singer Alex Chilton passed away several months ago.

[strappingone]

@livetoshop1 Really appreciate the info....a loss for everyone....10q

[MrCarlosraven]

Tá bebado este filho da puta ???? W T F ?

[hebneh]

The Monkees did this same satirical thing on their TV show, but that was totally packaged phony pop stuff. By 1967, groups no longer dressed in matching outfits and tried to look all spiffy and as though they were performing live.

In earlier years, a group might've gotten away with acting like this on TV if they were doing some kooky novelty record.

[CeissaDesiste]

Got here due to the Facebook Challenge. #1 song on the day I was born!

[scottishsimon67]

@CeissaDesiste wow! same here! (I was going to post the #1 in the U.K. charts but it was Engelbert Humperdinck!)

[PeachWNK]

@CeissaDesiste Me, too!! :)

[TheGuitarguy1995]

Man, great song, but they look like they are having the worst time of their lives haha!

[rockingwhiterabbit]

@TheGuitarguy1995 It looks more to me that they had the time of their live...the night before :-D

[SeattleLA]

lead singer was 15 when this song was recorded.

[jcalatayudj]

Get a hair cut!!!

[bobMCherpes]

he looks like tate langdon :3

[axeofgod72]

one of the great songs from the late 60's... now i'm gonna watch "bus stop" by the Hollies... also another perfect tune.

[japandajinx]

I love that lead singer has hair in his face. I also loved his voice, it was very gruff. Anyways this song is the shit

[IndoorsunPaul]

Top tune - Nice one man!! :p

[juansihi]

what a nice song, but the vocal guy had his eyes covered, or was he a shy guy? 

[juansihi]

What a great song hit I enjoyed it in the 60's in my teens, but the guy vocal had his hair long that covered on his eyes, oh what a shy boy!!!!! .

[Aucht52]

great song but that dude is lip synching!

[tonemenolc]

Holy crap, Nathan Fillion travelled back in time.

[kvylone]

This was and remains one of the most popular songs in the 60s, I listen with pleasure

[mrbarr1961]

one of my all time songs that i love , ty for the upload

[Roastbeefwithcheese]

1:15 : Funny high bird cheesin

[tr0255]

I use to listen to this on my portable record player, and play it over and over until my parents said they would break it. I like the ending where the wind blows. cool

[nnaa123321]

For who Came here from BillboardGoddess Like me :P

[ShinGetterPoPo]

I love the keyboardist grinning everytime he was on camera

[gymnastix]

@ShinGetterPoPo That's because he knew all but the most clueless of the home viewing audience (who watched this performance on television) also knew they're not really playing live.

[gymnastix]

@ShinGetterPoPo Most groups on many, and some groups on all but a few music-based TV shows, had to "mime" their performances, so as to appear as if playing and singing the actual record being played.

In some instances, live, but pre-recorded tracks were done before a live airtime or taping, very occasionally offering at least live lead vocals.

[JennEssa2012]

thank you smithbonz ~ I never knew his name! Alex Chilton ~ yeah sexy on the vocals too!

did he go on performing ~ solo?

[Yardbirdsfan]

no bass?



[wentonmastermind]

@StratoBlaster420 Please, StratoBlaster420, remember your modern marriage vows - you is ma bitch now!

[sargesr]

@StratoBlaster420 thats so cool

[axeofgod72]

@StratoBlaster420 ...... yeah, if you were a monkey with no sense of suavity, taste, or discretion... bling bling, pimps and ho's... how sick is that culture?

[StratoBlaster420]

@axeofgod72 You pretty much just described the majority of every generation since the mid 1980's. Fuck electro pop.

[londonderriere]

@StratoBlaster420 hahahahahahahahaha



[abgdezhuiklmnxoprsty]

@StratoBlaster420 jhahahahaha you r so right

[Draxelzs]

@StratoBlaster420

Quality ;)

[MrBeatlegreg68]

gee...I wonder who was eddie money's favorite singer and role model...? ;)

[Altaira55]

LOL, they could hardly stop laughing and taking the p*"*.  Love it.

One of my faves from the 60's (when I was a teenager....honest).

[xs3kShUun8x]

The Nirvana of the 60s!!

[tallorder9]

Just freaked was Eddie to me.

[cfazekas0441]

great song

[mlong1954]

Does not look like they really even cared that their words/music did not not match the record. Must be pretty humiliating to have to lip-sycn :(

[wentonmastermind]

A brilliant and totally disrespectful send-up of so-called live performances. BBC's Top of the Pops got away with it for years.

[MOSKII58]

@wentonmastermind the guitars are not even plugged in!!

[wentonmastermind]

@MOSKII58 I had not noticed - and full marks to you for having done so!

[written12]

@wentonmastermind I couldn't agree more.

The keyboard player here is particularly whimsical with his "look, ma, no hands" moments.

And Alex Chilton's little dance at the end is brilliant.

[warehousetroll1]

good pickup on the eddie money thing

[LORI13452]

Gee,this must have been before people realized they were lip syncing???

[Arend911]

This is music...

[DaNukePaintballGames]

I love the Half-Arsed attempt at a Half Windsor tie. LOL

[englishsandy]

@DaNukePaintballGames that's the Americans for you think they are the best at everything.love therm really.This blokes voice is brilliant and is he still with us?

[bobluman4]

@englishsandy he died last year

[englishsandy]

@bobluman4 ahh what a shame,had a great voice and was so,well "good" shame and thanks for that.

[bpivr]

@englishsandy nope

[tallorder9]

Eddie Money clone?

[museack]

@tallorder9 I would say that Eddie Money would be more a clone of this guy since he was on the singing scene first.

[bbooz]

cry like a baby

[TheNorthernSoulKing]

was the next song turn turn?

[MattWhatsGoinOn]

He looks like Tommy James trying to recover from a bender. Congrats, son. You done yourself proud.

[englishsandy]

@MattWhatsGoinOn yes he certainly does ,like your comment.

[leroybivins]

Well, that was one of the most awkward things I have ever seen... Good song though.

[MrRonnieG]

Had this song been recorded 40 years later, it would have been titled "The email."

[libraalbert91]

@MrRonnieG the tweet lol

[CherzieBear]

Is it for real? Did Alex Chilton die last year? I did not know & I am so sorry to hear this. God Bless Him.

[AromaticDogwood]

yeah, i give these guys so much credit because they were all young and got a major hit, only to totally mock the cameras when they got on tv. bad ass!

[tmattrope]

It would be nice to identify these band members. We all know Alex, the lead singer, but who are the others, and are they the original performers? The dude on piano is funny, Alex is laughing watching him on the monitor.

[tjrxk7]

What a voice this young guy had. Van Morrison eat your heart out. {just kidding}

[Dmiam1976]

im the only one who thinks it looks like they r laughin at how silly they look pretending to play their instruments?

[terranovaita]

at the end there are the Byrds :D

[robertemmet321]

Steve Marriott of the Small Faces is the only other singer I can think of from the era that could sound like an old black man when he was just a teenager.

[pajebotebog]

@robertemmet321 Yes I saw Steve later with Humble Pie..Dont forget another Steve..so strange ...same time.. Winwood.. Just GREAT..I dont know is it me or today the music dont sound that great..Or I am just getting OLD!!!!!

[elgrla]

@robertemmet321 too bad that's not Steve Marriott.

[MrPorsche91730]

man youtube sucks now. Always a commercial before every video. Mark my words they will keep getting longer, longer and longer

[venerableweevil]

Alex Chilton was brilliant. Not really a fan of this stuff, but Big Star was amazing.

[afterhours3000]

he looks like scorpio in dirty harry

[billsworld]

The guy on keyboard is having fun with syncing his playing with the sound track. At one point he even takes his hands off the keyboard all together. He's looking at his keyboard and looking back to the camera as if he's saying, "Look, it plays itself." :-)

[hammerogod]

Road Trip Music !

[NowPlayingFlix]

I dont get it- this is labeled ('67Upbeat), which implies that there is a downbeat version? Ive looked but no cigar. I swear Ive heard a version of this song by the original band with a slower tempo. Ideas anyone?

[The88poppies]

@NowPlayingFlix I think Upbeat probably refers to the tv show where this vid was originally recorded

[NowPlayingFlix]

@The88poppies - produced in Cleveland '64-'71. Seems like a great show, Thanks!

[meeperp]

@NowPlayingFlix "Upbeat" was the name of the TV show on which this clip had aired:

[jtelefunken7]

For the longest time, I thought Box Tops was a black group -- in the am radio days.

[destinyblue5]

OMG ! They were so cute! I always loved this song...thank you :-)

[TrashcanBoogie]

yes, he was 16.

[chakathewolf]

Oh, Hell yeah! That's the version I remember! Jukebox at Artesian Park.

[Intirami]

He looks like the singer from red Ryder, (Lunatic Fringe)

[suleymanova7]

love love love love love love this song so much! never gets old

[TheSunbau]

This is really something. I love this track. In contrast to this amazing band, it is interesting to check out all those great unknown bands that didn´t reach the highest level. A fantastic musical treasure: Check up:

THE ZETTLERS and their versions of "Skinnie Minnie" and "Beautiful Delilah".

(What a bloody driving beat)

THE GOLLIWOGS and the tune "Tell me".

(Check up the singer - Yes,it´s him!!).

THE GANTS in "Greener Days".

(Fantastic Mersey Sound from the Deep South - USA)

[Soloparamirar1000]

playback (?

[mindytinkerberg]

Singer reminds me of Eddie Money!

[croboyz]

R.I.P Alex.

[yonkieponkie]

why do all the artists in the 60's look at the monitor and smile self conciously?

[cowry87]

OMG!!!!!! I love this song !!!

[ikkitwins1]

my mom loves it - me 2!!!

[KajZu2]

On 3 rd place of 10 i topp -67 in Sweden. But 2 good.

[TRJBASS]

He really reminds me of Judd Nelson in the Breakfast Club.

[nutellane]

I like the way they laugh and smile to each others :)

[smithbonz]

Great clip....great song. Alex Chilton was killer on vocals with that raspy Rod Stewart style voice and these guys were a great band. After a few hits, the Box Tops disbanded but Chilton is often cited as a major influence by many subsequent rockers. Sad that he left us way to early, just last year.

[chemonurs]

@smithbonz what was his cause of death? anyone know? very sad.

[Lloydhl]

@chemonurs

He died of a heart attack last year!  R.I.P., Alex!

[dalekpower]

weird,the voice dont suit the singer

[Cidantis]

handsome singer

[belialetta]

Whoa, how many hits of acid did they drop before this was filmed? Hahaha.

[GreenEyes046]

I fell in love with this... instantly!

[katrastrophy]

The organist is so silly:P

[sexyymomii1]

this song "THE LETTER" has takin me for ever to find and now i have let me say thank you . this was the favorite song of my fathers who was murdered when i was 6 mo old. so thank you for having it

[buffspringfield]

9 prople got a dear john letter too bad for them.Alex r.i.p. great tunes for great times thumbs up people come on

[08ivanovich]

ESTE ES UN CLASICO ,SIMPLEMENTE VACANO....NICE....I JUST LOVE IT.

[ericsbradley]

British blooze in general is So Blanking boring.Is there any one more boring than Clapton. Is he awake or is he asleeep. Early Fleetwood Mac .Boring. This is why I am a Beatles , Stones, and Box Tops and Alex Chilton fan.Love the British peolple. Strong dislike distiled British boring blues copying superior American stuff. Yuck... I got sucker punchedonce in a Sushi bar in CA for standing up for the Allman Brothers and saying that Duanne was best against some drunk Clapton fan! Box Tops Rule!

[keaton1895]

@ericsbradley You don't have an open mind to music. Very closed minded. All the bands you mentioned all copied someone else especially the Stones.

[DewsRandom]

@keaton1895 doesn't everyone? every band or singer is influence by something. Wait, the Beatles did their own thing in the end when they were about to break up, remember Sgt.peppers, a new sound to everyone in that time...

[keaton1895]

@DewsRandom Sgt. Peppers was influenced by Pet Sounds. Their sound was still influenced by other past music.

[DewsRandom]

@keaton1895 and pet sound was influence by revolver ;)

[keaton1895]

@DewsRandom you mean rubber soul but the influence that had on pet sounds was that all the songs were good. And by the way pet sounds was released in march and revolver released in august.

[DewsRandom]

@keaton1895 no i meant revolver.

[keaton1895]

@DewsRandom Well I am a big Beach Boys fan and I know what Brian Wilson talked about before he started Pet Sounds and Pet Sounds was released in March 66 and Revolver in Aug 66.

[Ewarne]

its hilarious how the keyboard player makes a joke about lipsyncing the song, taking his hands away and shrugging

[PokaHauntsUs]

At least there cheering up Alex!

He was pissed off!!

[eddysnet]

This song seems to linger even by very young people; and it is a very pretty song...

[quandrax]

He looks like Doctor Who on ether.

[guido1365]

ill take the greyhound

[wreepeet]

LOLOL man that LSD was some powerful stuff wasn't it? They are all stoned.........LOLOL just kidding but i wouldn't besurprised if they had smoked some good 60's bud before the show , weed back thendidn't stick to you like this shit they have out now LOLOL man they were having too much fun LOLOL

[wreepeet]

LOLOL man that LSD was some powerful stuff wasn't it? They are all stoned.........LOLOL 

[choquera]

I really like the attitude of all these bands on the 60's....

[liliodine]

Man, he was so young here. Kind of an understated talent. He used to also write songs for other bands, including the Bangles.

[tbcass]

They obviously weren't taking this very seriously. Terrible lip syncing and different instruments than what were actually on the song. It's like "lets get this over with". :-)

[NYhomewrecker]

Geez, didn't see the bass guitar, string section, or jet. What gives?

[sdmestayer]

Alex Chilton was a genius.

[lakeladymel]

The guy on the keyboards is having a blast ..lol. He's funny ! The singer reminds me of Eddie Money..in some ways. Cool band...Love them !

[rutgers1961]

@lakeladymel for the love of Pete, that's Alex Chilton, 1000 times the talent of Eddie Money.

[morgantown1]

@rutgers1961 haha yes, the comparison is just absurd

[tinicum54]

what a song, timeless

[TheMightyHope]

I want to kiss those beautiful lips!

[davey7601]

Have heard this song many times and i could have sworn they were a black group,something like the four tops