Song Lyric Sunday was created by Helen Vahdati from This Thing Called Life One Word at a Time. For complete rules or to join in the fun, click here.
The theme for Song Lyric Sunday this week is “letters”.
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Even though it’s about infidelity, this upbeat song with a Latin flair was a dance favorite and quickly gained airplay reaching number two on Billboards Hot 100. Released in September of 1969, Take a Letter, Maria was certified gold in early December of the same year. It would go on to sell nearly three million copies.
So many songs about broken marriages leave you crying in your beer or scarfing down Ben & Jerry’s. R.B. Greaves doesn’t seem too broken up over his… since he asks Maria out to start a new life!
The video is from a 1969 television performance… yes, it’s lip-synced, but check out that dicta-phone!
See my Song Lyric Sunday selection on Nesie’s Place.
Disclaimer: I have no copyrights to the song and/or video and/or hyperlinks to songs and/or videos and/or gifs above. No copyright infringement intended.
Take a Letter, Maria
Written and sung by R.B. Greaves
Last night as I got home, about a half past ten
There was the woman I thought I knew, in the arms of another man
I kept my cool, I ain’t no fool, let me tell you what happened then
I packed some clothes and I walked out, and I ain’t going back again
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
You’ve been many things but most of all a good secretary to me
And it’s times like this I feel you’ve always been close to me
Was I wrong to work nights to try to build a good life
All work and no play has just cost me a wife
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
When a man loves a woman it’s hard to understand
That she would find more pleasure in the arms of another man
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
So take a letter Maria, address it to my wife
Send a copy to my lawyer, gotta start a new life
Felicia Denise, Author 
Love this one! Sometimes you’ve gotta just move on and make a better life. 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing!
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Another one I haven’t heard in a while! Good one!
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I’ve always liked this song! I hear it on the oldies radio station quite a bit, too. 🙂
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