I heard “The Letter” by the Box Tops the other day and the memories came flooding back. Way back in ’67 when that record charted I was about to begin my bid for rock stardom but, being only 15 many of these tunes we just a wonderfull noise and I could not comprehend how they were constructed.
I therefore asked my Mam to pick up the sheet music for me on some of the current tunes so I could decipher them. On this ocassion as she was going into town I asked her to get the sheet music for “The Letter”. She came back and informed me that they had never heard of the PACKET TOPS !!
So that set me back aways in my studies.
Anyway I heard the tune the other day and remembered this story. As listened I was struck by the blight of every developed musician. I could clearly determine what chords were being played. I went home and picked up my guitar and played it through. I then called my Mam and told her I’d figured it out some 38 years later and absolved her for letting me down so badly all those years ago. 🙂