R.B. Greaves
Ronald Bertram Aloysius "R. B." Greaves III (November 28, 1943, Georgetown,… Read Full Bio ↴Ronald Bertram Aloysius "R. B." Greaves III (November 28, 1943, Georgetown, Guyana, - September 27, 2012) was a singer who had chart success in 1969 with the pop single "Take a Letter Maria". A #2 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, this single sold one million copies and earned a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. Greaves also had a Top 40 pop hit a year later with "Always Something There to Remind Me".
Greaves was born in 1943 on the United States Air Force base at Georgetown, Guyana. A nephew of Sam Cooke, he grew up on a Seminole Indian reservation in the United States, but moved to England in 1963. Greaves had built a career both in the Caribbean and in Great Britain, where he performed under the name Sonny Childe with his group The TNTs. His debut single "Take a Letter Maria", released under the name R.B. Greaves, had been recorded by both Tom Jones and Stevie Wonder before the author recorded it himself at the insistence of Atlantic Records president Ahmet Ertegün, who produced it. The song is the story of a man who learns of his wife's infidelity the night before and dictates a letter of separation to Maria, his ostensibly Hispanic secretary. The song has a distinct Latin flavor, complete with a mariachi-style horn section. This disc stayed in the Billboard chart for 15 weeks, selling a million copies with the gold record from the R.I.A.A. on 11 December 1969. By 1970 sales of the record totalled 2.5 million.
Greaves recorded a series of cover versions as follow-ups, including Burt Bacharach and Hal David's "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me" and Procol Harum's "A Whiter Shade of Pale". Greaves left the label in the 1970s in favor of Bareback Records, and then signed to Sunflower Records. His only chart release for the latter label was "Margie, Who's Watching the Baby". Greaves passed away in Los Angeles, California on September 27, 2012 at the age of 68.
Greaves was born in 1943 on the United States Air Force base at Georgetown, Guyana. A nephew of Sam Cooke, he grew up on a Seminole Indian reservation in the United States, but moved to England in 1963. Greaves had built a career both in the Caribbean and in Great Britain, where he performed under the name Sonny Childe with his group The TNTs. His debut single "Take a Letter Maria", released under the name R.B. Greaves, had been recorded by both Tom Jones and Stevie Wonder before the author recorded it himself at the insistence of Atlantic Records president Ahmet Ertegün, who produced it. The song is the story of a man who learns of his wife's infidelity the night before and dictates a letter of separation to Maria, his ostensibly Hispanic secretary. The song has a distinct Latin flavor, complete with a mariachi-style horn section. This disc stayed in the Billboard chart for 15 weeks, selling a million copies with the gold record from the R.I.A.A. on 11 December 1969. By 1970 sales of the record totalled 2.5 million.
Greaves recorded a series of cover versions as follow-ups, including Burt Bacharach and Hal David's "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me" and Procol Harum's "A Whiter Shade of Pale". Greaves left the label in the 1970s in favor of Bareback Records, and then signed to Sunflower Records. His only chart release for the latter label was "Margie, Who's Watching the Baby". Greaves passed away in Los Angeles, California on September 27, 2012 at the age of 68.
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R.B. Greaves Lyrics
(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher Your Love, Lifting Me Higher Than I've Ever Been Lifted Befo…
Always Something There To Remind Me I walk along the city streets You used to walk with…
Coldest Days Of My Life The day will come, the worst day of my life Thinking…
Cupid There's something about the way that you smile I swear by…
Don't Play That Song Don't play it no more Don't play it no more Don't play…
Higher And Higher 楽しくいこうぜ 胸張って 失敗も成功も 覚悟のうえだ!! やがて来る 道をふさぐ壁だって 全力で 蹴やぶるんだ 一人帰る…
Hold On 你最近好吗 想和你聊聊天 最近心情不太好 时常会想起 长廊上落叶 总也擦不干净黑板上年轻的问号 为什么那时描绘的未来 好…
Home To Stay Help me find a reason just to get through the…
Just Keep It Up Dalam Karir sa mulai beranjak naik perlahan pahit manisnya s…
Let Me Be The One Tonight I need to be still and let God love me I…
Love Makes The World Go Round [Nas] QB Chitown Money make the world go round Money make th…
Mary When you hold me like this Its moment of bliss Fallin for…
Take a Letter Maria Last night, as I got home about a half past…
That's How It Feels Something's not right Don't wanna fight Text your phone like…
The Letter Last night, as I got home about a half past…
The Love Of My Woman I've been searching To find me a woman like you (She's a…
There Is Sons of Adam, daughters of Eve Now we're confessing what we…
There's Always Something There To Remind Me I walk along the city streets You used to walk with…
This Is Soul (Check it, yeah) (Baby you in my imagination I imagine you…
What's All The Fuss It was love at first sight I made you mine In one…
Whiter Shade of Pale We skipped the light fandango And turned cartwheels across t…