The Letter

The Box Tops · 1967

Listen carefully and fill in the missing words.

    

Verse 1
Gimme a (1) for an aeroplane
Ain't got time to take a fast (2)
Lonely (3) are gone, I'm a-goin' home
My baby, just a (4) me a letter

Verse 2
I don't care how much (5) I gotta spend
Got to get (6) to my baby again
Lonely days are gone, I'm a-goin' home
My baby, just-a wrote me a (7)

Chorus
Well, she wrote me a letter
Said she couldn't (8) without me no more
Listen (9), can't you see I got to get back
To my baby once-a more
Anyway, yeah

Verse 3
Gimme a ticket for an aeroplane
Ain't got time to take a fast train
Lonely days are gone, I'm a-goin' (10)
My baby, just-a wrote me a letter

[Chorus]

Final Verse
Gimme a ticket for an aeroplane
Ain't got time to take a (11) train
Lonely days are gone, I'm a-goin' home
My (12), just-a wrote me a letter, my baby just-a wrote me a letter
  

The Letter

The Box Tops · 1967

ClassPlan.ai

Song Worksheets

Odd Word Out

Circle the word that doesn't belong in each group. Write why it's different.

Group 1

aeroplanetraincarletter

Reason:

Group 2

wrotesaidlistengot

Reason:

Group 3

babymistermoneyhome

Reason:

Group 4

fastlonelybackmore

Reason:

Finish the Lyric

Complete these song lines. Make them fit the song's style and mood about missing someone.

1. When I see you again, I'm gonna...

2. Your letter made me feel so...

3. I've been waiting for so long to...

4. Never leave me alone again, my...

Did you know?

Read these facts about the song. Which one surprises you most?

🎵The Box Tops recorded this song when lead singer Alex Chilton was only 16 years old.
⭐The Letter became a number one hit in the United States in 1967 and sold over four million copies.
🎸The song was written by Wayne Carson Thompson and is only 1 minute and 58 seconds long.
📀Many famous artists have covered this song, including Joe Cocker and The Beatles during live performances.
🎤The Box Tops were from Memphis, Tennessee, and this was their biggest international hit song.

Discussion & analysis

Discuss each question with your partner.

1Why does the singer want to fly instead of taking a train?
2How do you think the singer feels when he gets the letter?

3When do you miss someone the most?
4Is love stronger when people are apart?

🔥 Play It! — Hot or Cold

One student steps out. Class agrees on a secret song or artist. Student returns and asks yes/no questions — up to 20. Class says "warmer" or "colder" after each guess.