“The Letter” (1958) – Don and Dewey * Written by Don Harris and Dewey Taylor * 45: “Koko Joe” / “The Letter” * Label: Specialty
Little Richard label mates Don and Dewey, from Pasadena, California, were apparently too cool for mass appeal, but they inspired successful admirers such as the Righteous Brothers and introduced material that became better known when sung by others (“I’m Leaving It Up to You,” “Big Boy Pete,” and “Farmer John,” to name a few.) The B-side of their Sonny Bono-penned “Koko Joe” is a Johnny Ace-flavored Dear Jane weeper they wrote themselves called “The Letter,” and it features one of the worst apologies on record: “Throw away my picture/ Darling, forgive me/ I wrecked your life/ But, then, you let me.” In return for the “Koko Joe” favor, Sonny covered “The Letter” with Cher in 1965.