{{short description|1977 single by The Brothers Johnson}} {{Infobox song
| name = Strawberry Letter 23 | cover = | alt = | type = song | artist = [[Shuggie Otis]] | album = [[Freedom Flight (Shuggie Otis album)|Freedom Flight]] | B-side = | released = 1971 | recorded = | studio = | genre = * [[Psychedelic soul]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sacher |first1=Andrew |title=30 essential psychedelic soul songs |url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/30-essential-psychedelic-soul-songs/ |website=BrooklynVegan |date=2 March 2017 |access-date=3 April 2023 |language=en}}</ref> * [[psychedelic rock]]<ref name="Bradley 2014">{{cite book|title= The Alternative Jukebox|first=Larry|last=Bradley|date= November 4, 2014|chapter= The 1970s: Shuggie Otis: "Strawberry Letter 23|page= 46|publisher=[[Cassell (publisher)|Cassell]]|isbn=978-1-84403-789-6|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w_phoAEACAAJ}}</ref> | length = | label = [[Epic Records|Epic]] | writer = [[Shuggie Otis]] | producer = [[Johnny Otis]] | prev_title = | prev_year = | next_title = | next_year = }}
{{Infobox song | name = Strawberry Letter 23 | cover = Strawberry_Letter_23_-_Brothers_Johnson.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = [[the Brothers Johnson]] | album = [[Right on Time (Brothers Johnson album)|Right on Time]] | B-side = Dancin' and Prancin' | released = June 1977<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.45cat.com/record/1949s |title=The Brothers Johnson - Strawberry Letter 23 / Dancin' And Prancin' - A&M - USA - 1949-S |publisher=45cat |date= |accessdate=2022-02-19}}</ref> | recorded = 1977 | studio = | venue = | genre = *[[Disco]]<ref name="Bradley 2014"/> *[[funk]]<ref name="Bradley 2014"/> | length = 3:39 (single edit)<br>4:59 (album version)<br>5:04 (12" single version) | label = [[A&M Records|A&M]] | writer = [[Shuggie Otis]] | producer = [[Quincy Jones]] | prev_title = Runnin' for Your Lovin' | prev_year = 1977 | next_title = Ain't We Funkin' Now | next_year = 1978 }}
'''"Strawberry Letter 23"''' is a song written and composed by [[Shuggie Otis]] from his 1971 album ''[[Freedom Flight (Shuggie Otis album)|Freedom Flight]]''. It is also widely known by the 1977 [[cover version]] recorded by [[the Brothers Johnson]] and produced by [[Quincy Jones]].
== Lyrics == The song's chorus says "Strawberry Letter 22" instead of the actual title of the song.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://genius.com/Shuggie-otis-strawberry-letter-23-lyrics |title=Strawberry Letter 23 |first=Shuggie |last=Otis |website=[[Genius (website)|Genius]] |accessdate=April 15, 2022}}</ref> This is because the premise of the song is that a couple is exchanging love letters in musical form.<ref name=flipside/><ref name=phish/> The singer is creating "Strawberry Letter 23" as a reply to the song he has received from his lover, and he refers to her previous message as "Strawberry Letter 22" when replying.<ref name=flipside>{{cite web |url=http://www.ontheflipsidemusic.com/recapthrowback/2018/2/14/song-recap-the-brothers-johnson-strawberry-letter-23 |title=SONG RECAP: The Brothers Johnson - "Strawberry Letter 23" |first=Jessica |last=Klausing |website=ontheflipsidemusic.com |date=February 14, 2017 |accessdate=April 15, 2022}}</ref><ref name=phish>{{cite web |url=https://phish.net/song/strawberry-letter-23/history |title=Strawberry Letter 23 History |website=phish.net |accessdate=April 15, 2022}}</ref>
==The Brothers Johnson version== George Johnson, of [[the Brothers Johnson]], was dating one of Otis's cousins when he came across the 1971 album ''[[Freedom Flight (Shuggie Otis album)|Freedom Flight]]''. The group then recorded "Strawberry Letter 23" for their 1977 album ''[[Right on Time (The Brothers Johnson album)|Right on Time]],'' which was produced by [[Quincy Jones]], and the album went [[Platinum album|platinum]]. Their rendition hit the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] and peaked at number five and reached number one on Soul Singles.<ref>{{cite book|title=Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004|last=Whitburn|first=Joel|publisher=Record Research|year=2004|page=80|author-link=Joel Whitburn}}</ref> Studio guitarist [[Lee Ritenour]] recreated Otis's original guitar solo for the Brothers Johnson cover. The 12" single was pressed on red [[strawberry]]-scented vinyl.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://johnrieber.com/2016/08/20/the-brothers-johnson-secrets-of-strawberry-letter-23-revealed-great-70s-funk-tarantinos-strawberry-love/ |title=The Brothers Johnson! Secrets Of "Strawberry Letter 23" Revealed! Great '70's Funk! Tarantino's "Strawberry" Love! |first=John |last=Rieber |website=johnrieber.com |date=August 20, 2016 |accessdate=April 15, 2022}}</ref>
==Chart performance== {{col-begin|width=71%}} {{col-2}}
===Weekly charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- !align="left"|Chart (1977–1978) !align="left"|Peak<br />position |- |align="left"|Australia ([[Kent Music Report|KMR]]) <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.australianchartbooks.com.au/|title=Australian Chart Books|website=Australianchartbooks.com.au|accessdate=14 June 2019}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|25 |- {{singlechart|Canadatopsingles|8|chartid=5408a|access-date=December 7, 2024}} |- |Canada ''RPM'' Adult Contemporary<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.5411&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.5411.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.5411|title=Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada |website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca |date=1977-10-01 |accessdate=2019-07-11}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|43 |- {{single chart|Dutch100|25|artist=The Brothers Johnson|song=Strawberry Letter %2323|access-date=December 7, 2024}} |- {{single chart|New Zealand|2|artist=The Brothers Johnson|song=Strawberry Letter %2323|access-date=December 7, 2024}} |- {{singlechart|UK|35|date=19770716|access-date=December 7, 2024|refname="bjuk"}} |- |align="left"|U.S. ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Billboard Hot 100|Hot 100]]<ref name=MusicVF>{{cite web|url=https://www.musicvf.com/song.php?title=Strawberry+Letter+23+by+The+Brothers+Johnson&id=41725|title=Strawberry Letter 23 (song by The Brothers Johnson)|website=MusicVF.com|access-date=December 7, 2024}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|5 |- |align="left"|U.S. ''Billboard'' [[R&B]]<ref name=MusicVF/> | style="text-align:center;"|1 |- |U.S. ''Billboard'' [[Adult Contemporary (chart)|Adult Contemporary]]<ref name=MusicVF/> | style="text-align:center;"|38 |- |U.S. [[Cashbox (magazine)|''Cash Box'']] Top 100 | style="text-align:center;"|8 |} {{col-2}}
===Year-end charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- !align="left"|Chart (1977) ! style="text-align:center;"|Rank |- |Canada <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.5502a&URLjpg=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f4/nlc008388.5502a.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.5502a|title=Image : RPM Weekly|first=Library and Archives|last=Canada|date=17 July 2013|website=Bac-lac.gc.ca|accessdate=14 June 2019}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|85 |- |New Zealand <ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://nztop40.co.nz/|title=The Official New Zealand Music Chart|website=Nztop40.co.nz|accessdate=14 June 2019}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|47 |- |U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1977.htm|title=Top 100 Hits of 1977/Top 100 Songs of 1977|website=Musicoutfitters.com|accessdate=14 June 2019}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|54 |- |U.S. ''Cash Box'' | style="text-align:center;"|64 |} {{col-end}}
== Legacy == [[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]] chose the Brothers Johnson version as the 134th best song of the 1970s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/9935-the-200-best-songs-of-the-1970s/?page=4|title=The 200 Best Songs of the 1970s - Page 4 |website=Pitchfork.com |date=22 August 2016 |access-date=2016-09-03}}</ref>
==Tevin Campbell version== {{Infobox song | name = Strawberry Letter 23 | cover = Strawberry Letter 23.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = [[Tevin Campbell]] | album = [[T.E.V.I.N.]] | released = May 14, 1992 | recorded = 1991 | studio = | venue = | genre = [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]], [[new jack swing]] | length = 4:07 | label = [[Qwest]]/[[Warner Bros.]] | writer = [[Shuggie Otis]] | producer = [[Quincy Jones]] | prev_title = [[Goodbye (Tevin Campbell song)|Goodbye]] | prev_year = 1992 | next_title = [[Alone with You (Tevin Campbell song)|Alone with You]] | next_year = 1992 }} "Strawberry Letter 23" is the fifth single from [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]] singer [[Tevin Campbell]]'s 1992 debut studio album ''T.E.V.I.N.''. It peaked at #53 on the Hot 100 and #40 on the R&B charts.<ref>{{cite book |title= Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=99}}</ref> The Tevin Campbell version is more up-tempo, with a [[new jack swing]] beat, and includes a rap that mentions "the letter 23."
===Track listings=== '''US Promo CD''' # Strawberry Letter 23 (Album Edit w/o Rap) 3:48 # Strawberry Letter 23 (Album Version) 4:07 # Strawberry Letter 23 (Single Remix w/Rap) 4:15 # Strawberry Letter 23 (Single Remix w/o Rap) 3:35
'''US Maxi-CD''' # Strawberry Letter 23 (QDIII Mix Without Rap) 3:45 # Strawberry Letter 23 (QDIII Mix With Rap) 4:12 # Strawberry Letter 23 (QDIII Fat Choice Mix) 4:48 # Strawberry Letter 23 (Album Edit Without Rap) 3:24 # Strawberry Letter 23 (Soul Mix With Rap) 4:15 # Strawberry Letter 23 (T.C.'s Choice) 4:04 # Strawberry Letter 23 (Soul Mix Without Rap) 3:35 # Strawberry Letter 23 (Club Mix) 6:28 # Strawberry Letter 23 (Club Dub) 5:58 # Strawberry Letter 23 (Naughty Beats) 4:42
===Charts=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |- ! Chart (1992) ! Peak<br>position |- {{singlechart|New Zealand|23|artist=Tevin Campbell|rowheader=true|song=Strawberry Letter 23|accessdate=April 27, 2022}} |- {{singlechart|Billboardhot100|53|artist=Tevin Campbell|rowheader=true|accessdate=April 27, 2022}} |- {{singlechart|Billboardrandbhiphop|40|artist=Tevin Campbell|rowheader=true|accessdate=April 27, 2022}} |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{YouTube|rquygdjf0d8|The Brothers Johnson - Strawberry Letter 23}}
{{The Brothers Johnson}} {{Tevin Campbell}} {{Authority control}}
[[Category:Songs about letters (message)]] [[Category:1977 singles]] [[Category:1992 singles]] [[Category:The Brothers Johnson songs]] [[Category:Tevin Campbell songs]] [[Category:Psychedelic soul songs]] [[Category:Song recordings produced by Quincy Jones]] [[Category:1971 songs]] [[Category:A&M Records singles]] [[Category:Groove Production singles]] [[Category:Qwest Records singles]] [[Category:Warner Records singles]] [[Category:2010 singles]]