Please Mr. Postman

"Please Mr. Postman"
Picture sleeve of the U.S. vinyl single
Single by The Marvelettes
from the album Please Mr. Postman
B-side "So Long Baby"
Released August 21, 1961
Format 7" single
Recorded April 1961
Studio Hitsville U.S.A. (Studio A)
Genre Soul, doo-wop, R&B
Length 2:31
Label Tamla T 54046
Songwriter(s) Georgia Dobbins, William Garrett, Freddie Gorman, Brian Holland, Robert Bateman
Producer(s) Brianbert (Brian Holland & Robert Bateman)
The Marvelettes singles chronology
"Please Mr. Postman"
(1961)		 "Twistin' Postman"
(1961)

"Please Mr. Postman" is a song written by Georgia Dobbins, William Garrett, Freddie Gorman, Brian Holland, and Robert Bateman. It is the debut single by the Marvelettes for the Tamla (Motown) label,[1] notable as the first Motown song to reach the number-one position on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart. The single achieved this position in late 1961; it hit number one on the R&B chart as well.[2] "Please Mr. Postman" became a number-one hit again in early 1975 when the Carpenters' cover of the song reached the top position of the Billboard Hot 100. "Please Mr. Postman" has been covered several times, including by the English rock group The Beatles in 1963.

The Marvelettes version

Background

In April 1961, the Marvelettes (then known as "The Marvels") arranged an audition for Berry Gordy's Tamla label. Marvels original lead singer Georgia Dobbins needed an original song for their audition, and got a blues song from her friend William Garrett, which she then reworked for the group. Dobbins left the group after the audition and was replaced, Gordy renamed the group and hired "Brianbert"—Brian Holland and Robert Bateman's songwriting partnership—to rework the song yet again. Freddie Gorman, himself a Detroit postman and another songwriting partner of Holland (before Holland became part of the Holland–Dozier–Holland team) was also involved in the final reworking.

The Marvelettes recording features lead singer Gladys Horton hoping that the postman has brought her a letter from her boyfriend. The growing intensity of the singer is apparent towards the end. Although the song itself does not explain where the boyfriend is, a popular assumption is that he is away at war. Accompaniment is provided by the Funk Brothers, including Marvin Gaye on drums. The Marvelettes' version later appeared in a bar fight scene in the film Mean Streets (1973), directed by Martin Scorsese.

Songwriting credits for "Please Mr. Postman" seem to have changed over the years. The original Tamla 45 single for the Marvelettes' version credits "Dobbins/Garett/Brianbert" as the songwriters, and credits "Brianbert" as producer. The original With the Beatles album cover credited it to just Brian Holland. The 1976 Beatles discography book All Together Now credits the songwriting to Holland, Bateman, and Berry Gordy. The 1992 Motown boxed set Hitsville USA: The Motown Singles Collection credits Dobbins, Garrett, Holland, Bateman, and Gorman as the composers. The Songwriters Hall of Fame credits "Please Mr. Postman" to just Holland, Bateman, and Gorman.[3] EMI Music Publishing, the current music publisher of the song, list all five writers in their catalog. Over the course of it's discography, six separate combinations of songwriting credits have appeared.[4]

Ava DuVernay was commissioned by the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture to create a film which debuted at the museum's opening on September 24, 2016. This film, August 28: A Day in the Life of a People, tells of six significant events in African-American history that happened on the same date, August 28. Events depicted include (among others) the release of the song.[5]

The song was on Billboard's top 100 chart for 23 weeks, and peaked at number 1 the week of December 11, 1961.[6] Billboard named the song #22 on their 2017 list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time.[7]

Personnel

Chart performance

Chart (1961-62) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[8] 1
US Billboard Hot R&B Sides[9] 1

The Beatles version

"Please Mister Postman"
The Japanese single release of the song, backed with "Money (That's What I Want)"
Single by the Beatles
from the album With the Beatles
A-side "Roll Over Beethoven" (Canada)
B-side "Money (That's What I Want)" (Japan)
Released
  • 22 November 1963 (mono)
  • 30 November 1963 (stereo)
Recorded 30 July 1963
EMI Studios, London
Genre Rock and roll
Length 2:36
Label Capitol 72133 (Canada)
Songwriter(s) Georgia Dobbins, William Garrett, Freddie Gorman, Brian Holland, Robert Bateman
Producer(s) George Martin

Background

"Please Mr. Postman" was covered in a version by English rock group the Beatles on their With the Beatles album in the UK and on The Beatles' Second Album in the US. Sung by John Lennon, their version reverses the genders.[1] The song was produced by George Martin.

The Beatles included "Please Mister Postman" as part of their live act in 1962, performing it regularly at the Cavern Club. They also performed the song three separate times during live performances it on the BBC. By the time it was recorded for their second album, With the Beatles, it had been dropped from their set, and required some work in the studio to bring it up to an acceptable standard.[10] Ian MacDonald criticised their version for having a "wall of sound" and for a "general airlessness."[10]

Personnel

The Beatles personnel per MacDonald[10]

Carpenters version

"Please Mr. Postman"
Single by Carpenters
from the album Horizon
B-side "This Masquerade"
Released November 8, 1974
Format 7" single
Recorded September 1974
Genre Pop
Length 2:50
Label A&M 1646
Songwriter(s) Georgia Dobbins, William Garrett, Freddie Gorman, Brian Holland, Robert Bateman
Producer(s) Richard and Karen Carpenter
Carpenters singles chronology
"I Won't Last a Day Without You"
(1974)		 "Please Mr. Postman" / "This Masquerade"
(1974)		 "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town"
(1974)

Background

A hit cover of "Please Mr. Postman" was recorded by the Carpenters, whose version took the song again to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1975. The Carpenters' version resembles an old 1950s rock & roll song. The single was released in late 1974, reached number one on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Easy Listening charts in January 1975,[11] and was the duo's 10th and final million-selling single. The corresponding Horizon album was belatedly released in June 1975 and went Platinum.

The Carpenters' cover version was also sampled by rapper Juelz Santana for his single "Oh Yes". It is used by the Rob, Arnie and Dawn Show to introduce their Listener Mail segment, and was sung by the presenters of British Saturday morning show SMTV Live to introduce the mailbag section.

Music video

A music video of the song, filmed in Disneyland, can be found on the DVD Gold: Greatest Hits (released in 2002), originally packaged as Yesterday Once More (released on VHS and LaserDisc in 1985).

Personnel

Weekly charts

Chart (1974-75) Peak
position
Australian (KMR)[12] 1
Canada RPM Top Singles 1
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[13] 1
Germany (Official German Charts)[14] 10
Ireland (IRMA)[15] 2
Oricon International Singles Chart 1
Oricon (Japanese) Singles Chart 11
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[16] 29
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[17] 4
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[18] 5
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[19] 2
US Billboard Hot 100[20] 1
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[21] 1
US Cash Box Top 100[22] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (1975) Rank
Australia [12] 7
Canada [23] 11
New Zealand [24] 34
UK [25] 28
US Billboard Hot 100[26] 32
US Cash Box [27] 21

The Saturdays version

"Please Mr. Postman"
Single by The Saturdays
from the album Postman Pat: The Movie
Released 2014
Recorded 2014
Label Polydor Records
Songwriter(s) Georgia Dobbins, William Garrett, Freddie Gorman, Brian Holland, Robert Bateman
Producer(s) Frankie Bridge, Una Foden, Rochelle Humes, Mollie King, Vanessa White

Background

This version of the song was performed by The Saturdays and it was a song for the film Postman Pat: The Movie.

Personnel

Other versions

  • New Zealand singer Lyn Barnett had a Top 10 hit with it in 1962. By May 5, that year, her version was at no. 4 in the New Zealand charts.[28]
  • The Pat Boone Family released their version of the song at approximately the same time as the Carpenters, resulting in both versions appearing simultaneously on the South African Hit Parade.
  • The Originals (the group of Freddie Gorman, who co-wrote the song) recorded a medley of the song in 1981, entitled "Waitin' on a Letter"/"Mr. Postman". The single, released on the independent Phase II label, proved to be the group's last chart appearance, making #74 on the US R&B Charts. The group would disband after one further single, a remake of their 1969 hit, "Baby, I'm for Real".
  • Uruguayan pop rock band El Cuarteto de Nos included a mocking version called Bo Cartero in their 1994 album Otra Navidad en las trincheras.
  • The song serves as the melody for the 2017 hit single "Feel It Still" by American rock band Portugal. The Man.[29]

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 Gilliland, John (1969). "Show 25 - The Soul Reformation: Phase two, the Motown story. [Part 4]" (audio). Pop Chronicles. University of North Texas Libraries.
  2. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 379.
  3. ↑ "Brian Holland". Songwriters Hall of Fame. Retrieved January 8, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Please Mr. Postman: The Marvelettes, The Beatles, and Carpenters". Tim's Cover Story. 2015-06-01. Retrieved 2018-09-17.
  5. ↑ Davis, Rachaell (September 22, 2016). "Why Is August 28 So Special To Black People? Ava DuVernay Reveals All In New NMAAHC Film". Essence.
  6. ↑ "The Marvelettes Please Mr. Postman Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-09-17.
  7. ↑ "100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time: Critics' Picks". Billboard. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  8. ↑ "The Marvelettes Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  9. ↑ Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs - Please Mr. Postman The Marvelettes Chart History, Billboard.com. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  10. 1 2 3 MacDonald, Ian (2005). Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties (Second Revised ed.). London: Pimlico (Rand). p. 91. ISBN 1-84413-828-3.
  11. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 47.
  12. 1 2 Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (doc)|format= requires |url= (help). Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  13. ↑ Canada, Library and Archives (17 July 2013). "Image : RPM Weekly".
  14. ↑ "Musicline.de – Carpenters Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  15. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Please Mr. Postman". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
  16. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Carpenters – Please Mr. Postman" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  17. ↑ "Charts.nz – Carpenters – Please Mr. Postman". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Carpenters – Please Mr. Postman". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  19. ↑ "Carpenters: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  20. ↑ "Carpenters Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  21. ↑ "Carpenters Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  22. ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 1/25/75". tropicalglen.com.
  23. ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". collectionscanada.gc.ca.
  24. ↑ "The Official New Zealand Music Chart - NZ End Of Year Charts 1975".
  25. ↑ "Britain's best selling records of '75". Record Mirror. London: Billboard. January 10, 1976. p. 12. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  26. ↑ "Top 100 Hits of 1975/Top 100 Songs of 1975". www.musicoutfitters.com.
  27. ↑ "Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1975". tropicalglen.com.
  28. ↑ Billboard, May 5, 1962 - Page 18 Billboard Music Week Hits of the World, New Zealand
  29. ↑ Ryan, Patrick (October 6, 2017). "5 things you didn't know about 'Feel It Still' crossovers Portugal. The Man". USA Today. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
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