Please Mr. Postman

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“Please Mr. Postman”
Single by The Marvelettes from the album Please Mr. Postman
Released	August 21, 1961
Format	7" single
Recorded	Hitsville USA (Studio A); 1961
Genre	Soul/pop
Length	2:31
Label	Tamla T 54046
Writer(s)	Georgia Dobbins, William Garrett, Brian Holland, Robert Bateman, Freddie Gorman
Producer	Brianbert (Brian Holland & Robert Bateman)
The Marvelettes singles chronology
--- "Please Mr. Postman" (1961) "Twistin' Postman" (1961)

“Please Mister Postman”
Song by The Beatles
Album	With the Beatles
Released	November 22, 1963
Recorded	Abbey Road Studios: July 30, 1963
Genre	Rock and roll
Length	2:36
Label	Parlophone
Producer	George Martin
With the Beatles track listing
"Till There Was You" (6) “Please Mister Postman” (7) "Roll Over Beethoven" (8)

"Please Mr. Postman" was the debut single by The Marvelettes for the Tamla (Motown) label, 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. "Please Mr. Postman" became a number-one hit again in early 1975, when The Carpenters' cover of the song also reached the top position of the Billboard Hot 100.

[edit] History

In early 1961, The Marvelettes (then known as "The Marvels") arranged an audition for Berry Gordy's Tamla/Motown label. Marvels member 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, another songwriting partner of Holland (before Holland became part of the Holland-Dozier-Holland team) was also was 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, who is away at war. Instrumentation is provided by The Funk Brothers, including Marvin Gaye on drums.

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 1974 Beatles discography book All Together Now credits it 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. As of 2006, the Songwriters Hall of Fame credits "Please Mr. Postman" to just Holland, Bateman, and Gorman. [1]

"Please Mr. Postman" has been covered frequently, including a version by The Beatles on their With the Beatles album. Sung by John Lennon, their version reverses the genders. Later, a second hit version was recorded by The Carpenters, whose version took the song again to number-one on the Hot 100 in early 1975. The song has also been sampled by rapper Juelz Santana for his single "Oh Yes", as well as Lil' Wayne in his single off The Carter III "Mr. Postman", and is used by the Rob, Arnie and Dawn Show to introduce their Listener Mail segment. The song in disco version has also been covered by the Shampoo (Belgium) in 1980.

[edit] The Beatles' version

The Beatles included "Please Mister Postman" as part of their live act in 1962, performing it regularly at the Cavern Club. 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.^[1] Ian MacDonald criticised their version for having a "wall of sound" and for a "general airlessness."^[1]

[edit] The Carpenters' version

"Please Mr. Postman" peaks at #1 in "Record World"

The Carpenters' version resembles an old 50s rock song. The single was released in 1974, reached #1, and was dubbed a gold record. The album was released in June 1975. A music video of the song can be found on the DVD "Gold: Greatest Hits" (released on DVD in 2002), originally packaged as "Yesterday Once More" (released on VHS in 1985).

“Please Mr. Postman”
Single by The Carpenters from the album Horizon
A-side	Please Mr. Postman
B-side	This Masquerade
Released	November 8, 1974
Format	7" single
Recorded	1974
Genre	Pop
Length	2:50
Label	A&M 1646
Producer	Richard and Karen Carpenter
The Carpenters singles chronology
"I Won't Last a Day Without You" (1974) "Please Mr. Postman"/"This Masquerade" (1974) "Only Yesterday" (1975)
Horizon track listing
Side one "Aurora" "Only Yesterday" "Desperado" "Please Mr. Postman" "I Can Dream, Can't I?" Side two "Solitaire" "Happy" "(I'm Caught Between) Goodbye and I Love You" "Love Me for What I Am" "Eventide"

[edit] The China Dolls' version

The Thai group China Dolls have sung this song for the album Cover Girls in 2003 which featured singers from GMM Grammy.

[edit] Lil Wayne's version

In 2007 Lil Wayne sampled the Carpenters' version for his song Mr. Postman.

[edit] Shampoo version

Disco Version. Recorded in Belgium in 1980. Performed by Peggy Evers from Les Humphries Singers. Other hits by Shampoo: "Rock'N'Roll Dancin' Night", "You Are So Good", "Heat Me Up" (second side of 7" single "Please Mr. Postman").

[edit] Notes

1. ^ ^{a b} MacDonald, Ian (2005). Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties, Second Revised Edition, London: Pimlico (Rand), 91. ISBN 1-844-13828-3. 

[edit] See also

• Hot 100 No. 1 Hits of 1961 (USA)
• Hot 100 No. 1 Hits of 1975 (USA)