"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, 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 reached the top position of the Billboard Hot 100. "Please Mr. Postman" has been covered several times, including a 1963 version by the English rock group the Beatles.
PLEASE MR. POSTMAN - THE MARVELETTES [SINGLE]
ReplyDeleteFrom Motown Encyclopedia
Five young schoolgirls auditioned for Motown in April 1961, having been given a roundabout introduction to the company via Berry Gordy's driver and bodyguard. Then billed as The Casinyets passed the audition, they were told to come back to the label when they had an original song that could be recorded. They had little more than a basic idea, based on some lyrics and a title concocted by Georgia Dobbins and a tune that was originally a blues style piece by William Garrett, who lived in the same Inkster area as the girls.
It was enough to get them back into Motown however, where Brian Holland, Robert Bateman and Freddie Gorman would flesh out the basic idea into a fully blown song. Freddie Gorman's contribution proved especially beneficial, for he was actually a postman during the day and, keen to move into the music business, spent much of his spare time hanging around the Hitsville complex. Song writer Georgia Dobbins left the group before the recording session owing to a family conflict (her mother was taken ill and it was said her father was against her singing in a group) but did at least help the remaining four girls find a replacement in Wanda Young. In early August 1961, all was ready for recording, with Gladys Horton selected as the lead vocalist on the song, Please Mr. Postman and a musical backing provided by Marvin Gaye and Benny Benjamin on drums, James Jamerson on bass, Popcorn Wylie on piano and Eddie 'Bongo' Brown on percussion.
The single was readied for release before the month was out, although no one at Motown was particularly happy with the jokey name the group had given themselves, finally electing to call them The Marvelettes. Released on 21 August on the Tamla label, Please Mr. Postman was certainly the most commercial release the fledgling label had released up to that point and proved to be a major success, sailing to the top of both the pop and R&B chart....