''Please Mr. Postman'' is the 1961 studio debut

album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records co ...

from Motown girl group

The Marvelettes The Marvelettes were an American girl group that achieved popularity in the early to mid-1960s. They consisted of schoolmates Gladys Horton, Katherine Anderson, Georgeanna Tillman, Juanita Cowart (now Cowart Motley), and Georgia Dobbins, who wa ...

and the sixth album ever released by the company. The focal track is the number-one hit single, " Please Mr. Postman". The album notably features cover versions of label mates

The Miracles The Miracles (also known as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles from 1965 to 1972) were an American vocal group that was the first successful recording act for Berry Gordy's Motown Records, and one of the most important and most influential group ...

' "

Way Over There "Way Over There" is a 1960 Motown soul song and single, written by William "Smokey" Robinson, produced by Berry Gordy, and first performed by The Miracles (credited as "The Miracles featuring Bill 'Smokey' Robinson") for the Tamla ( Motown) lab ...

" and "

I Want a Guy I, or i, is the ninth Letter (alphabet), letter and the third vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the English alphabet, modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in Engl ...

", which was the debut single for fellow Motown girl group

The Supremes The Supremes were an American girl group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as the Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successf ...

the same year, and their cover had served as the b-side to " Twistin' Postman" the less successful follow-up to "Please Mr. Postman." Although the original version by The Supremes flopped, The Marvelettes' cover became a regional hit. Other songs on the album include "Oh I Apologize", produced by Smokey Robinson, who would produce much of the group's later material, and "Angel," an early lead for

Wanda Young Wanda LaFaye Young (August 9, 1943 – December 15, 2021), also known as Wanda Rogers, was an American singer, known for being a member of the Motown all-female singing group the Marvelettes, and after 1965, the lead singer. Early life Youn ...

who would later take

Gladys Horton The Marvelettes were an American girl group that achieved popularity in the early to mid-1960s. They consisted of schoolmates Gladys Horton, Katherine Anderson, Georgeanna Tillman, Juanita Cowart (now Cowart Motley), and Georgia Dobbins, who wa ...

's place as the group's main lead singer. The album art for "Please Mr. Postman" did not contain any images of

, because including

African-American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ensl ...

artists on album covers did not become customary until around 1963. ''Please Mr. Postman'' received mainly negative reviews as it was believed to have been "too rushed" so that the focal track's success could be capitalized. All of the tracks from the album can be found on the

Hip-O Select Hip-O Records is a record label that specializes in reissues and compilations. It is part of Universal Music Group. Established in 1996, the label has distributed releases from 'out of style' genres such as disco and early hip-hop music as wel ...

deluxe compilation CD ''Forever: The Complete Motown Albums''.

Track listing

''Superscript identifies lead singer: (a)

, or (b)

Side 1

#"Angel" (

Sonny Sanders William Nelson "Sonny" Sanders (August 6, 1939 – October 12, 2016) was an American soul music singer, songwriter, arranger, and record producer. Born in Chicago, Sanders made his first recording in 1955, on "Tears of Love" / "Roxanna" by Sa ...

, Robert Bateman) ^b #"

" (

Brian Holland Brian Holland (born February 15, 1941) is an American songwriter and record producer, best known as a member of Holland–Dozier–Holland, the songwriting and production team that was responsible for much of the Motown sound, and numerous h ...

Freddie Gorman Freddie Gorman (born Frederick Cortez Gorman, April 11, 1939 – June 13, 2006) was an American musician and record producer, most famous as a singer, songwriter for the Motown label in the late 1960s and mid 1970s. He was a native of Detroi ...

Berry Gordy Berry Gordy III (born November 28, 1929), known professionally as Berry Gordy Jr., is a retired American record executive, record producer, songwriter, film producer and television producer. He is best known as the founder of the Motown record l ...

) ^b #" Please Mr. Postman" ( Georgia Dobbins, William Garrett, Freddie Gorman, Brian Holland, Robert Bateman) ^a #"So Long Baby" (James Young, Brian Holland, Robert Bateman) ^b #"I Know How It Feels" (

Janie Bradford Janie Bradford (born June 2, 1939 in Charleston, Missouri, United States) is an American songwriter, most known for her tenure with Motown. With Berry Gordy, she co-wrote "Money (That's What I Want)", originally recorded by Barrett Strong, and ...

, Robert Bateman, Richard Wylie) ^b

Side 2

" (Berry Gordy, William Robinson) ^a #"Happy Days" (Berry Gordy) ^a #"You Don't Want Me No More" (Berry Gordy) ^a #"All the Love I Got" (Berry Gordy, Janie Bradford) ^a #"Whisper" (Berry Gordy,

Marv Johnson Marvin Earl Johnson (October 15, 1938 – May 16, 1993) was an American R&B singer, songwriter and pianist. He was influential in the development of the Motown style of music, primarily for the song " Come to Me," which was the first record iss ...

) ^b #"Oh I Apologize" (Berry Gordy, William Robinson) ^a

Personnel

;The Marvelettes *

– lead and background vocals *

Georgeanna Tillman The Marvelettes were an American girl group that achieved popularity in the early to mid-1960s. They consisted of schoolmates Gladys Horton, Katherine Anderson, Georgeanna Tillman, Juanita Cowart (now Cowart Motley), and Georgia Dobbins, who ...

– background vocals *

Katherine Anderson The Marvelettes were an American girl group that achieved popularity in the early to mid-1960s. They consisted of schoolmates Gladys Horton, Katherine Anderson, Georgeanna Tillman, Juanita Cowart (now Cowart Motley), and Georgia Dobbins, who w ...

– background vocals * Juanita Cowart – background vocals with: *

– producer * Smokey Robinson – producer *

and Robert Bateman – producers *

Raynoma Liles Gordy Raynoma Mayberry Liles Gordy Singleton (March 8, 1937 – November 11, 2016) was an American R&B producer, songwriter, and vocalist perhaps best known for her association with ex-husband, Berry Gordy during the early days of Motown when she was ...

– Musitron and

Ondioline The Ondioline is an electronic keyboard musical instrument, developed and built by Frenchman Georges Jenny. Sometimes referred to as the "Jenny Ondioline," the instrument is considered a forerunner of the synthesizer. First conceived by Jenny i ...

on "I Want a Guy" *

The Funk Brothers The Funk Brothers were a group of Detroit-based session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972. Its members are considered among the most successful groups of stud ...

– other instrumentation:The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 1: 1959-1961 iner notes New York: Hip-O Select/Motown/Universal Records **

Richard "Popcorn" Wylie Richard Wayne Wylie (June 6, 1939 – September 7, 2008), often known as Popcorn Wylie, was an American pianist, bandleader, songwriter, occasional singer, and record producer who was influential in the early years of Motown Records and was ...

– piano on "Please Mr. Postman", organ on "I Want a Guy" **

James Jamerson James Lee Jamerson (January 29, 1936 – August 2, 1983) was an American bass player. He was the uncredited bassist on most of the Motown Records hits in the 1960s and early 1970s (Motown did not list session musician credits on their releases ...

– bass on "Please Mr. Postman" and "I Want a Guy" ** Marvin Gaye – drums on "Please Mr. Postman", piano on "I Want a Guy" **

Benny Benjamin William "Benny" Benjamin (July 25, 1925 – April 20, 1969), nicknamed Papa Zita, was an American musician, most notable as the primary drummer for the Motown Records studio band The Funk Brothers. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of ...

– drums on "I Want a Guy" **

Eddie Willis Eddie "Chank" Willis (June 3, 1936 – August 20, 2018) was an American soul musician. Willis played electric guitar and occasional electric sitar for Motown's in-house studio band, The Funk Brothers, during the 1960s and early 1970s. Career B ...

– guitar on "Please Mr. Postman" and "I Want a Guy" **

Hank Cosby Henry R. "Hank" Cosby (May 12, 1928 – January 22, 2002) was an American songwriter, arranger, producer and musician who worked for Motown Records from its formative years. Along with Sylvia Moy, Cosby was a key collaborator with Stevie Won ...

– tenor saxophone on "I Want a Guy" **

Andrew "Mike" Terry Andrew Alexander "Mike" Terry (July 18, 1940 – October 30, 2008) was an American saxophonist, songwriter, arranger, producer and musical director. His baritone sax solos feature on the breakthrough hits of Martha and the Vandellas ("Heat Wave" ...

– baritone saxophone on "I Want a Guy"

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Please Mr. Postman (Album) 1961 debut albums The Marvelettes albums Albums produced by Berry Gordy Albums produced by Smokey Robinson Albums produced by Brian Holland Tamla Records albums Albums recorded at Hitsville U.S.A.