Please Mr. Postman | ||||
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Studio album by The Marvelettes | ||||
Released | 20 November 1961 | |||
Recorded | Hitsville USA; April–July 1961 | |||
Genre | Pop, R&B, soul | |||
Label | Tamla (Motown) | |||
Producer |
Berry Gordy Smokey Robinson Brian Holland |
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The Marvelettes chronology | ||||
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Singles from Please Mr. Postman | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic |
Please Mr. Postman is the 1961 studio debut album from Motown girl group The Marvelettes 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' "Way Over There and "I Want a Guy", which was the debut single for fellow Motown girl group The Supremes 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 who would later take Gladys Horton's place as the group's main lead singer.
The album art for "Please Mr. Postman" did not contain any images of The Marvelettes, because including African-American 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 deluxe compilation CD Forever: The Complete Motown Albums.
Superscript identifies lead singer: (a) Gladys Horton, or (b) Wanda Young