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Please Mr. Postman
Composer(s) : Georgia Dobbins, William Garrett, Freddie Gorman, Brian Holland, and Robert Bateman
Year : 1961
Duration :
Key :
Meter :
Chords/Tabs: Please Mr. Postman
Please Mister Postman
KEY A Major
METER 4/4
FORM Intro -> Refrain -> Verse -> Verse -> Refrain -> Verse ->
Refrain -> Refrain -> Refrain (fadeout)
COMPOSERS Dobbin/Garrett/Garman/Brianbert
INFLUENTIAL VERSION The Marvelletes (1961)
- Every section of this song is based on the same I -> vi -> IV -> V chord
progression, one of *the* most popular cliches of early Rock and Roll,
yet one which for some reason the Beatles generally eschewed.
- The monotony of the harmonic plan tends to blur somewhat the distinction
between what is "refrain" and "verse", but it should be noted how the
former utiltizes dramatic antiphonal counterpoint between the backing
and lead vocals, while the latter features the lead up front with the
backers softly oooh-ing. One of the other covers here features similarly
conspicuous antiphony (see "Devil In Her Heart") and this sort of device
would eventually become a major trademark of the Beatles original work;
think of the likes of "You Can't Do That" and "You're Going To Lose That Girl." In "Postman" the vocal antiphony starts, bang!, right in
the intro, and I for one can't avoid hearing a direct resonance between
those opening shouts of "Wait!" and the Boys own "Help!"
- John is double tracked while the Marvellete's lead is *not*. Otherwise
the arrangement of both versions is essentially the same, allowing of
course for the large change of key required to accomodate the different
vocal ranges of the two groups.
- Incidentally, you'll find that there is some confusion over the authorship
of this song if you compare various sources. Current CD pressings of WTB
credit the team listed above. However the older LP copies of the "Second
Album" list just "Holland" and this is supported by the Parlophone
company-memo originally defining the running order for WTB as reproduced
in Lewisohn's "Recording Sessions." Note though that Lewisohn's "Live"
book lists it as "Holland/Bateman/Gordy." Does anybody out there know
what I sense must be an interesting story behind this ?
Ook op With the Beatles:
Ook op On Air - Live At The BBC Vol 2:
(c) 2020 Serge Girard