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The fabulous MLT Please Mr Postman/Wipe Out
MLTs amazing Please Mr Postman/Wipe Out cover I think is performed so passionately by Mona and Lisa. There is so much longing feeling in Lisa’s expressive lead vocals on this, and Mona’s counterpoint backing vocals is just as passionate. You can just feel the longing pain waiting for the postman day after day for that letter you’ve been waiting for from that special someone in your life. It’s how I feel when I wait for an MLT merch parcel to arrive! LOL ????
The wonderful guitar work on Wipe Out is the icing on the cake. This was one of my favourite Carpenters songs in the 70s, and I liked the Beatles version sang by John Lennon as well, but Mona and Lisa’s live performance version when I first saw and heard it on the Live At the Cavern Club video and album blew me away. It is the best version bar none, and one of my very top favourite MLT covers.
In honour of MLT’s fabulous Please Mr Postman/Wipe Out cover that continues to drive the most views per day on YouTube day after day, month after month, here are some interesting fun facts about this song.
It is Motown labels very first #1 song in the charts in 1961, by the Marvelettes. Motown soon flourished into a legendary label, but this song started it off.
Songwriter William Garrett, friend of Marvelettes band member Georgia Dobbins, gave this song to the Marvelettes when Georgia asked William for a song they could sing for their Motown audition. Dobbins took the blues song and completely re-wrote it, save for the title.
Marvin Gaye was just trying to break into the music business and was the drummer for the Marvelettes on this song.
An actual postman, Freddie Gorman, helped write some of the lyrics for this song.
The Beatles covered this song in 1963 and released it on the “Beatles, Second Album”, and was played at many of their early concerts, and it became a #1 song for the Carpenters in 1971 when they covered it.
Having surpassed 2 million views on YouTube very recently, it is on it’s way to 3M and beyond very rapidly. Here is MLTs Please Mr Postman/Wipe Out for your convenience.
What are your feelings about this song and MLTs version?
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11 Replies
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The original Marvelettes recording was the first version I ever heard, and I still consider it to be the definitive one, although there’s absolutely nothing sub-par about any of the covers. I’m just a huge fan of the girl groups of the early 60’s, and I instinctively defend that turf.
I can’t put my finger on why MLT’s cover of this song is the perpetual YouTube champion. Perhaps people watch it for the first time because they’re curious to see how the two different songs are stitched together. And maybe repeat viewers enjoy watching the awesome drum solo. I’m just trying to think of some aspect that makes this one unique.
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Hi David
I actually still have that original 1971 Carpenters album (1975 issued) that had “Please Mr Postman”. I can’t remember if my older brother or sister bought that album, but it was the only Mr Postman I knew for decades. I didn’t know of the Marvelettes original or Beatles cover version until quite recently.
I think MLT does a supreme rockier version of Mr Postman, the performance is so tight,, and for me it’s the expressive vocals (that Mona and Lisa magic) that raises goose bumps when I hear their version.
The Marvelettes certainly did an amazing job back in 1961 with this song to send it to #1, and I am sure re-writing it to make it their own made it a hit.
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On the topic of girl groups from the early 60s, my all time favourite from that period is this one by Little Eva that always zones me out when I hear it.
Another #1 chart topper for Motown.
Like Mr Postman, this one went to #1 twice, first in 1962 with Little Eva’s original, and then in 1974 by Grand Funk Railroad, and in 1988 went to No 3 with Kylie Minogue. I guess when a song is oh so good, it can top the charts across the decades by different artists.
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A classic, Jung! I remember the 1988 revival of The Loco-motion. Little Eva was the babysitter for Gerry Goffin and Carole King, who wrote the song.
This is probably my favorite from that era, also written by Goffin and King. It almost has a Phil Spector “wall of sound” feel to it:
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Nice one David! Chiffons have great vocals. I learned of the Chiffons when I was 15 through this cover Kristy McNichol did of a Chiffons song. I thought she did a very good job. I still have this 45!
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Jung, it sounds like Kristy introduced you to the oldies in the same way that Shaun Cassidy introduced me. (Same hairstyle too!) This is very embarrassing to watch now, but here’s one of his girl group covers:
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David, oh yeah, that is classic Shaun Cassidy. Since we have both already embarrassed ourselves, here is one more bubble gum teen beat from the day to add. LOL. ????
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Okay, who wore it better?
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The Twins do a nice job. Especially live.
I still have a soft spot Karen Carpenter.
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More contrapoint
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Hi Tom, love the vocal counterpoint in Mr Postman, and Karen Carpenter did a fabulous job on it for sure.
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