features in: Album Chart of 1961 ● Album Chart of the Decade: 1960s |
Debut LP from the Shirelles-inspired quintet, issued to capitalize on their fairy-tale debut single which was in the middle of climbing the charts as the album was released in November. By December, the single had climbed all the way to the very summit of the American Pop Chart – duly securing their place in history as the first Motown act to do so. There’s nothing too bad on the album, but nothing exceptional. Three tracks seem pretty decent to me. “Please Mr. Postman”, featuring 22 year-old Marvin Gaye on drums, is the first to shine; long before text and e-mail, postmen were the no.1 source of teen angst. The down-to-earth lead vocals of Gladys Horton are part of the charm. By contrast, Wanda Young took the vocal range one octave beyond, with “So Long” being the best of her 5 leads. It puts me in mind of The Chantel’s “Maybe”. It’s another Rock n Roll ballad which catches my ear at the very end of the LP – “Oh, I Apologize” which finds all 5 of the girls in fine voice, with some neat “Telstar organ” and piano keeping things interesting. On the liner notes the girls invite you to write in and tell them which track they should release as the next single. “Why not give Mr Postman your letter today?” I vote for “Oh, I Apologize”. Well, better late than never : – )
The Jukebox Rebel
10–Dec–2008
Tracklist |
A1 | [02:34] The Marvelettes - Angel (Sonny Sanders, Robert Bateman) Pop |
A2 | [02:40] The Marvelettes - I Want A Guy (Brian Holland, Freddie Gorman, Berry Gordy) Pop |
A3 | [02:32] The Marvelettes - Please Mr. Postman (Georgia Dobbins, William Garrett, Freddie Gorman, Brian Holland, Robert Bateman) |
A4 | [02:54] The Marvelettes - So Long Baby (James Young, Brian Holland, Robert Bateman) Rock n Roll Ballad |
A5 | [03:00] The Marvelettes - I Know How It Feels (Janie Bradford, Robert Bateman, Richard Wylie) Pop |
B1 | [02:29] The Marvelettes - Way Over There (Berry Gordy, William Robinson) Pop |
B2 | [02:09] The Marvelettes - Happy Days (Berry Gordy) Pop |
B3 | [02:42] The Marvelettes - You Don’t Want Me No More (Berry Gordy) Pop |
B4 | [02:29] The Marvelettes - All The Love I’ve Got (Berry Gordy, Janie Bradford) Pop |
B5 | [02:37] The Marvelettes - Whisper (Berry Gordy, Marv Johnson) Rock n Roll Ballad |
B6 | [02:55] The Marvelettes - Oh, I Apologize (Berry Gordy, William Robinson) Rock n Roll Ballad |