This group was one of the most well known Brumbeat acts of the early 1960s … Read Full Bio ↴This group was one of the most well known Brumbeat acts of the early 1960s and are also very significant as the members included two of the most famous Birmingham musicians of the 1960's and 70's, namely Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne.

Mike Tyler started his music career at a young age by playing piano at a pub in Kings Heath. After entering and winning a local talent contest, he was asked to join Billy King and the Nightriders which he did after changing his stage name to Sheridan. The group attracted a large local following and after various personnel changes, Sheridan became the lead singer and frontman. The Nightriders also included lead guitarist Alan 'Big Al' Johnson who was manager of Burton's tailors on Corporation Street and guitarist Dave Pritchard from a group called The Planets. Drummer Roger Spencer who was from Castle Bromwich, had previously played in a group called The Hound Dogs. Bass guitarist at the time was Brian Cope. Mike Sheridan & The Nightriders soon established a reputation around Birmingham as one of the most accomplished bands on the scene at that time.

In June of 1963, Cliff Richard & The Shadows producer Norrie Paramour came up to Birmingham to audition local beat groups at the Moat House Club in the Bull Ring. Of the 13 bands that had been recommended, five including the Nightriders were signed-up by Paramour to the Columbia Records label.

Mike Sheridan & The Nightriders first record release was Tell Me What You're Gonna Do but in late 1963, Brian Cope left the group and was replaced by Greg Masters from Nechells who had played in The Dominators and The G Men. The next single to be recorded by the Nightriders at the famous Abbey Road Studios in London was Please Mr. Postman (recorded on 22nd November 1963 - the same day President Kennedy was assassinated) and although it didn't chart it sold well locally and gained the band much attention. The Nightriders respected lead guitar player, Big Al Johnson, left the band in 1964 after appointing a young successor by the name of Roy Wood.

The first Nightriders single to be recorded with Roy Wood on guitar and backing vocal was What A Sweet Thing That Was/Fabulous released at the end of 1964. In early 1965, Mike Sheridan & The Nightriders, like many British groups in the early 1960's went over to Germany to undertake some bookings. When they returned, another single Here I Stand/Lonely Weekends was released in 1965, and the group's name was changed to become Mike Sheridan's Lot.

On the next Nightriders single Take My Hand, Roy Wood alternated on lead vocal with Mike Sheridan. Make Them Understand was the B-side and is significant by being Roy Wood's first songwriting effort to be published. Although not an exceptional composition, it does feature some excellent guitar work but Mike Sheridan, not Roy Wood sang the vocal on it.

After the release and subsequent failure of the excellent Don't Turn Your Back On Me single in early 1966 (a song written by American composer Jackie De Shannon and recorded with future Pink Floyd producer Norman Smith), Roy Wood left the band to become a founding member of Birmingham's hit group The Move. His place was taken by Johnny Mann from Carl Wayne & The Vikings and Mike Sheridan carried on as the frontman for a short time before also leaving.

With Mike Sheridan's departure, the group's name was abbreviated to The Nightriders although Johnny Mann decided to leave soon after and a young guitarist named Jeff Lynne who lived in Shard End, joined the band in response to an advertisement in the local paper. Lynne's first group was called The Andicaps and he had also previously been a member of The Chads (originally known as The Sundowners). After the release of a final Nightriders single, the band was re-named The Idle Race and a change in musical direction followed.

Mike Sheridan continued to perform around the Midlands for a while as Mike Sheridan's New Lot with a line-up of his consisting of Joe Dignam on drums, guitarists Pete Oliver, Terry Wallace and Colin Timmins on bass guitar. They released a single in 1966 and Mike Sheridan later joined up with The Move's bass player Rick Price to form the group Sheridan & Price with whom he also recorded an album. Mike Sheridan retired from music in the early 70's to start a successful business selling potatoes. In the 1980's he returned with a new Nightriders band playing 1960's style music and he's still a well known and much respected performer in the Birmingham area along with his wife Suzi Sheridan.

Mike Sheridan lead vocal (left 1966)
Brian Cope bass guitar (left 1963)
Al Johnson lead guitar (left 1964)
Dave Pritchard guitar, vocals
Roger Spencer drums
Greg Masters bass guitar, vocals (joined 1963)
Roy Wood lead guitar, vocals (joined 1964, left 1966)
Johnny Mann lead guitar (joined & left 1966)
Jeff Lynne lead guitar, vocals (joined 1966)

Please Mr. Postman
Mike Sheridan & The Nightriders Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Wait, oh yes wait a minute mister postman
Wait, wait mister postman

Mister postman look and see
Is there a letter in your bag for me
I been waiting a long long time
Since I heard from that girl of mine

There must be some word today
From my girlfriend so far away
Please Mister postman look and see
If there's a letter, a letter for me
I been standing here waiting Mister postman
So patiently
For just a card or just a letter
Saying she's returning home to me

Mister postman look and see
Is there a letter in your bag for me
I been waiting a long long time
Since I heard from that girl of mine

So many days you passed me by
See the tear standing in my eye
You didn't stop to make me feel better
By leaving me a card or a letter

So Mister postman look and see
Is there a letter in your bag for me
I been waiting a long long time
Since I heard from that girlfriend of mine

You gotta wait a minute, wait a minute
You gotta wait a minute, wait a minute
You gotta wait a minute, wait a minute
You gotta check it and see, one more time for me
You gotta wait a minute, wait a minute
You gotta wait a minute, wait a minute
You gotta wait a minute, wait a minute
Deliver the letter, the sooner the better
You gotta wait a minute, wait a minute

You gotta wait a minute, wait a minute
You gotta wait a minute, wait a minute

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Please Mr. Postman by Mike Sheridan & The Nightriders revolves around a narrator who is anxiously waiting for a letter from his long-distance girlfriend. The song begins with the singer asking the postman to wait for a minute so that he could ask if there's a letter in his bag for him. He has been waiting for a long time to hear from his girlfriend who is far away. He requests the postman to check his bag and see if there's a letter for him.

The second verse of the song expresses the singer's hope of receiving a letter from his girlfriend. He pleads with the postman to look for a letter for him, as he has been standing patiently waiting for any news from his lover. The third verse highlights the singer's sadness and despair while waiting for a letter from his lover. He has seen many days go by, and his eyes have welled up with tears. He wishes that the postman had left him a card or a letter to make him feel better.

The song's chorus repeats the request for the postman to wait for a minute to check if he has received a letter from his girlfriend. This song became popular in the 1960s has been recorded by many artists, and remains a classic to this day. The lyrics strike a chord among listeners who can relate to the desperation of waiting for a letter from their loved ones. Overall, "Please Mr. Postman" is a song about love, patience, and the joys and sorrows of waiting.

Line by Line Meaning

Wait, oh yes wait a minute mister postman
Asking the postman to wait for a moment

Wait, wait mister postman
Repeating the request to wait for the postman

Mister postman look and see
Requesting the postman to search for a letter

Is there a letter in your bag for me
Asking the postman if there is a letter addressed to the artist

I been waiting a long long time
Expressing how long the artist has been waiting for the letter

Since I heard from that girl of mine
Explaining the reason for waiting for a letter from the girlfriend

There must be some word today
Believing that there should be a letter on that day

From my girlfriend so far away
Referring to the girlfriend who is far away

Please Mister postman look and see
Politely requesting the postman to check again

If there's a letter, a letter for me
Asking specifically for a letter addressed to the artist

I been standing here waiting Mister postman
Restating how long the singer has been waiting for the letter

So patiently
Describing the artist's attitude while waiting

For just a card or just a letter
Saying that the singer would be happy with even a small message

Saying she's returning home to me
Hoping that the letter contains good news that the girlfriend is coming back

So many days you passed me by
Addressing the postman, who has walked by many times without a letter

See the tear standing in my eye
Expressing the artist's sadness and disappointment

You didn't stop to make me feel better
Blaming the postman for not trying to comfort the artist

By leaving me a card or a letter
Explaining how a small gesture could have made a big difference

You gotta wait a minute, wait a minute
Repeating the request to wait for the postman

Deliver the letter, the sooner the better
Urging the postman to deliver the letter as soon as possible

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Brian Holland, Freddie Gorman, Georgia Dobbins, Robert Bateman, William Garrett

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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