"Please Mr. Postman" is the debut single by The Marvelettes for the Tamla (… Read Full Bio ↴"Please Mr. Postman" is the debut single by The Marvelettes for the Tamla (Motown) label, notable as the first Motown song to reach the number-one position on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart. The single achieved this position in late 1961; it hit number-one on the R&B chart as well.[1] "Please Mr. Postman" became a number-one hit again in early 1975, when The Carpenters' cover of the song also reached the top position of the Billboard Hot 100.

"Please Mr. Postman" has been covered frequently, including a version by The Beatles on their With The Beatles album. Sung by John Lennon, their version reverses the genders. The Beatles included "Please Mister Postman" as part of their live act in 1962, performing it regularly at the Cavern Club. By the time it was recorded for their second album, With The Beatles, it had been dropped from their set, and required some work in the studio to bring it up to an acceptable standard. Ian MacDonald criticised their version for having a "wall of sound" and for a "general airlessness."

Please Mister Postman
The Beatles Lyrics

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Wait, oh yes, wait a minute, Mister Postman
Wait, wai-ai-ai-ait Mister Postman

Mister Postman look and see
(Oh, yeah) Is there a letter in your bag for me?
(Please, please, Mister Postman) I been waiting a long, long time
(Oh, yeah) 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

(Please, Mister Postman) Mister Postman look and see
(Oh, yeah) Is there a letter in your bag for me?
(Please, please, Mister Postman) I been waiting a long, long time
(Oh, yeah) 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

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 girlfriend of mine

You gotta wait a minute, wait a minute, oh yeah
Wait a minute, wait a minute, oh yeah
You gotta wait a minute, wait a minute, oh yeah
Check it and see, one more time for me
You gotta wait a minute, wait a minute, oh yeah
wait a minute, wait a minute, oh yeah
Mister Postman, oh yeah
Deliver the letter, the sooner the better
You gotta wait a minute, wait a minute, oh yeah
wait a minute, wait a minute, oh yeah

You gotta wait a minute, wait a minute, oh yeah
You gotta wait a minute, wait a minute, oh yeah

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Beatles' Please Mr. Postman are a plea to the mailman to deliver a long-awaited letter from the singer's faraway girlfriend. The opening lines "Wait, oh yes, wait a minute, Mister Postman" are repeated frequently throughout the song, emphasizing the singer's eagerness to receive communication from his lover. The lyrics convey a sense of desperation and longing, with lines like "I been waiting a long, long time" and "See the tear standing in my eye."

The song's title and theme are based on a 1961 hit by The Marvelettes, which The Beatles covered in 1963. The original version is sung from the perspective of a woman waiting for a letter from her lover, while The Beatles' version switches the genders. However, the sentiment remains the same: the singer is anxiously waiting for communication from their significant other.

The song was a chart-topping hit for The Beatles in the UK, US, and several other countries. It was one of six cover songs included on their second album, With The Beatles, which was released in 1963. The upbeat tempo and catchy chorus made it a fan favorite, and it remains a popular tune to this day.

Line by Line Meaning

Wait, oh yes, wait a minute, Mister Postman
Please hold on for a moment, Mister Postman

Wait, wai-ai-ai-ait Mister Postman
Please pause for a moment, Mister Postman

Mister Postman look and see (Oh, yeah) Is there a letter in your bag for me?
Could you check if there's any mail for me in your bag, Mister Postman?

(Please, please, Mister Postman) I been waiting a long, long time (Oh, yeah) Since I heard from that girl of mine
I have been waiting eagerly for any news from my long-distance girlfriend, Mister Postman

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 am hoping to receive a letter from my faraway girlfriend today, and I am asking for your help in finding it, Mister Postman

I been standing here waiting, Mister Postman So patiently For just a card or just a letter Saying she's returning home to me
I have been waiting with great patience and hope for even just a card or letter that says my girlfriend is coming back to me, Mister Postman

(Please, Mister Postman) Mister Postman look and see (Oh, yeah) Is there a letter in your bag for me? (Please, please, Mister Postman) I been waiting a long, long time (Oh, yeah) Since I heard from that girl of mine
Once again, I am asking you to check and see if there is any mail for me, Mister Postman, as I have been waiting anxiously for any news from my girlfriend

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
I have been feeling down and sad for so long now, and I wish you had left me a card or letter to make me feel better, especially since you have passed by me so many times, Mister Postman

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 girlfriend of mine
Once again, I am asking you to kindly check if there is any mail for me, as I have been waiting a long time to hear from my girlfriend, Mister Postman

You gotta wait a minute, wait a minute, oh yeah Wait a minute, wait a minute, oh yeah You gotta wait a minute, wait a minute, oh yeah Check it and see, one more time for me You gotta wait a minute, wait a minute, oh yeah wait a minute, wait a minute, oh yeah
Please give me a moment to wait with hope yet again, and check your bag once more for any mail for me, Mister Postman

Mister Postman, oh yeah Deliver the letter, the sooner the better You gotta wait a minute, wait a minute, oh yeah wait a minute, wait a minute, oh yeah You gotta wait a minute, wait a minute, oh yeah You gotta wait a minute, wait a minute, oh yeah
Please, Mister Postman, I implore you to deliver any letter for me as soon as possible, and please allow me just a little more time to wait for it with hope and eagerness

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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