The Cowsills were a singing group from Newport, Rhode Island specializing i… Read Full Bio ↴The Cowsills were a singing group from Newport, Rhode Island specializing in what would later be defined as bubblegum pop. The band was formed in the spring of 1965 by four brothers — Barry, Bill, Bob, and John Cowsill. After their initial success, the brothers were later joined by their siblings, Susan and Paul and their mother, Barbara. Rounding out the group was remaining brother Richard, who did not sing with the group, but was assigned as road manager and advisor.

Origins And Early Successes
----------------------------
Originally inspired by The Beatles, the Cowsills developed their musicianship and harmonized vocals in performances at school dances and churches in their hometown. They were encouraged by their parents, Barbara and Bud Cowsill, who drove them around to shows in the family's station wagon. Bud had retired from a long career in the US Navy to manage his children's career together with his wife.

The band drew increasing attention through the 1960's as their musical proficiency improved. In late 1965, the initial four members were hired as a regular act on Bannisters Wharf in Newport where they would sing "The Beatles" songs hour after hour. They also produced their first recordings, and released them on Mercury Records. Despite their appeal, the company passed on a record contract for reasons never specified. In 1966, the band was signed by MGM records, and shortly after Barbara - who would become known to their fans affectionately as "Mini-Mom" due to her diminutive stature - joined the group to record The Rain, The Park and Other Things. Shortly thereafter the band was expanded yet again to include siblings Susan and Paul.

With the success of "The Rain, The Park and Other Things" the band quickly became a popular act in the U.S., and achieved significant airplay in England and other parts of Europe. "The Rain, The Park and Other Things" wound up reaching #2 on the Billboard charts, and sold some three million copies in its first release.

Bob Cowsill is quoted as follows on the band's early days:

"Although Bill and I performed at a very young age, and Bill, myself, Barry and John did a lot of frat parties at Brown University and clubs in Newport ... the most memorable performance of what I would view as the precursor of what The Cowsills would be was at King's Park in Newport (right at the foot of Halidon Hall) at some carnival. The family angle just evolved ... first Bill and me, then Bill me and Barry, then Bill, me, Barry and John, then Bill, me, Barry, John and Mom, then Bill, me, Barry, John, Mom and Paul, then later, me, Paul, John, Barry, Mom and Susan, then back to Bill, me, Barry and John (very briefly in the end) and then to me, Paul, John and Susan. Our first real break came when we were playing the MK Hotel in Newport (in the basement there) and a guy from the Today show saw us and asked if we wanted to be on the Today show. We weren't famous or anything but we were young and we were related and we were quite good. So we went on the Today show (I doubt a tape exists of that but if it did it would be priceless to see) and someone from Mercury Records saw us which ultimately led to our signing with that label and putting out "Most Of All" (a great "school's out" song that should have been our first hit in my opinion) which led to Artie Kornfeld and Steve Duboff. Mercury dropped us, but Artie and Steve had written "The Rain, The Park and Other Things" and we went in and recorded that song at A&R studios in New York and took the whole package to MGM who decided wouldn't it just be terrific if their mother performed with them and, voila, the rest, as they say, is history. "

In 1969 they had another number two hit with their version of the title song from the musical Hair.

The Cowsills are often cited as the inspirtation for TV's "The Partridge Family."

Please Mr. Postman
The Cowsills 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 song "Please Mr. Postman" by The Cowsills is about a man who is waiting anxiously for a letter from his girlfriend who is far away. He goes to the post office every day, hoping that there will be a letter from her. He even pleads with the postman to help him out, urging him to "deliver the letter, the sooner the better." The song describes the frustration and longing that the man feels as he waits for news from his loved one.

The lyrics are full of desperation and emotion, with lines like "I been waiting a long long time" and "See the tear standing in my eye." The man is consumed with thoughts of his girlfriend and can think of nothing else but hearing from her. He is willing to wait patiently, but his heart aches for just a card or a letter saying she is returning home.

The song was originally written by William "Smokey" Robinson, and was recorded by The Marvelettes in 1961. The Cowsills recorded their version in 1967, and it became a hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The song has been covered by many other artists over the years, including The Beatles, The Carpenters, and The Supremes.

Line by Line Meaning

Wait, oh yes wait a minute mister postman
Asking the postman to stop and wait for a moment so that he can check for any letter in his bag.

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
Requesting the postman to search his bag for any letter from a faraway girlfriend who hasn't communicated in a while, causing the singer to wait eagerly with no news.

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
Expressing hope that the postman has some word from the girlfriend who lives far away, urging him to search his bag for a possible letter.

I been standing here waiting Mister postman So patiently For just a card or just a letter Saying she's returning home to me
Waiting with a great deal of patience for a card or a letter from the girlfriend that informs the singer of her return home.

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
Addressing the postman who has passed the singer for many days without leaving any communication, and thereby causing the singer to feel emotional, begging the postman to make him feel better by leaving a card or a letter.

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
Asking the postman to check his bag one more time and 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

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS