Instrumentation: The song is lead by the low and scratchy voice of Gladys Horton, with the three other women singing backup. The backup singers stress some of Horton's words and their clapping in the recording suggests that, in a live performance, they would offer choreography to the performance. To add a rhythm to the song I heard drums and a piano being played with lively energy to match the song's upbeat rhythm. The speed of the song is quick and lively. It allows for the teens it was targeted to, to dance and be social. It also helps express the singers desperation to get a letter from her boyfriend who is away at war. With the opening verse, Horton sets up the standard for the majority of the song. There is no large range in volume or notes, yet Horton uses melismatic singing to stress the crucial nature of the mailman to "wait."
Texture: The texture seems to be homophonic because the lead singer and chorus work together throughout the song and move at the same speed, and compliment one another. The drums and piano are defiantly in the background yet they set the beat and adds some tones to the piece. Horton and the band are working together to produce a well orchestrated, Please Mr. Postman.
The Marvelettes targeted the youth with their iconic girl group appearance, friendship, and assimilation to the socio-political era. While they experienced success with "Please Mr. Postman" it was also a hit that landed them into an industry focused on uniformity and image, and less on talent.
What's the value of uniformity, when appealing to a mass audience? What's the strength of their image to young girls in the 1960s -- do you think it was all just powerlessness and objectification, or did it give voice to young teenage girls, with music performed by young teenage girls and (in the case of Carol King) sometimes even written by young teenage girls? Again, thanks for this, Hannah!
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