'60's Vocal Groups: The Marvelettes

Welcome to Rock and Roll Flashback!  I'm Bill Price, and in this episode of '60's Vocal Groups, I will feature The Marvelettes, who was one of the first to achieve a #1 hit by an all female vocal group and who also achieved the distinction of being the first group that gave the Motown record label its’ first #1 hit single. 

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Transcript

In this episode of 60's Vocal Groups, I will feature The Marvelettes, who was one of the first to achieve a #1 hit by an all female vocal group and who also achieved the distinction of being the first group that gave the Motown record label its’ first #1 hit single.  

In 1960 while attending Inkster High School in Inkster, Michigan, fifteen year old glee club member Gladys Horton formed a group along with fellow glee club members Katherine Anderson, Georgeanna Tillman, Juanita Cowart and high school graduate Georgia Dobbins. Initially the group had difficulty in coming up with a name for the group. They originally came up with name The Casinyets, which was derived from the phrase Can’t Sing Yet. In 1961 the quintet settled on The Marvels and entered a talent competition managing to finish in fourth place. The first three winners were offered an opportunity to audition for the Motown label. However two of the girls teachers suggested that The Marvels be allowed to audition as well.  After auditioning for Motown executives, who included Brian Holland and Robert Bateman, a second audition was then held this time involving Smokey Robinson and Motown president Berry Gordy. Although Gordy was impressed, he advised the group to return with their own composition. 

Upon returning to Inkster, Georgia contacted William Garrett a local musician who had an unfinished song titled “Please Mr. Postman’. Garrett permitted Georgia to use the song as long as he was credited as the songwriter if the song became a hit. Even though Georgia had no experience writing songs, she took the song home and reworked the composition to the sound of teenage doo-wop. Before returning to Motown, Georgia left the group. This left Gladys Horton now as the leader, so she asked Wanda Young to join the group.

When the group returned to Motown and performed the their composition, Berry Gordy suggested that they change their name to The Marvelettes and signed the group to Motown’s Tamla division in July 1961. In August  “Please Mr. Postman” was recorded and on the 21st the single was released on the Tamla label. By December, it had climbed to the top of the singles chart reaching #1, and making The Marvelettes the first Motown group to achieve a Hot 100 chart topper. By December of 1961 an unknown band from Liverpool England that went by the name of The Beatles, began playing  “Please Mr. Postman” in their live performances. 

With the success of  “Please Mr. Postman”, the group recorded a song titled “Twistin’ Postman”. The song was chosen since Chubby Checker’s ‘The Twist” and the twist dance craze, were popular at that time. In early 1962 the single managed to peak at #34 on the pop chart. 

Here is an excerpt of “Twistin’ Postman”. 

Before 1961 ended the Marvelettes first album titled Please Mr. Postman was released, but did not manage to enter the chart. The next single, which was written by group member Gladys Horton, was titled “Playboy”. Upon its release it climbed to #7 in early 1962. This was the second single that was written by two of the group’s members. That same year, two albums were released titled Smash Hits of 1962 and Playboy.

Here is the Marvelettes’ second Top 10 hit  “Playboy”.

The next release was a composition co-written by Marvin Gaye titled “Beachwood 4-5789".  The single reached the #17 position. Interestingly, R&B radio stations began playing the flip side of the record.  As a result, “Someday, Someway” was propelled to number eight on the R& B chart, making it the group’s first double sided hit.

Here is  “Beachwood 4-5789” and an excerpt of   “Someday, Someway”.

With the success of the singles, the group stopped attending school in order appear for performances.  In 1963 Juanita Coward left the group, making it a quartet. By 1964 the popularity of US vocal groups, especially all female groups, began struggling to produce hits. Motown began promoting Martha and the Vandellas and the Supremes and was to compete with the British Invasion. Interestingly, The Marvelettes were initially offered the song “Where Did Our Love Go”, but turned it down in favor of “Too Many Fish in the Sea”. “Where Did Our Love Go” became the Supremes first hit in 1964. “Too Many Fish in the Sea” climbed to the #25 position on the Hot 100.

Here is an excerpt of “Too Many Fish in the Sea”.

By early 1965 Georgeanna Tillman left the group due to health issues just before the release of “My Baby Must Be a Magician”. The song peaked at the #17 position.  However, after the release of the single The Marvelettes struggled with subsequent recordings since the Motown label failed to provide any significant promotion.  

The group continued as a trio. The release of a few singles continued with some reaching the Top 40. Later in 1965 a Smokey Robinson composition titled “Don’t Mess With Bill” was released which reached the #7 position, making it the second single that sold over one million copies. The group released two Top 20 singles in 1966 and 1967 with “The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game” and  “When You’re Young and in Love”.  However by 1967, Gladys Horton left the group and was replaced with Ann Bogan.  In August 1969, the group performed at the University of Detroit with Elizabeth Woods as Wanda Rogers’ replacement. The performance was one of the last live concerts by the group. By 1970 there were no charting hits and the group disbanded.

Here is The Marvelettes’ #7 hit from 1965, “Don’t Mess With Bill”.

In 1995 The Marvelettes were honored with the “Pioneer Award” at the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. And in 2004 they were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.  In 2005 the group was awarded Gold plaques for their two biggest hits “Please Mr. Postman” and “Don’t Mess With Bill”. In 2007 the group was voted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.  They were finally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015 even though they were eligible for induction back in 1987.  In 2013 they were inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame.  

The Marvelettes discography includes 17 albums and 28 singles. 

I conclude this episode with The Marvelettes’ #1 hit from 1961, “Please Mr. Postman”.

This has been a look back at the career of The Marvelettes. And until next time, I’m your host Bill Price.