Please Mister Postman, look and see (Oh yeah) If there's a letter in your bag for me

Triple Hit: The Early Girls

“Please Mr. Postman” by  The Marvellettes (1961)

“One Fine Day” by The Chiffons (1963)

“Da Doo Ron Ron” by The Crystals (1963)

Sometimes you like a song and you don’t know why, or you don’t remember. There is a melody, and a feeling that you are reaching back to find. It feels good to search for that feeling. You don’t remember where you heard it first but your mind has made a fantastic connection somewhere.

I have covered ‘girl groups’ before but today I give you a sampling of some of my favourite songs. They are all songs that are allowed to sound dated. They have earned that right because they stood the test of time and still work.

It's like a heatwave burning in my heart I can't keep from crying tearing me apart

Fun Fact of the Week

(Love is Like a) Heat Wave, Martha and the Vandellas, 1963

Martha Reeves was a secretary at Motown who got her break when the famed Mary Wells (‘My Guy’, ‘You Beat Me to the Punch’) did not show up for work at Motown and her group got a chance to record. Barry Gordy was so impressed he offered them a contract in 1962. Martha lived on Van Dyke Street in Detroit and loved the singer Della Reese, so putting the two together named her group the ‘Vandellas’.

Let's Get this Party Started

Pick of the Week

'Money' by the Flying Lizards (1979).

I listened to this at my friend's house the other night - still one of my faves if I am in a zany mood.

It drips with distant disdain on the nothing less than stand-offish delivery of Deborah Evans-Sticklan  The Flying Lizard create a unique ambiance with the Barrett Strong (of Motown fame) song. Although sounding clearly dated it is fun and full of life. It got covered by the Beatles in the '60s but it is not nearly as fun as this.

I wonder what Barrett would think of this?

Songs Everyone Should Know


"Hound Dog" by Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton (1952)

Arguably a precursor to rock - Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller penned this beauty later recorded by Elvis (you know who that is right?).
The emphasis she has on certain parts like "yoooooooooo ain't nooooooothin'" make this great. I also love her little dog yelp at one point. Although I have tried, I cannot replicate it.

She reputedly got next to nothing for recording this song that got scooped by the King and she died a poor, skinny, alcoholic - far from the robust and delightful woman who sang this song.


70's Pick of the Week


"Baker Street" by Gerry Rafferty (1978)

What a cool song! I used to listen to the 45 rpm (revolutions per minute for those who do not know) over and over with the arm up. Old phonographs (record players) used to have this feature just for this purpose. You could play it all day if you liked.

Anyway, the reason I picked this song is because Gerry passed away recently and i was saddened.
Purportedly the original sax player did not have a cool enough name so they replaced him with lesser known

Raphael Ravenscrof and thank god they did! He soars! The song has an air of desperation and expresses it clearly though clever lyrics and delivery.

If you have not heard this song you must have been under the proverbial rock. It was staggeringly huge at the time!

Fun Fact of the Week


Eric Clapton's biological father was in the Canadian Air Force.


Have a good week!