Flash forward two years later, 1963, when the Beatles were recording their second album With the Beatles. As with Please Please Me, the group chose a mixture of original compositions and selections from their live repertoire for the track lineup. Paul McCartney claimed in a 1984 interview that the Beatles were attracted to “Please Mister Postman” because of fan mail “We got it from our fans, who would write ‘Please Mr. Postman’ on the back of the envelopes,” he said. “’Posty, posty, don’t be slow, be like the Beatles and go, man, go!’ That sort of stuff.Despite the fact that they had performed the song numerous times at Cavern, Hamburg, it took nine takes to perfect “Please Mr. Postman.” Under George Martin’s direction, the group assembled at Abbey Road on July 30, 1963, with John Lennon on lead vocals and rhythm guitar; Paul McCartney on backing vocals and bass; George Harrison on backing vocals and lead guitar; and Ringo Starr on drums. In the end they decided to combine two takes, namely an overdub of take nine onto take seven. In addition, Lennon’s lead vocals were double-tracked to add punch to the track.”Please Mister Postman” illustrates how the Beatles adapted other musical forms to create their own sound, both honoring their forebears and adding another dimension to the original versions. By choosing yet another “girl group” song, the Beatles revealed the fearlessness that would drive them through their entire career. Soul and rhythm and blues inspired the four musicians, and their cover of the Marvelettes’ hit pays homage to genres they loved.
