The Marvelettes

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The Marvelettes were an American singing group. With 21 hits on the R&B charts and 23 hits on the pop charts, the Marvelettes were one of the most successful girl groups of the 1960s.

The Marvelettes 1963, clockwise from top left: Gladys Horton, Katherine Anderson, Georgeanna Tillman and Wanda Young

history

The girls from Inkster in the US state of Michigan got together for a singing competition at their school. On December 11, 1961, her track Please Mr. Postman was number 1 in the US charts at the top and was the first number 1 for her record label Motown at all. The Beatles recorded the track in 1963, and in 1974 it became a hit for the Carpenters .

Her song The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game , written by Smokey Robinson , was later covered many times, including by Ella Fitzgerald , Blondie , Grace Jones , Massive Attack featuring Tracey Thorn and Bette Midler .

At the beginning of the 1970s, the group fell apart, but got back together at short notice with different session singers, including Lisa Fischer , in 1980 and 1990. In 2004 she was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame .

Original cast

  • Katherine Anderson (born January 16, 1944)
  • Ann Bogan
  • Juanita Cowart (born January 8, 1944)
  • Georgeanne Marie Tillman Gordon (February 6, 1944 - January 6, 1980)
  • Gladys Horton (born May 30, 1945 - January 26, 2011)
  • Wanda Young (born August 9, 1943)

Discography

Albums

year title Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements
(Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) 		Remarks
US US R&B R&B
1966 Greatest hits US84 (16 weeks)
US 		R&B4 (11 weeks)
R&B
Best of album
1967 The Marvelettes US129 (8 weeks)
US 		R&B13 (10 weeks)
R&B
1968 Sophisticated soul - R&B41 (9 weeks)
R&B
1970 The Return of the Marvelettes - R&B50 (2 weeks)
R&B

More studio albums

  • Please Mr. Postman (1961)
  • The Marvelettes Sing (1962)
  • Playboy (1962)
  • The Marvelous Marvelettes (1963)
  • In Full Bloom (1969)

Singles

year Title
album 		Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements
(Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) 		Remarks
UK UK US US R&B R&B
1961 Please Mr. Postman
Please Mr. Postman 		- US1
gold
gold

(23 weeks)US 		R&B1 (23 weeks)
R&B
Authors: Georgia Dobbins, William Garrett, Brian Holland , Robert Bateman, Freddie Gorman
the Motown label's first number one hit
1962 Twistin 'Postman - US34 (9 weeks)
US 		R&B13 (6 weeks)
R&B
Authors: Robert Bateman, Brian Holland, Mickey Stevenson
Playboy
playboy 		- US7 (15 weeks)
US 		R&B4 (13 weeks)
R&B
Authors: Brian Holland, Robert Bateman, Gladys Horton, Mickey Stevenson
Beechwood 4-5789
Playboy 		- US17 (11 weeks)
US 		R&B7 (11 weeks)
R&B
Authors: Marvin Gaye , Mickey Stevenson, George Gordy
Someday, Someway
Playboy 		- - R&B8 (12 weeks)
R&B
Authors: Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier , Freddie Gorman
published as B-side by Beechwood 4-5789
Strange I Know
The Marvelous Marvelettes 		- US49 (14 weeks)
US 		R&B10 (10 weeks)
R&B
Authors: Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Freddie Gorman
1963 Forever
Playboy 		- US78 (6 weeks)
US 		R&B24 (4 weeks)
R&B
Authors: Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier
Locking Up My Heart
The Marvelous Marvelettes 		- US44 (9 weeks)
US 		R&B25 (1 week)
R&B
Authors: Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland Jr.
published as the B-side of Forever
My Daddy Knows Best
The Marvelous Marvelettes 		- US67 (6 weeks)
US 		-
Author: Berry Gordy
As Long as I Know He's Mine
The Marvelettes' Greatest Hits 		- US47 (13 weeks)
US 		R&B3 (13 weeks)
R&B
Author: Smokey Robinson
1964 He's a Good Guy (Yes He Is)
Anthology 		- US55 (7 weeks)
US 		R&B18 (10 weeks)
R&B
Author: Smokey Robinson
You're My Remedy
The Marvelettes' Greatest Hits 		- US48 (7 weeks)
US 		R&B16 (10 weeks)
R&B
Author: Smokey Robinson
Too Many Fish in the Sea
The Marvelettes' Greatest Hits 		- US25 (12 weeks)
US 		R&B5 (12 weeks)
R&B
Authors: Norman Whitfield , Eddie Holland Jr.
1965 I'll Keep Holding On
Anthology 		- US34 (7 weeks)
US 		R&B11 (8 weeks)
R&B
Authors: Mickey Stevenson, Ivy Jo Hunter
Danger! Heartbreak Dead Ahead
The Marvelettes' Greatest Hits 		- US61 (8 weeks)
US 		R&B11 (8 weeks)
R&B
Author: Mickey Stevenson
1966 Don't Mess with Bill
The Marvelettes' Greatest Hits 		- US7th
gold
gold

(12 weeks)US 		R&B3 (15 weeks)
R&B
Author: Smokey Robinson
You're the One
Sophisticated Soul 		- US48 (6 weeks)
US 		R&B20 (5 weeks)
R&B
Author: Smokey Robinson
1967 The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game
The Marvelettes 		- US13 (11 weeks)
US 		R&B2 (14 weeks)
R&B
Author: Smokey Robinson
When You're Young and in Love
The Marvelettes 		UK13 (10 weeks)
UK 		US23 (10 weeks)
US 		R&B9 (10 weeks)
R&B
Author: Van McCoy
My Baby Must Be a Magician
Sophisticated Soul 		- US17 (11 weeks)
US 		R&B8 (12 weeks)
R&B
Melvin Franklin of Temptations gives the introduction
Author: Smokey Robinson
1968 Here I Am Baby
Sophisticated Soul 		- US44 (9 weeks)
US 		R&B14 (9 weeks)
R&B
Author: Smokey Robinson
Destination: Anywhere
Sophisticated Soul 		- US63 (5 weeks)
US 		R&B28 (7 weeks)
R&B
1969 I'm Gonna Hold On Long as I Can
Sophisticated Soul 		- US76 (3 weeks)
US 		-
Author: Smokey Robinson
That's How Heartaches Are Made
In Full Bloom 		- US97 (1 week)
US 		-
Authors: Bob Halley, Ben Raleigh

More singles

  • Too Hurt to Cry, Too Much in Love to Say Goodbye (1963)
  • What's Easy for Two Is So Hard for One (1968)
  • Marionette (1970)
  • A Breath-Taking Guy (1972)

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Compare Whitburn, Joel: Top Pop Singles 1955-1993 . Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Ltd., 1994, pp. 384f
  2. ↑ For more information on the title, see Bronson, Fred: The Billboard Book of Number One Hits . 3rd revised and expanded edition. New York City, New York: Billboard Publications, 1992, p. 101
  3. ↑ a b Chart sources: UK / US
  4. ↑ US albums: Joel Whitburn : Joel Whitburn presents the Billboard Albums . 6th edition. Billboard Books, New York 2006, ISBN 0-89820-166-7 . / US R&B albums: Joel Whitburn : Joel Whitburn's Top R&B Albums 1965–1998 . Billboard Books, New York 1999, ISBN 0-89820-134-9 .
  5. ↑ US singles: Joel Whitburn : Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-2006 . Billboard Books, New York 2007, ISBN 0-89820-172-1 . / US R&B singles: Joel Whitburn : Joel Whitburn presents Hot R&B Songs 1942-2010 . Billboard Books, New York 2011, ISBN 0-89820-186-1 .
  6. ↑ The Marvelettes in the RIAA gold / platinum database (USA)

literature

  • Stambler, Irwin: The Encyclopedia Of Pop, Rock And Soul . 3rd revised edition, New York City, New York: St. Martin's Press, 1989, pp. 445f - ISBN 0-312-02573-4 .
  • Warner, Jay: The Billboard Book Of American Singing Groups. A History 1940-1990 . New York City / New York: Billboard Books, 1992, pp. 421f.

Web links