When
the Marvelettes' "Please Mr. Postman" climbed to the top of the pop charts in 1961, it was not only a hit record, it was the crossover hit an ambitious and feisty little independent label out of Detroit, Motown Records, needed. The rest is history. Another single, "Twistin' Postman," poised to feed off the success of "Please Mr. Postman" and the then current Twist dance craze, was also issued, as was this set: a hastily recorded album released in 1962 as
Smash Hits of 62', then renamed The Marvelettes Sing and issued again that year. It's hardly
the Marvelettes' best album, but there are enough fun moments, including a wonderful version of
Cindy Walker's "Dream Baby" (a song usually associated with
Roy Orbison but not written by him), to show that
the Marvelettes were more than just an opening act for the
Diana Ross caravan. ~ Steve Leggett