Monday, February 28, 2011

The Singing Mailmen

In the 1950s and 60s, a group of Miami employees began singing as the "Singing Mailmen."

According to the Smithsonian Insitute, the group's intent was to promote "good will."

They hit it big, performing on prime-time television on the "Sing Along with Mitch" show. They played at the White House, the U.S. Congress, and for various local political events.

They sang a song that promoted early mailing for the Christmas season, set to the tune of Jingle Bells.

Christmas stamps, Christmas stamps, making our debut.
We’ll brighten up your Christmas cards and speed them on to you.
Don’t delay; mail today. It’s later than you think.
We’ll put them through for all of you, quicker than a wink.

They were later conscripted to promote the new ZIP Code system with this song, set to the tune of Zippity Do Da.

Welcome to the ZIP Code
Use it today
Send your mail out
The five-digit way
For speedier handling
To lighten the load
Your return address
Should have the ZIP Code

The members disbanded in 1970.

Care to comment?

Photo courtesy of Smithsonian, by permission.


9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Did the info mention why they disbanded? We could use a little positive PR these days.

Anonymous said...

Too bad they disbanded. Maybe, for today's young audience, we should have Al do a rap. :-)

Anonymous said...

I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE this idea! I like putting other lyrics to a tune.
I think someone should revive this form of advertising.
For my high school graduation in 1971 I wrote different words to a song...and the glee choir sang it at commencment. For the life of me...now FORTY YEARS later, I can not REMEMBER the SONG! (ha ha)
Wanda Frasier, Postmaster
Burr Oak KS

Anonymous said...

Maybe you could find some recordings and post them too. I would love to hear. I like the idea of reviving the group using Al.

Joan said...

What happened to the songs like "Hey, Hey Mr. Postman"...

Anonymous said...

LOVE IT!!!!!!!WE NEED IT!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

That's great. Let's do it again.

Anonymous said...

nice autographed album cover, has anybody figured out if it's worth anything? There was a group of postal workers that sang on America's Got Talent last summer, maybe we should arrange for them to do promo work for the USPS.

Anonymous said...

Let's all start singing the blues... ;)