Mail Call Time

Annotation

Soul song "Mail Call Time" (Bamboo Records # BMB 114) - another song, like "From Vietnam With Love" by Charles E. Scott that represented the military practice in which soldiers assemble to receive mail, with each soldier's name called out to pick up the mail. Performed by the soul duo Mel Hardin & Tim McPherson, cousins, both born in Mississippi, US, and based in Chicago with Bamboo Records. They later moved to Stax Records in 1972 with the single Starting All Over Again. The song started in a first person narration, with a soldier expressing the desire to receive mail. The narrator then made a plea in the third person: "girls, pick up your pen, and drop your man a line". Note the reference to the "Jody" theme: "don't let Jody take up all of your time" - suggesting that the soldier's sweetheart may have been involved with another man ("Jody") in his absence. The term "Jody" originated from "Joe the Grinder" (dated c.1939) - a mythical man in blues and jazz tunes who seduced the wives and girlfriends of soldiers, prisoners, and those away from home (for work or whatever). "Grinder" was an old slang word for sex (dated c.1647). It is thought to have been introduced into the army by…

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

About the artist

American soul duo of cousins Mel Hardin and Tim McPherson from Holly Springs, Mississippi. [Source: Wikipedia]

Themes

Soldier's Perspective · Jody · Mail Call

In collections

Jody Songs · Soul, Gospel, & Funk Songs · US Combat Perspective Songs