Be sure to roll your windows down and blast the song of summer—courtesy of the USPS.
The hit starts off with a rousing chorus of, “they’ve never failed us through the years, through driving rains, sleet or snow. But now they’ve got a problem and what are they to do? The answer my friend is very simple…it’s up to you to see them through.”
No present parallels here.
On July 1, 1963, the United States Postal Service introduced to the nation the concept of zip codes. Fearing people wouldn’t understand the notion of adding a five-digit code to their letters, USPS launched this bop utilizing the talents of the band The Swingin’ Six. (Yes, they were an actual band.)
And we, as a nation, are better for it.
Taking the viewer through 15 minutes of thrilling post office history, the catchy tune has it all: cavemen, mail during the Revolutionary War, long-distance heartbreak on Valentine’s day. The entire song is well worth your time, but if you can’t manage to sit through its entirety—even in your WFH-induced boredom—here’s an abbreviated version.
