Mary, Mary (song)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Mary, Mary"
Song by the Paul Butterfield Blues Band
from the album East-West
ReleasedAugust 1966 (1966-08)
Recorded1966
GenreBlues rock
Length2:48
LabelElektra
Songwriter(s)Michael Nesmith
Producer(s)Barry Friedman

"Mary, Mary" is a song written by Michael Nesmith and first recorded by the the Paul Butterfield Blues Band for their 1966 album, East-West. Nesmith's band, the Monkees, later recorded it for More of the Monkees (1967). Hip hop group, Run–D.M.C., revived the song in the late 1980s, with an adaptation that appeared in the U.S. record charts.

The Butterfield Blues Band[]

In 1966, Elektra Records, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band's record company, was entering the singles market with new rock acts Love and the Doors. Hoping that Butterfield would produce a hit, Elektra arranged an extended stay and recording sessions for the group in Los Angeles during the summer of 1966.[1] It was there that producer Barry Friedman suggested that they try a song written by guitarist Michael Nesmith of the Monkees, a group that he had been working with.[2] Butterfield guitarist Mike Bloomfield recalled:

We got real hot for a while to cut commercial records ... We went with these guys who used to cut records for the Stones, Bruce Botnick and Dave Hassinger. We cut "Mary, Mary" and a song called "If I Had My Way", which never came out. All sorts of weird attempts to make rock 'n' roll singles. We really wanted to do that, but it never happened.[1]

According to Bloomfield biographer David Dann, "the song was given a muscular arrangement that included backup vocals, overdubbing, fuzz-tone effects, and dramatic stops".[2] It also included brief solos by Butterfield on harmonica and Bloomfield, but "was clearly intended for Top 40 airplay".[2] However, Elektra did not release it as a single.

"Mary Mary" was released on the influential Butterfield album, East-West in August 1966. Reviewers made favorable comments, with AllMusic's Mark Deming calling the song "buzzy and mildly trippy"[3] and The Mojo Collection guide describing it as one of the album's "top drawer" performances.[4] The album included the group's adaptations of several older blues songs, which did not list the songwriters, and "Mary, Mary" also lacked a composer credit. After the Monkees' version was released, Butterfield fans complained to Elektra that Nesmith was taking the writer's credit for the song; Elektra president Jac Holzman assured them that Nesmith did indeed write it.[5]

The Monkees[]

"Mary, Mary"
Mary Mary cover.jpg
Single by the Monkees
from the album More of the Monkees
B-side"What am I Doing Hangin' 'Round?"
Released1968 (1968)
RecordedJuly 25, 1966
StudioWestern Recorders, Hollywood, California
GenreRock
LabelRCA Australia
Songwriter(s)Michael Nesmith
Producer(s)Michael Nesmith

On July 25, 1966, Nesmith produced and recorded the song for the Monkees at Western Recorders in Hollywood, California. Micky Dolenz sang lead, and Mike used the crack group of session musicians known as the Wrecking Crew to beef up their sound, including; James Burton, Glen Campbell, Al Casey, Hal Blaine, Jim Gordon, Michael Deasy and Larry Knechtel. Their version was released on the album More of the Monkees in 1967.

The Monkees' "Mary Mary" was not released as a single in the USA in the 1960s,[6][7] although it was given away as a cut-out cereal box prize in 1969.[8] Singles were released in several other countries[9] including Australia where the local RCA release was a number five hit in 1968.

Personnel[]

Appearances on The Monkees[]

"Mary, Mary" appeared in five episodes of the 1966–67 first season of the television series The Monkees:

  • "I've Got a Little Song Here"
  • "Find The Monkees"
  • "The Prince & the Paupers"
  • "Alias Micky Dolenz"
  • "Monkees on Tour"

Run-D.M.C. version[]

"Mary, Mary"
Mary Mary.jpg
Single by Run-D.M.C.
from the album Tougher Than Leather
B-side"Rock Box"
ReleasedMarch 8, 1988
Recorded1987
GenreHip hop, rap rock
Length3:12
LabelProfile Records
Songwriter(s)Michael Nesmith
Producer(s)Rick Rubin, Run-D.M.C.
Run-D.M.C. singles chronology
"I'm Not Going Out Like That"
(1988) 		"Mary, Mary"
(1988) 		"Run's House"
(1988)

Run-D.M.C. covered "Mary, Mary" in a rap rock version. It was released as a single from their fourth album, Tougher Than Leather, in 1988. It was released by Profile Records and produced by the group along with Rick Rubin. It was their most successful single from the album, being the only one to make it to the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 75, and peaking at number 29 on the Hot Black Singles chart.

Run-D.M.C. changed the line "Mary, Mary, where ya' goin' to" to "Mary, Mary, why ya' buggin'". Although Run-D.M.C. replaced Michael Nesmith's original lyrics with a new set of lyrics of their own, Nesmith was the only writer credited on Run-D.M.C.'s single. Run-D.M.C.'s version samples Micky Dolenz singing the title from the Monkees' recording.

Track listing[]

A-side
  1. "Mary, Mary" – 3:12
B-side
  1. "Mary, Mary" (Instrumental) – 3:12
  2. "Rock Box" – 5:28

Chart history[]

Chart (1988) Peak
position
U.K. Singles Chart[10] 86
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[11] 75
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music-Club Play[12] 18
U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles[13] 29

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Ward, Ed (2016). Michael Bloomfield: The Rise and Fall of an American Guitar Hero. Chicago Review Press. eBook. ISBN 978-1-61373-331-8.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c Dann, David (2019). Guitar King: Michael Bloomfield's Life in the Blues. Austin, Texas: University of Texas Press. p. 229. ISBN 978-1477318775.
  3. ^ Deming, Mark. "The Paul Butterfield Blues Band: East-West – Review". AllMusic. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  4. ^ Mojo (2007). The Mojo Collection: The Ultimate Music Companion. Edinborough, Scotland: Canongate Books. p. 79. ISBN 978-1-84195-973-3.
  5. ^ Massingill, Randi L. (2005). Total Control: The Monkees Michael Nesmith Story. Las Vegas, Nevada: Flexquarters. pp. 69–70. ISBN 0-9658218-4-6.
  6. ^ Colgems - Label Discography at 45cat.com, retrieved April 29, 2018
  7. ^ Discography for Colgems Records at Global Dog Productions, retrieved April 29, 2018
  8. ^ Record details: "Cut-out record from the back of a cereal box" at 45cat.com, retrieved April 29, 2018
  9. ^ "Mary Mary" discographical search results at 45cat.com, retrieved April 29, 2018
  10. ^ "officialcharts.com". officialcharts.com. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  11. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn’s Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 731.
  12. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 224.
  13. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 506.
Retrieved from ""