| Mary, Mary | |
| Type: | song |
| Artist: | the Paul Butterfield Blues Band |
| Album: | East-West |
| Recorded: | 1966 |
| Genre: | Blues rock |
| Length: | 2:48 |
| Label: | Elektra |
| Producer: | Barry Friedman |
"Mary, Mary" is a song written by Michael Nesmith and first recorded by 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.
In 1966, Elektra Records was entering the singles market with new rock acts such as Love and the Doors. Hoping that the Paul Butterfield Blues Band would produce a hit, Elektra arranged an extended stay and recording sessions for the group in Los Angeles during the summer.[1] It was there that producer Barry Friedman suggested that the group try a song written by guitarist Michael Nesmith of the Monkees, a group with which Friedman had been working.[2] Butterfield guitarist Mike Bloomfield recalled: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 Bloomfield and by Butterfield on harmonica but "was clearly intended for Top 40 airplay."[2] However, Elektra did not release the song as a single.
"Mary, Mary" was included on the influential Butterfield album East-West in August 1966. 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, but Elektra president Jac Holzman assured them that Nesmith did indeed write it.[3]
| Mary, Mary | |
| Cover: | Mary Mary cover.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | the Monkees |
| Album: | More of the Monkees |
| B-Side: | What am I Doing Hangin' 'Round? |
| Recorded: | July 25, 1966 |
| Studio: | Western Recorders, Hollywood, California |
| Genre: | Garage rock[4] |
| Label: | RCA Australia |
| Producer: | 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 Nesmith used the crack group of session musicians known as the Wrecking Crew to bolster the Monkees' sound, including James Burton, Glen Campbell, Al Casey, Hal Blaine, Jim Gordon, Michael Deasy and Larry Knechtel. The Monkees' version was included on the album More of the Monkees in 1967.
The Monkees' "Mary, Mary" was not released as a single in the U.S. in the 1960s,[5] although it was distributed as a cereal-box prize in 1969.
Sourced from AFM contract.[6]
| Mary, Mary | |
| Cover: | Mary Mary.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Run-D.M.C. |
| Album: | Tougher Than Leather |
| B-Side: | Rock Box |
| Released: | March 8, 1988 |
| Recorded: | 1987 |
| Genre: | Hip hop, rap rock |
| Length: | 3:12 |
| Label: | Profile Records |
| Producer: | Rick Rubin, Run-D.M.C. |
| Prev Title: | I'm Not Going Out Like That |
| Prev Year: | 1988 |
| Next Title: | Run's House |
| Next Year: | 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, and was the only one to reach the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #75, and it reached #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 Nesmith's original lyrics with their own, Nesmith was the only writer credited on Run-D.M.C.'s single. Their version samples Dolenz singing the title from the Monkees' recording.
| Chart (1988) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart[7] | 86 | |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100[8] | 75 | |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music-Club Play[9] | 18 | |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles[10] | 29 |
. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012 . Joel Whitburn . 2013 . Record Research . 731.
. Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Joel Whitburn . 2004 . Record Research . 224.
. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Joel Whitburn . 2004 . Record Research . 506.