Mary, Mary (song)
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| "Mary, Mary" | |
|---|---|
| Song by the Paul Butterfield Blues Band | |
| from the album East-West | |
| Released | August 1966 |
| Recorded | 1966 |
| Genre | Blues rock |
| Length | 2:48 |
| Label | Elektra |
| Songwriter | Michael Nesmith |
| 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:
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 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]
