Cross-Eyed Mary

"Cross-Eyed Mary"
Song by Jethro Tull
from the album Aqualung
Released19 March 1971 (1971-03-19)
RecordedDecember 1970 – February 1971
StudioIsland, London
Genre
Length4:06
Label
Songwriter(s)Ian Anderson
Producer(s)

"Cross-Eyed Mary" is a song by the British progressive rock band Jethro Tull from their album Aqualung (1971).[2]

The song is about "Cross-Eyed Mary", a schoolgirl prostitute[3] who prefers the company of "leching greys" over her schoolmates. It was intended as a companion piece to "Aqualung", the opening album track about a homeless man.[citation needed] The Aqualung character is given a cameo in "Cross-Eyed Mary".[citation needed]

"Cross-Eyed Mary" was ranked the 12th best Jethro Tull song in the book Rock - Das Gesamtwerk der größten Rock-Acts im Check.[4]

Recorded appearances

Personnel

Jethro Tull
Additional personnel

Iron Maiden version

"Cross-Eyed Mary"
Song by Iron Maiden
A-side"The Trooper"
Released1983
GenreHeavy metal
Length3:52
Label
Songwriter(s)Ian Anderson
Producer(s)Martin Birch

Iron Maiden[8] has covered the song, which has been released in different ways (see Piece of Mind, "The Trooper", The First Ten Years and Best of the 'B' Sides). In a 2022 interview with BraveWords, Anderson discussed his thoughts about Maiden's cover, stating, "A spirited rendition by a young Bruce testing out his vocal range in a key not really suited to him!”[9]

References

  1. ^ Schick, Elizabeth A. (1998). Current Biography Yearbook, 1998. H.W. Wilson. p. 26. ISBN 9780824209575. Two other songs on Aqualung, 'Cross-Eyed Mary' and 'Locomotive Breath,' have also become hard-rock classics.
  2. ^ a b "Aqualung - Jethro Tull | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  3. ^ "Ian Anderson interview, Disc and Music Echo, 20 March 1971". Archived from the original on 5 December 2004. Retrieved 18 December 2008.
  4. ^ Rehe, Christoph (2013). Rock - Das Gesamtwerk der größten Rock-Acts im Check: alle Alben, alle Songs. Ein eclipsed-Buch (in German). Sysyphus Sysyphus Verlags GmbH. ISBN 978-3868526462.
  5. ^ "Repeat: The Best of Jethro Tull, Vol. 2 - Jethro Tull | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  6. ^ "The 25th Anniversary Boxed Set - Jethro Tull | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  7. ^ "The Best of Jethro Tull: The Anniversary Collection - Jethro Tull | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  8. ^ "Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind - Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives". Metal-archives.com. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  9. ^ "BETWEEN A ROCK AND A PROG PLACE: IAN ANDERSON TALKS JETHRO TULL HISTORY – "I FIND THAT QUITE A DIFFICULT PROPOSITION TO SINGLE ONE ALBUM OUT"". BraveWords. Retrieved 31 January 2022.