Along Comes Mary

"Along Comes Mary" is a song composed by Tandyn Almer, originally recorded in 1966 by the Association,[3] and released on their debut album And Then... Along Comes the Association. It was their first hit and reached number seven on the U.S. charts.

"Along Comes Mary"
Single by The Association
from the album And Then... Along Comes the Association
B-side"Your Own Love"
Released8 March 1966[1]
Format7"
Length2:45
LabelValiant
Songwriter(s)Tandyn Almer
Producer(s)Curt Boettcher[2]
The Association singles chronology
"One Too Many Mornings"
(1966)		 "Along Comes Mary"
(1966)		 "Cherish"
(1966)
"Along Comes Mary"
Single by Bloodhound Gang
from the album Hooray for Boobies
Released1999
Format
Recorded1997
Length3:20
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Jimmy Pop
Bloodhound Gang singles chronology
"Why's Everybody Always Pickin' on Me?"
(1997)		 "Along Comes Mary"
(1999)		 "The Bad Touch"
(1999)
Music video
"Along Comes Mary" on YouTube

"Along Comes Mary" is sung from the point of view of a once-disillusioned young man talking about the "tribulations no one ever sees" and who "curse[s] those faults in me." The singer believes Mary gives him comfort and improves his life. An acquaintance of Almer claimed in an interview that "Mary" refers to marijuana, though it is unclear if Almer ever confirmed this.[4] In the Young People's Concert titled What Is a Mode? Leonard Bernstein explained that the song was composed in the Dorian mode.[5]

The song has been covered by several artists, most notably the Bloodhound Gang.

Cover versions

In 1966, South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela included the song on his album Hugh Masekela's Next Album, and the Baja Marimba Band's jazzy tango remake hit the top 100 in 1967.[6] That same year, Cal Tjader covered it for his album Along Comes Cal, [7] and the following year George Benson included a version on his album Giblet Gravy.[8]

It was covered by R. Stevie Moore in 1986,[9] The Manhattan Transfer on their 1995 album Tonin',[10] and by 24-7 Spyz in 1996.[11]

Bloodhound Gang recorded a version in 1997, writing new punk music to accompany the lyrics. It first appeared on the 1998 soundtrack to the film Half Baked,[12] before appearing on the Bloodhound Gang's album Hooray for Boobies the following year. The song reached No.5 in Austria, No. 6 in Germany and No. 13 in Switzerland,[13] also reaching No. 13 on the German year-end charts.[14]

It was covered by German Blue Flames in 2001,[15] The Guess Who[16] and Plainsong[17] both covered it in 2005, and The Folkswingers covered it in 2007.[18]

The Association's version appears in the 2011 film That's What I Am.

See also
  • List of recordings of songs Hal Blaine has played on

References
  1. "Record Details". 45cat. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  2. Curt Boettcher discography
  3. "Show 37 - The Rubberization of Soul: The great pop music renaissance. [Part 3] : UNT Digital Library" (audio). Pop Chronicles. Digital.library.unt.edu. 1969. Retrieved 2011-04-14.
  4. "'Along Comes Mary' Songwriter Was A Lost Talent Of The 1960s". All Things Considered. NPR. February 19, 2013. Retrieved 9 December 2013.
  5. Young People's Concert: What Is a Mode? (transcripts) – LeonardBernstein.com. Retrieved July 21, 2018
  6. Best of the Baja Marimbaband – allmusic
  7. Along Comes Cal – allmusic
  8. Giblet Gravy – allmusic
  9. Glad Music – allmusic
  10. Tonin – allmusic
  11. 6 – allmusic
  12. Half Baked – allmusic
  13. "Bloodhound Gang - Along Comes Mary". hitparade.ch. Archived from the original on November 24, 2018. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
  14. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Archived from the original on July 19, 2015. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
  15. Smash...! Boom...! Bang...!: The 60s Anthology – allmusic
  16. Let's Go – allmusic
  17. Plain Song – allmusic
  18. Raga rock – allmusic
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