Jimmy Loves Mary-Anne
"Jimmy Loves Mary-Anne" is a 1973 song written and composed by Elliot Lurie and recorded by Lurie's band, Looking Glass. It was the first track on their second and final album, Subway Serenade. The title has also been spelled "Jimmy Loves Mary-Ann".
Background
The lyrics speak of hard-knock life in the inner city. Jimmy and Mary-Anne fall in love and, although they are street wise, dream of running away together and escaping their dead-end life.Chart performance
The single spent a total of 15 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, just one week less than their number 1 hit, "Brandy". It debuted at number 93 on that chart the week of July 21, 1973 and peaked at number 33 the weeks of September 29 and October 6, 1973. On the U.S. Cash Box Top 100, it peaked at number 31. It was a bigger hit in Canada, reaching number 21.Year-end charts
Chicago radio superstation WLS, which gave "Jimmy Loves Mary-Anne" much airplay, ranked the song as the 72nd biggest hit of 1973. It peaked at number 2 on their survey of October 13, 1973.Cover versions
- Mark Williams covered the song, retitled as "Jimmy Loves Marianne" in 1975. It was used as the B-side to his song, "Yesterday Was [Just the Beginning of My Life]", a number 1 hit single in New Zealand.
- Josie Cotton released "Jimmy Loves Maryann" in 1984, again with a variant spelling. It was her second chart single in the U.S.; it reached number 82 on the Billboard Hot 100.