{{Short description|1971 song by Jethro Tull}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}} {{Use British English|date=January 2015}} {{Infobox song | name = Cross-Eyed Mary | cover = | alt = | type = | artist = [[Jethro Tull (band)|Jethro Tull]] | album = [[Aqualung (Jethro Tull album)|Aqualung]] | released = {{Start date|1971|03|19|df=y}} | format = | recorded = December 1970{{snd}}February 1971 | studio = [[Island Studios|Island]], London | venue = | genre = *[[Progressive rock]] *[[hard rock]]<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kUjro-xZcPYC|title=Current Biography Yearbook, 1998|last=Schick|first=Elizabeth A.|date=1998|publisher=H.W. Wilson|isbn=9780824209575|page=26|quote=Two other songs on Aqualung, 'Cross-Eyed Mary' and 'Locomotive Breath,' have also become hard-rock classics.}}</ref> | length = {{Duration|m=4|s=06}} | label = *[[Island Records|Island]] (UK) *[[Reprise Records|Reprise]] (US) | writer = Ian Anderson | producer = *Ian Anderson *[[Terry Ellis (manager)|Terry Ellis]] }}
"'''Cross-Eyed Mary'''" is a song by the [[United Kingdom|British]] [[progressive rock]] band [[Jethro Tull (band)|Jethro Tull]] from their album ''[[Aqualung (Jethro Tull album)|Aqualung]]'' (1971).<ref name="AMG">{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/aqualung-mw0000024632|title=Aqualung - Jethro Tull | Songs, Reviews, Credits |website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=1 June 2021}}</ref>
The song is about "Cross-Eyed Mary", a schoolgirl prostitute<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cupofwonder.com/aqua2.html#crosseyed |title=Ian Anderson interview, Disc and Music Echo, 20 March 1971.<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=18 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041205000604/http://www.cupofwonder.com/aqua2.html#crosseyed |archive-date=5 December 2004 |url-status=dead }}</ref> who prefers the company of "leching greys" over her schoolmates. It was intended as a companion piece to "[[Aqualung (song)|Aqualung]]", the opening album track about a homeless man.{{citation needed|date=June 2021}} The Aqualung character is given a cameo in "Cross-Eyed Mary"'s lyrics.
"Cross-Eyed Mary" was ranked the 12th best Jethro Tull song in the book ''Rock - Das Gesamtwerk der größten Rock-Acts im Check''.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Rehe |first1=Christoph |title=Rock - Das Gesamtwerk der größten Rock-Acts im Check: alle Alben, alle Songs. Ein eclipsed-Buch |date=2013 |publisher=Sysyphus Sysyphus Verlags GmbH |isbn=978-3868526462 |language=German}}</ref>
==Recorded appearances== *''[[Aqualung (Jethro Tull album)|Aqualung]]'' (1971)<ref name="AMG"/> *''[[Repeat – The Best of Jethro Tull – Vol II]]'' (1977)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/repeat-the-best-of-jethro-tull-vol-2-mw0000190473|title=Repeat: The Best of Jethro Tull, Vol. 2 - Jethro Tull | Songs, Reviews, Credits |website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=1 June 2021}}</ref> *''[[25th Anniversary Box Set]]'' (1993)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-25th-anniversary-boxed-set-mw0000097824|title=The 25th Anniversary Boxed Set - Jethro Tull | Songs, Reviews, Credits |website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=1 June 2021}}</ref> *''[[The Best of Jethro Tull – The Anniversary Collection]]'' (1993)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-best-of-jethro-tull-the-anniversary-collection-mw0000098431|title=The Best of Jethro Tull: The Anniversary Collection - Jethro Tull | Songs, Reviews, Credits |website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=1 June 2021}}</ref>
==Personnel== ;Jethro Tull * [[Ian Anderson]] – [[Singing|vocals]], [[acoustic guitar]], [[flute]] * [[Martin Barre]] – [[electric guitar]] * [[John Evan]] – [[piano]], [[Electronic organ|organ]], [[mellotron]] * [[Jeffrey Hammond]] – [[bass guitar]] * [[Clive Bunker]] – [[Drum kit|drums]], [[Percussion instrument|percussion]]
;Additional personnel * [[Terry Ellis]] - producer
==Iron Maiden version== {{Infobox song | name = Cross-Eyed Mary | cover = | alt = | type = | artist = [[Iron Maiden]] | album = | EP = | A-side = [[The Trooper]] | written = | published = | released = 1983 | format = | recorded = | studio = | venue = | genre = [[Heavy metal music|Heavy metal]] | length = 3:52 | label = *[[EMI Records|EMI]] *[[Capitol Records|Capitol]] | writer = [[Ian Anderson]] | composer = | lyricist = | producer = [[Martin Birch]] | prev_title = | prev_year = | title = | next_title = | next_year = }} [[Iron Maiden]] covered the song, which has been released in different ways (see ''[[Piece of Mind]]'', "[[The Trooper]]", ''[[The First Ten Years (boxed set)|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!"<ref>{{Cite web|title=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"|website=BraveWords|url=https://bravewords.com/features/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|access-date=31 January 2022}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Jethro Tull}}
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[[Category:Jethro Tull (band) songs]] [[Category:Song recordings produced by Ian Anderson]] [[Category:Songs written by Ian Anderson]] [[Category:1971 songs]] [[Category:Iron Maiden songs]] [[Category:Songs about prostitutes]]