# Cross-Eyed Mary > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Cross-Eyed_Mary > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Cross-Eyed_Mary.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross-Eyed_Mary > Source revision: 1354024029 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) 1971 song by Jethro Tull "Cross-Eyed Mary" Song by Jethro Tull from the album Aqualung Released 19 March 1971 (1971-03-19) Recorded December 1970 – February 1971 Studio Island, London Genre Progressive rock hard rock[1] Length 4:06 Label Island (UK) Reprise (US) Songwriter Ian Anderson Producers Ian Anderson Terry Ellis "**Cross-Eyed Mary**" is a song by the [British](/source/United_Kingdom) [progressive rock](/source/Progressive_rock) band [Jethro Tull](/source/Jethro_Tull_(band)) from their album *[Aqualung](/source/Aqualung_(Jethro_Tull_album))* (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](/source/Aqualung_(song))", the opening album track about a homeless man.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] 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*.[4] ## Recorded appearances - *[Aqualung](/source/Aqualung_(Jethro_Tull_album))* (1971)[2] - *[Repeat – The Best of Jethro Tull – Vol II](/source/Repeat_%E2%80%93_The_Best_of_Jethro_Tull_%E2%80%93_Vol_II)* (1977)[5] - *[25th Anniversary Box Set](/source/25th_Anniversary_Box_Set)* (1993)[6] - *[The Best of Jethro Tull – The Anniversary Collection](/source/The_Best_of_Jethro_Tull_%E2%80%93_The_Anniversary_Collection)* (1993)[7] ## Personnel **Jethro Tull** - [Ian Anderson](/source/Ian_Anderson) – [vocals](/source/Singing), [acoustic guitar](/source/Acoustic_guitar), [flute](/source/Flute) - [Martin Barre](/source/Martin_Barre) – [electric guitar](/source/Electric_guitar) - [John Evan](/source/John_Evan) – [piano](/source/Piano), [organ](/source/Electronic_organ), [mellotron](/source/Mellotron) - [Jeffrey Hammond](/source/Jeffrey_Hammond) – [bass guitar](/source/Bass_guitar) - [Clive Bunker](/source/Clive_Bunker) – [drums](/source/Drum_kit), [percussion](/source/Percussion_instrument) **Additional personnel** - [Terry Ellis](/source/Terry_Ellis) - producer ## Iron Maiden version "Cross-Eyed Mary" Song by Iron Maiden A-side "The Trooper" Released 1983 Genre Heavy metal Length 3:52 Label EMI Capitol Songwriter Ian Anderson Producer Martin Birch [Iron Maiden](/source/Iron_Maiden) covered the song, which has been released in different ways (see *[Piece of Mind](/source/Piece_of_Mind)*, "[The Trooper](/source/The_Trooper)", *[The First Ten Years](/source/The_First_Ten_Years_(boxed_set))* and *[Best of the 'B' Sides](/source/Best_of_the_'B'_Sides)*). In a 2022 interview with [BraveWords](/source/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!"[8] ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Schick, Elizabeth A. (1998). [*Current Biography Yearbook, 1998*](https://books.google.com/books?id=kUjro-xZcPYC). H.W. Wilson. p. 26. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780824209575](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780824209575). Two other songs on Aqualung, 'Cross-Eyed Mary' and 'Locomotive Breath,' have also become hard-rock classics. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-AMG_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-AMG_2-1) ["Aqualung - Jethro Tull | Songs, Reviews, Credits"](https://www.allmusic.com/album/aqualung-mw0000024632). *[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)*. Retrieved 1 June 2021. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Ian Anderson interview, Disc and Music Echo, 20 March 1971"](https://web.archive.org/web/20041205000604/http://www.cupofwonder.com/aqua2.html#crosseyed). Archived from [the original](http://www.cupofwonder.com/aqua2.html#crosseyed) on 5 December 2004. Retrieved 18 December 2008. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-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](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-3868526462](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-3868526462). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Repeat: The Best of Jethro Tull, Vol. 2 - Jethro Tull | Songs, Reviews, Credits"](https://www.allmusic.com/album/repeat-the-best-of-jethro-tull-vol-2-mw0000190473). *[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)*. Retrieved 1 June 2021. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["The 25th Anniversary Boxed Set - Jethro Tull | Songs, Reviews, Credits"](https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-25th-anniversary-boxed-set-mw0000097824). *[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)*. Retrieved 1 June 2021. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["The Best of Jethro Tull: The Anniversary Collection - Jethro Tull | Songs, Reviews, Credits"](https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-best-of-jethro-tull-the-anniversary-collection-mw0000098431). *[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)*. Retrieved 1 June 2021. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["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""](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). *BraveWords*. Retrieved 31 January 2022. v t e Jethro Tull Ian Anderson David Goodier John O'Hara Scott Hammond Jack Clark Mick Abrahams Clive Bunker Glenn Cornick Tony Iommi Martin Barre John Evan Jeffrey Hammond Barriemore Barlow John Glascock Dee Palmer Dave Pegg Mark Craney Eddie Jobson Gerry Conway Peter-John Vettese Paul Burgess Doane Perry Don Airey Maartin Allcock Andrew Giddings Dave Mattacks Jonathan Noyce Florian Opahle Joe Parrish Studio albums This Was Stand Up Benefit Aqualung Thick as a Brick A Passion Play War Child Minstrel in the Gallery Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die! Songs from the Wood Heavy Horses Stormwatch A The Broadsword and the Beast Under Wraps Crest of a Knave Rock Island Catfish Rising Roots to Branches J-Tull Dot Com The Jethro Tull Christmas Album The Zealot Gene RökFlöte Curious Ruminant Live albums Bursting Out Live at Hammersmith '84 A Little Light Music Jethro Tull in Concert Living with the Past Nothing Is Easy: Live at the Isle of Wight 1970 Aqualung Live Live at Montreux 2003 Live at Madison Square Garden 1978 Live at Carnegie Hall 1970 Compilations Living in the Past M.U. – The Best of Jethro Tull Repeat – The Best of Jethro Tull – Vol II Original Masters 20 Years of Jethro Tull: Highlights Nightcap The Best of Jethro Tull – The Anniversary Collection Through the Years The Very Best Of The Best of Acoustic Jethro Tull The Essential 50 for 50 Boxed sets 20 Years of Jethro Tull 25th Anniversary Box Set Videos Slipstream 20 Years of Jethro Tull 25th Anniversary Video Living with the Past A New Day Yesterday Nothing Is Easy: Live at the Isle of Wight 1970 Live at Montreux 2003 Jack in the Green Live at Madison Square Garden 1978 Live at AVO Session Basel Around the World Live Songs "Sunshine Day" "A Song for Jeffrey" "Love Story" "Living in the Past" "Bourée" "Sweet Dream" "The Witch's Promise" "Teacher" "Aqualung" "Cross-Eyed Mary" "Mother Goose" "Hymn 43" "Locomotive Breath" "Life Is a Long Song" "Bungle in the Jungle" "Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day" "Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die" "The Whistler" "Songs from the Wood" "Heavy Horses" "Dun Ringill" Related Discography Members A Billion Hands Concert The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus A Classic Case Thick as a Brick 2 Jethro Tull – The String Quartets Category Authority control databases MusicBrainz work --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Cross-Eyed Mary](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross-Eyed_Mary) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross-Eyed_Mary?action=history)). 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