Cross-Eyed Mary

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

"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(s)	Ian Anderson
Producer(s)	Ian Anderson Terry Ellis

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"'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 (1971)^[2]
• Repeat – The Best of Jethro Tull – Vol II (1977)^[5]
• 25th Anniversary Box Set (1993)^[6]
• The Best of Jethro Tull – The Anniversary Collection (1993)^[7]

Personnel

Jethro Tull

• Ian Anderson – vocals, acoustic guitar, flute
• Martin Barre – electric guitar
• John Evan – piano, organ, mellotron
• Jeffrey Hammond – bass guitar
• Clive Bunker – drums, percussion

Additional personnel

• 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(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]