"Mary" is a song by American rock band, Scissor Sisters

Scissor Sisters

Scissor Sisters are an American band "spawned by the scuzzy, gay nightlife scene of New York" who took their name from a sexual position between two women also known as tribadism...

, and is the fourth track on their eponymous debut album

Scissor Sisters (album)

-Personnel:* Jake Shears – lead vocals* Babydaddy – bass guitar, keyboards, guitar, backing vocals* Ana Matronic – lead vocals* Del Marquis – guitar, bass guitar* Paddy Boom - drums, percussion-Release dates:-Charts:-References:...

 (see 2004 in music

2004 in music

See also:* 2004 in music Record labels established in 2004-January:*January 1**The Vienna New Year's Concert is conducted by Riccardo Muti.**Kurt Nilsen wins World Idol....

). It was released as a single

Single (music)

In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...

 in October 2004 in the UK

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

, peaking at #14 in the UK Singles Chart

UK Singles Chart

The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...

.

The "Mary" of the title was Mary Hanlon, a friend of Jake Shears

Jake Shears

Jake Shears is the lead male vocalist for the American music group Scissor Sisters.-Early life and education:...

, who died in 2006.

Track listings

• 12" picture disc (9868280)

1. "Mary" – 4:41
2. "Laura" (City Hi-Fi remix) – 4:24

• 12" (9868281)

1. "Mary" – 4:41
2. "Mary" (Junkie XL
   Junkie XL
   Tom Holkenborg , better known as Junkie XL or JXL, is a Dutch musician. He uses the name JXL in cases where the term "Junkie" might cause offense. XL is for "Xpanding Limits"....
   
    mix)

• CD (9868282)

1. "Mary" – 4:41
2. "Mary" (Junkie XL radio edit) – 3:55
3. "Take Me Out
   Take Me Out (song)
   "Take Me Out" is a song by the Scottish band Franz Ferdinand. It was released as the second single from their debut album Franz Ferdinand in the United Kingdom on the 12 January 2004 and in the United State on 9 February, both through Domino Records...
   
   " (Jo Whiley
   Jo Whiley
   Johanne "Jo" Whiley is a British radio disc jockey and television presenter. She was the host of the long running weekday Jo Whiley Show on Radio 1.-Early life and education:...
   
    Session) – 4:32

Official remixes

1. "Mary" (a cappella)
2. "Mary" (Junkie XL remix)
3. "Mary" (Junkie XL edit)
4. "Mary" (Junkie XL radio edit)
5. "Mary" (Mylo remix)

Music video

The video for the single was released in October 2004 and was considered a curio

Curio

Curio may refer to:* A strange and interesting object which evokes curiosity** Curio , a predominantly glass cabinet with a metal or wood framework used to display collections of curios...

 by fans. It was seen as a spoof

Parody

A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...

 of Rapunzel

Rapunzel

"Rapunzel" is a German fairy tale in the collection assembled by the Brothers Grimm, and first published in 1812 as part of Children's and Household Tales. The Grimm Brothers' story is an adaptation of the fairy tale Persinette by Charlotte-Rose de Caumont de La Force originally published in 1698...

and other children's fairy tale

Fairy tale

A fairy tale is a type of short story that typically features such folkloric characters, such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants or gnomes, and usually magic or enchantments. However, only a small number of the stories refer to fairies...

s; an owl makes an appearance in the video. The music video was produced by Don Bluth

Don Bluth

Donald Virgil "Don" Bluth is an American animator and independent studio owner. He is best known for his departure from The Walt Disney Company in 1979 and his subsequent directing of animated films such as The Secret of NIMH , An American Tail ,The Land Before Time , and All Dogs Go to Heaven ,...

. Scissor Sisters contacted him after recalling fond memories of an animated sequence in Xanadu

Xanadu (film)

Xanadu is a 1980 romantic musical fantasy film written by Marc Reid Rubel and directed by Robert Greenwald. The title is a reference to the poem "Kubla Khan, or, A Vision in a Dream: A Fragment" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, which is quoted in the film. Xanadu is the name of the Chinese province...

. The video also includes a live action portion, showing a woman getting out of bed, boarding a London Underground

London Underground

The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...

 train, departing at Canary Wharf tube station

Canary Wharf tube station

Canary Wharf tube station is a London Underground station on the Jubilee Line, between and . It is in Travelcard Zone 2 and was opened by Ken Livingstone setting an escalator in motion on 17 September 1999 as part of the Jubilee Line Extension. It is maintained by Tube Lines...

 and entering and working in a docklands office. This sequence segues into the animation with her staring into a photocopier, presumably indicating the animated sequence is her daydream.

External links

• Official website
• Underground Illusion - The Ultimate Scissor Sisters Database