Mary of the 4th Form
"Mary of the 4th Form" is the second single by The Boomtown Rats. It was the first song taken from the band's first album The Boomtown Rats but the single is a different, re-recorded version from that on the album and 19 seconds longer. On French and Dutch releases of the single, "Do the Rat" (B-side of the UK version) was the A-side.[2] The song's theme, of a teacher's sexual attraction to a pubescent girl, who behaves in an overtly sexual manner, was resonated in the Police song "Don't Stand So Close to Me".[3]
| "Mary of the 4th Form" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by The Boomtown Rats | ||||
| from the album The Boomtown Rats | ||||
| B-side | "Do the Rat"[1] | |||
| Released | 11 November 1977 (UK)[1] | |||
| Genre | Punk rock, new wave, glam rock | |||
| Length | 3:52 (album version 3:33) | |||
| Label | Ensign Records (UK)[1] | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Bob Geldof, Johnnie Fingers | |||
| Producer(s) | Robert John "Mutt" Lange[1] | |||
| The Boomtown Rats singles chronology | ||||
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"Mary of the 4th Form" peaked at No. 15 in the UK Singles Chart in 1977.[4]
Video performances
In videos of this song, Bob Geldof's performances become more reminiscent of Mick Jagger than of punk rockers, with some shows seeing him in a non-punk pink jacket.[5]
Personnel
- Bob Geldof – vocals
- Pete Briquette – bass, vocals
- Gerry Cott – guitar
- Johnnie Fingers – keyboards, vocals
- Simon Crowe – drums, vocals
- Garry Roberts – guitar, vocals
References
- "Boomtown Rats, The - Mary Of The 4th Form (Alternate Version) (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com. 2011-08-11. Retrieved 2014-04-09.
- "The Boomtown Rats Discography". Boomtownrats.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-04-09.
- "(self-titled) Album Review". The Boomtown Rats. Retrieved 2014-04-09.
- Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 71. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- Mary of the 4th Form performance on YouTube