Wikipedia

Mary Hopkin

Mary Hopkin(born 3 May 1950), credited on some recordings asMary Viscontifrom her marriage toTony Visconti,is a Welsh singer best known for her 1968 UK number 1 single "Those Were the Days".She was one of the first artists to be signed tothe Beatles'Applelabel.

Mary Hopkin
Hopkin at the Eurovision Song Contest 1970
Hopkin at theEurovision Song Contest 1970
Background information
Born(1950-05-03)3 May 1950(age 74)[1]
Pontardawe,Wales
GenresFolk-pop
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Instruments
Years active1968–present
Labels
[citation needed]
Spouse
​
​
(m.1971;div.1981)​
Websitemaryhopkin.com

Life and career

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Early life and singing career

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Hopkin was born into aWelsh-speakingfamily inPontardawe,Wales.[2][3]She took weekly singing lessons as a child and began her musical career as a folk singer with a local group called the Selby Set and Mary. She released anEPof Welsh-language songs for a local record label called Cambrian, based in her hometown, before signing toApple Records,owned by the Beatles, one of the first artists to do so.[4]The modelTwiggysaw her winning theITVtelevision talent showOpportunity Knocksand recommended her toPaul McCartney.[4] Her debut single, "Those Were the Days",produced by McCartney, was released in the UK on 30 August 1968. Despite competition from well-established starSandie Shaw,whose own single version of the song was also released that year, Hopkin's version became anumber 1 hiton theUK Singles Chart.[5]It reached number 2 on the USBillboardHot 100,where for three weeks it was held out of the top spot by the Beatles' "Hey Jude",[6]and spent two weeks at number 1 on Canada'sRPMsingles chart. It sold over 1,500,000 copies in the United States alone, and was awarded agold discby theRIAA.Global sales topped 8,000,000.[7]

On 2 October 1968, Hopkin appeared atSt Paul's Cathedralin London for thePop Experience,where she sang "Morning of My Life","Turn Turn Turn"and"Plaisir d'amour".[8]In December that year, theNMEmusic magazine reported that Hopkin was considering a lead acting role inStanley Baker's planned filmRape of the Fair Country,which was to be based onAlexander Cordell's book of the same name.[9]That particular project did not materialise but Hopkin did sing the title songs to two of Baker's films,Where's Jack?andKidnapped.

On 21 February 1969, Hopkin's debut album,Post Card,again produced by McCartney, was released.[10]It includedcoversof three songs fromDonovan,who also played on the album, and one song each fromGeorge MartinandHarry Nilsson.It reached number 3 on theUK Albums Chart,although it proved to be her solitary success in that chart.[5]In the United States,Post Cardreached number 28 on theBillboardalbums chart.[6]

The next single was "Goodbye",written by McCartney (credited toLennon–McCartney), and released on 26 March 1969.[11]It reached number 2 on the UK Singles Chart,[5]number 13 on theBillboardHot 100[11]and number 15 on theRPMchart in Canada.[12]Hopkin said she interpreted "Goodbye" as McCartney pledging to stop "micromanaging"her career, since she was uncomfortable with his positioning of her as a pop chanteuse.[13]She also expressed dissatisfaction with her manager at this time,Terry Doran.[14]

Hopkin's third single, "Temma Harbour",was a re-arrangement of aPhilamore Lincolnsong. Her first single not to be produced by McCartney,[15]it was released on 16 January 1970 and peaked at number 6 in the UK and number 42 in Canada.[16]In the US, "Temma Harbour" reached number 39 on theBillboardHot 100 and number 4 on the magazine'sEasy Listening chart.[17]Along with Donovan andBilly Preston,Hopkin was one of the chorus singers on theRadha Krishna Temple's 1970 hit single "Govinda",produced byGeorge Harrisonfor Apple Records.[18]

Eurovision

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In March 1970, Hopkin represented the United Kingdom in the1970 Eurovision Song Contest,achieving second place with "Knock, Knock Who's There?"[4]Despite being the pre-contest favourite, Hopkin lost to "All Kinds of Everything",performed by Irish singerDana.[19]Produced byMickie Most,"Knock, Knock Who's There?" was released as a single on 23 March 1970 and peaked at number 2 in the UK.[5]It was a worldwide hit, selling over a million.[citation needed]

Hopkin's final big hit was "Think About Your Children", released in October 1970, which reached number 19 in the UK. Hopkin has expressed dissatisfaction with the material produced by Most, who had taken over as her producer with "Temma Harbour". After appearing in Eurovision, Hopkin wanted to return to her folk-music roots.

After Eurovision

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At McCartney's insistence, Hopkin had recorded a cover of "Que Sera, Sera"in August 1969.[20]Hopkin had no wish to record the song and refused to have the single released in Britain.[20]Initially issued in France in September 1969, it was released in North America in June 1970.[15]The single peaked at number 77 on theBillboardHot 100[15]and number 47 in Canada,[citation needed]and was also a hit in Japan, Australia, New Zealand, andRhodesia.

The last single to hit the British charts was "Let My Name Be Sorrow", which reached number 46 in July 1971. It was produced byTony Visconti,whom Hopkin had met earlier for a Welsh recording of "Sparrow". "Let My Name Be Sorrow" was a hit in Poland in January 1972.

Hopkin's second album,Earth Song/Ocean Song,was released by Apple on 1 October 1971. The album was produced by Visconti and included cover versions of songs written byCat Stevens,Gallagher and LyleandRalph McTell,as well as the two title tracks by Liz Thorsen. Hopkin felt it was the album she had always wanted to make, so, coinciding with her marriage to Visconti and with little left to prove, she left the music scene.[21]The album's single, "Water, Paper and Clay", missed theBillboardHot 100. It was Hopkin's last single for Apple Records, which she left in March 1972.

After Hopkin's departure from Apple, a compilation album titledThose Were the Dayswas released in the latter part of 1972. The album featured all of Hopkin's hits but failed to chart. "Knock Knock, Who's There?" was released as a single in the United States and Canada, both countries having been excluded from the first release of that record in 1970. The single reached number 92 on theBillboardHot 100 and number 11 on the Easy Listening chart in December 1972, giving Hopkin her last US hit.

Television series

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Following her appearance in the Eurovision contest, Hopkin had her ownpeak timeTV series,Mary Hopkin in the Land of...,onBBC1.Created byEric Merriman,each episode featured Hopkin looking at a different aspect of storytelling through music and dance. The six 30-minute programmes were broadcast in 1970 and were repeated in 1971.[22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29]

After the hit singles

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After marrying Visconti in 1971,[4]Hopkin withdrew from thepop-music scene to have a family. Although reportedly unhappy with show business, she did not stop recording. She travelled to Australia with Visconti in January 1972 and performed at a large outdoor rock festival in South Australia, in addition to giving concerts in several major cities.[citation needed]In March, Hopkin announced her departure from Apple Records; her manager,Jo Lustig,said they were considering offers from "three major [record] companies".[30]In June, the single "Summertime Summertime"/" Sweet and Low "was released onBell Recordsunder the name of Hobby Horse. The A-side was a cover of a 1958 song bythe Jamies.With Visconti's assistance, she released the 1972 Christmas single "Mary Had a Baby" / "Cherry Tree Carol" onRegal Zonophone Records.

Hopkin starred in her own one-off TV special for BBC1 on 29 July 1972. TitledSing Hi, Sing Lo,it was billed simply as "light entertainment starring Mary Hopkin".[31]

Although no other singles or albums came out in her name until 1976, she sang on numerous recordings that her husband produced, such as those featuringTom Paxton,Ralph McTell,David Bowie(Low),Bert Jansch,the Radiators from Space,Thin Lizzy,Carmen, the Sarstedt Brothers,Osibisa,Sparks,Hazel O'ConnorandElaine Paige.On all of these recordings (and also on her husband's ownInventoryalbum) she is credited as "Mary Visconti". During this time, she also appeared on various TV shows, such asCilla Black's, as well as various radio programmes.

Return to recording

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In 1976, she returned to recording under her birth name and released the single "If You Love Me (Really Love Me)"(originally recorded byÉdith Piafas "Hymne à l'amour"), which reached number 32 in the UK chart.[5]TheB-side,"Tell Me Now", was an original composition by Hopkin. Her next single was "Wrap Me in Your Arms", with the B-side again written by Hopkin ( "Just A Dreamer" ). These singles came out on Visconti's Good Earth Records label.[5]Several songs recorded for an album at the time have now been released under Hopkin's own label, Mary Hopkin Music.[1]

Two members ofSteeleye Span(Bob Johnson and Pete Knight) chose Hopkin to play "Princess Lirazel" on theirconcept albumThe King of Elfland's Daughter.She also appeared at theCambridge Folk FestivalwithBert Jansch.In 1976, her second child was born. Before the 1970s ended,Deccareleased acompilation albumof Hopkin's Cambrian recordings,The Welsh World of Mary Hopkin.

1980s

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Hopkin in 1982

Hopkin's first project in the 1980s was a well-reviewed stint playing the Virgin Mary inRock Nativityat the Hexagon Theatre inReading, Berkshire.[8]After this,Mike Hurst(record producer and formerly ofthe Springfields) asked her to sing lead in a new group named Sundance that he had formed withMike de AlbuquerqueofELO.[4]Their only single, "What's Love", allowed them to tour the UK withDr. Hookbut Hopkin quickly left the group, dissatisfied with the gigs. "What's Love" proved very popular in South Africa, albeit the only territory where it charted, peaking at number 10 in April 1982. In 2002, Hurst released recordings from this time on theAngel Airlabel.

Hopkin and Visconti divorced in 1981. The following year she provided vocals on "Rachael's Song" for theVangelissoundtrack ofBlade Runner.Around 1984,Peter Skellernasked her to join him andJulian Lloyd Webberin a group calledOasis.Their self-titled and only album,Oasis,was released onWEAalong with two singles. The album reached number 23 on the UK album chart in 1984 and remained there for 14 weeks. Atourof the UK was planned but was brought to an abrupt end because Hopkin became ill. The group disbanded shortly afterwards.

During the 1980s, Hopkin appeared in several charity shows, including an appearance at theLondon Palladiumwith Ralph McTell. In 1988, she took part in George Martin's production ofDylan Thomas'Under Milk Wood.She played the character Rosie Probert and performed a piece called "Love Duet" withFreddie Jonesas Captain Cat. The making of the record was filmed and made into a special edition ofThe South Bank Show,where Hopkin and Jones were shown rehearsing and recording "Love Duet". In 1992, the cast reunited for a performance of the play as a tribute to Thomas in the presence ofPrince CharlesforThe Prince's Trust.[8]

Hopkin recorded an album calledSpiritin 1989. This was released on theTraxlabel and is a collection of light classical songs and featured the single "Ave Maria".The record was produced by Benny Gallagher, ofGallagher and Lyle,who had contributed songs to her during her days at Apple Records.

1990s

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Early in 1990, Hopkin sang withthe Chieftainsat theLondon Palladiumin a charity show and later joined them on a tour of the UK.

She continued to do projects of her choosing, working with people such asJulian Colbeck;she wrote thelyricsand performed a song on his CDBack to Bach.Also, there was Marc Cerrone'sThe Collector,a stage play/opera for which she performed two songs on the CD and video. She worked again with old friends, the guitaristBrian WilloughbyandDave Cousins(ofStrawbs) on their CDThe Bridge.She also appeared on a Beatles'tribute albumby RAM Pietsch.

Album cover ofY Caneuon Cynnar – The Early Recordings

In 1996, the Welsh labelSainbought Cambrian's back catalogue and released all of Hopkin's Welsh recordings on a CD calledY Caneuon Cynnar/The Early Recordings,[32]which removed theoverdubbeddrums found on the Decca recordings.

In 1999, she again joined the Chieftains on their UK tour and, later that year, performed concerts in Scotland with Benny Gallagher andJim Diamond.[8]There were also three TV documentaries about her, one each forHTV(1998),BBC Television(1998) andS4C(2000).[8]

She made a guest appearance onthe Crocketts' albumThe Great Brain Robbery,sang thetheme songforBilly Connolly's BBC TV seriesWorld Tour of England, Ireland and Walesand re-recorded "Those Were The Days" withRobin Williamsrapping.She also appeared in theSara SugarmanfilmVery Annie Mary.

2000s

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In September 2005, she released a retrospective album on the Mary Hopkin Music a label run by her daughter entitledLive at the Royal Festival Hall 1972.[1]It was followed in December 2006 by a Christmas recording, "Snowed Under", released on download only.

To celebrate her 57th birthday in 2007, she released an album calledValentineon her new eponymous label.[1]It included 12 previously unheard tracks dating from 1972 to 1980, three of which were written by Hopkin.[1]In 2008, a new album,Recollections,was released on her own label.[1]It included 11 tracks that were originally recorded between 1970 and 1986, alongside a CD of three Christmas songs which included "Mary Had a Baby" and "The Cherry-Tree Carol"(these tracks were first released on Regal Zonophone in 1972) and" Snowed Under ", which was released in 2006 as a download only.

Her final archival CD,Now and Then,was released in May 2009. It comprises 14 tracks recorded between 1970 and 1988. She sang the song "Y 'deryn pur" ( "Gentle Bird" ) on the albumBlodeugerdd: Song of the Flowers – An Anthology of Welsh Music and Songreleased by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings in June 2009.

2010s

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Hopkin's daughter,Jessica Lee Morgan,released her first CD, calledI Am Not,on which Hopkin sings on several songs.

In October 2010, Hopkin and her son, Morgan Visconti, releasedYou Look Familiar,a collaboration which brings together Hopkin's melodies, lyrics and vocals with her son's instrumentation and arrangements.[33]

In 2013,Painting by Numberswas released on Mary Hopkin Music. The album includes 10 tracks written by Hopkin, two of which are co-written with friends; "Love Belongs Right Here" withBrian Willoughbyand "Love, Long Distance" withBenny Gallagher.

For Christmas 2014, Hopkin recorded a single with her son and daughter. The traditional carol, "Iesu Faban" (meaning "Baby Jesus" in Welsh), was described on her website as a "close, intimate choral performance of a traditional Welsh Christmas carol".[34]

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the release of "Those Were the Days", on 30 August 2018 Hopkin released a new acoustic version, on an EP also featuring the live version from her 1972 "farewell" concert at theRoyal Festival Hall.Also included are the versions of "Those Were the Days" and "Goodbye" released in 1977, produced by her then husband, Tony Visconti.[35]

2020s

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Hopkin released an album calledTwo Hearts,together with her daughter Jessica Lee Morgan. Featuring newly written material and covers fromthe BanglestoDire Straits,it was released on 3 May 2023, Hopkin's 73rd birthday.[36]

Discography

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Main article:Mary Hopkin discography

See also

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References

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  1. ^abcdef"Mary Hopkin Music".Maryhopkin.com.Retrieved19 August2015.
  2. ^"Those Were The Days: the Mary Hopkin story".BBC.5 September 2013.
  3. ^"Mary Hopkin biography".BBC.Retrieved13 June2023.
  4. ^abcdeRice, Jo (1982).The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits(1st ed.). Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 120.ISBN0-85112-250-7.
  5. ^abcdefRoberts, David (2006).British Hit Singles & Albums(19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 259.ISBN1-904994-10-5.
  6. ^ab"Mary Hopkin | Awards".AllMusic.3 May 1950.Retrieved19 August2015.
  7. ^Murrells, Joseph (1978).The Book of Golden Discs(2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p.241.ISBN0-214-20512-6.
  8. ^abcde"Diary 1971 – 1980".homepage.ntlworld.com/pat.richmonds. 17 January 1981. Archived fromthe originalon 4 March 2016.Retrieved19 August2015.
  9. ^Tobler, John (1992).NME Rock 'N' Roll Years(1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 191. CN 5585.
  10. ^"Biography by Richie Unterberger".Allmusic.com.Retrieved24 March2009.
  11. ^abWomack, Kenneth(2014).The Beatles Encyclopedia: Everything Fab Four.Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. p. 336.ISBN978-0-313-39171-2.
  12. ^"RPM Top 100 Singles – May 26, 1969"(PDF).Collectionscanada.gc.ca.
  13. ^Shea, Stuart; Rodriguez, Robert (2007).Fab Four FAQ: Everything Left to Know About the Beatles... and More!.New York, NY: Hal Leonard. pp.259–60.ISBN978-1-4234-2138-2.
  14. ^Everett, Walter(1999).The Beatles as Musicians: Revolver Through the Anthology.New York, NY: Oxford University Press. p. 208.ISBN978-0-19-512941-0.
  15. ^abcWinn, John C. (2009).That Magic Feeling: The Beatles' Recorded Legacy, Volume Two, 1966–1970.New York, NY: Three Rivers Press. p. 316.ISBN978-0-307-45239-9.
  16. ^"RPM Top 100 Singles - April 18, 1970"(PDF).Collectionscanada.gc.ca.
  17. ^Billboardmagazine, March 1970.
  18. ^Greene, Joshua M. (2006).Here Comes the Sun: The Spiritual and Musical Journey of George Harrison.Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. p. 170.ISBN978-0-470-12780-3.
  19. ^O'Connor, John Kennedy. The Eurovision Song Contest – The Official History. Carlton Books, UK, 2007.ISBN978-1-84442-994-3
  20. ^abEverett 1999,pp. 349–50.
  21. ^"Earth Song, Ocean Song".Apple Records.Retrieved29 September2015.
  22. ^"Mary Hopkin in the Land of Films".Genome – Radio Times 1923–2009.BBC.Retrieved5 June2018.
  23. ^"Mary Hopkin in the Land of Legend".Genome – Radio Times 1923–2009.BBC.Retrieved5 June2018.
  24. ^"Mary Hopkin in the Land of Theatre".Genome – Radio Times 1923–2009.BBC.Retrieved5 June2018.
  25. ^"Mary Hopkin in the Land of Books".Genome – Radio Times 1923–2009.BBC.Retrieved5 June2018.
  26. ^"Mary Hopkin in the Land of Rhymes".Genome – Radio Times 1923–2009.BBC.Retrieved5 June2018.
  27. ^"Mary Hopkin in the Land of Pantomime".Genome – Radio Times 1923–2009.BBC.Retrieved5 June2018.
  28. ^"Mary Hopkin in the land of".TV Pop Diaries.Retrieved5 June2018.[self-published source]
  29. ^"Mary Hopkin in the Land of Films".Genome – Radio Times 1923–2009.BBC.Retrieved5 June2018.
  30. ^Badman, Keith (2001).The Beatles Diary Volume 2: After the Break-Up 1970–2001.London: Omnibus Press. p. 68.ISBN978-0-7119-8307-6.
  31. ^"Sing Hi, Sing Lo".29 July 1972. p. 16 – via BBC Genome.
  32. ^"Mary Hopkin – Y Caneuon Cynnar / The Early Recordings".Sain.
  33. ^"Bio".Morganvisconti.com.Retrieved20 November2017.
  34. ^"Mary Hopkin's Christmas comeback".BBC News.24 November 2014.
  35. ^"Those Were The Days – Mary Hopkin".Maryhopkin.com.Retrieved9 August2019.
  36. ^"Welsh singer Mary Hopkin set to release new album".Nation.Cymru.28 April 2023.Retrieved29 April2023.
  37. ^"Pieces, by Mary Hopkin".Maryhopkin.bandcamp.com.Retrieved9 April2022.
  38. ^"Two Hearts, by Mary Hopkin".Maryhopkin.com.Retrieved3 May2023.
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