View source for Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand

{{Short description|Song by the Who}}
{{Infobox song
| name       = Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand
| cover      = Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand cover.jpg
| alt        =
| type       = single
| artist     = [[the Who]]
| album      = [[The Who Sell Out]]
| B-side     = I Can't Reach You
| released   = 2 February 1968
| recorded   = 24 October 1967
| studio     = [[De Lane Lea Studios|De Lane Lea]], London
| genre      =
* [[Folk rock]]<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DH4GEAAAQBAJ&dq=mary+anne+with+the+shaky+hand+folk+rock&pg=PT143|title = Camion Blanc: Les Who chantent leur génération Peter Townshend, Roger Daltrey, Keith Moon, John Entwistle|isbn = 9782378482060|last1 = Delinotte|first1 = Didier|date = 2 September 2020| publisher=Camion Blanc }}</ref>
* [[jangle pop]]<ref name= "Dimery 2010">{{cite book|author1=Robert Dimery|author2=Michael Lydon|title=1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition|date=23 March 2010|publisher=Universe|isbn=978-0-7893-2074-2}}</ref>
| length     = 2:28 (album version)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-who-sell-out-mw0000652659|title=The Who Sell Out - the Who &#124; Songs, Reviews, Credits &#124; AllMusic|website=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref><br />2:09 (Norwegian single edit)<br />3:16 ("electric" single version)
| label      = [[Track Records|Track]]
| writer     = [[Pete Townshend]]
| producer   = [[Kit Lambert]]
| prev_title =
| prev_year  =
| next_title =
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}}
"'''Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand'''" is a song by the English [[rock music|rock]] band [[the Who]]. It was written by [[Pete Townshend]] and released on their 1967 album ''[[The Who Sell Out]]''. The best known version of the song has an arrangement using [[acoustic guitar]] and [[Latin percussion]] instruments.
The song has ambiguous lyrics that have been subject to a variety of interpretations. At least five different recordings of the song have been officially released by the Who.
==Lyrics and music==
The song has a melody described by [[AllMusic]]'s Mark Deming as "charming" and "a tune you couldn't forget even if you tried".<ref name=allmusic/> Author John Atkins describes the song as a "delightful pop song in the [[Everly Brothers]] mold",<ref name=atkins/> while Charlesworth suggests that, regardless of the lyrics, the song "would have been a winner on melody alone".<ref name=complete/> Grantley and Parker describe the vocals as a cross between [[the Mamas and the Papas]] and [[Simon and Garfunkel]].<ref name=numbers/>
==Who recordings==
The acoustic guitar version on ''The Who Sell Out'' album was recorded at [[De Lane Lea Studios]] on 24 October 1967.<ref name=liner>{{cite web|title=The Who Sell Out Liner Notes|author=Charlesworth, C.|url=http://www.thewho.net/linernotes/WhoSellOut.htm|publisher=thewho.net|accessdate=2012-01-06|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111210142501/http://www.thewho.net/linernotes/WhoSellOut.htm|archivedate=2011-12-10}}</ref> This was released in different [[stereo]] and [[monaural|mono]] mixes. The mono album mix uses a [[tremolo]] effect at the end on the words "shaky hand".
A different studio version, using electric guitar, was released in 1967 as the B-side of the "[[I Can See for Miles]]" single in the US and Australia.<ref name=complete/><ref name=atkins>{{cite book|title=The Who on record: a critical history, 1963–1998|author=Atkins, J.
|pages=91–93|year=2000|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-0-7864-0609-8}}</ref> The B-side version, with the alternate title "Mary-Anne with the Shaky Hands", was released in mono. This version also has a tremolo effect on the vocal.<ref name=complete/> A later stereo remix of this version was also included on the 1998 remastered version of the ''[[Odds and Sods]]'' album.<ref name=numbers/><ref>{{cite web|title=Odds and Sods|author=Unterberger, R.|author-link=Richie Unterberger|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/odds-sods-r21826/review|publisher=[[Allmusic]]|accessdate=2011-11-26}}</ref>
An "alternative" studio version was recorded at Mirasound Studios in [[New York City]] in 1967 using electric guitar<ref name=complete/><ref name=numbers/> but also featuring [[Al Kooper]] on organ.<ref name=complete/><ref name=numbers/> This version was a bonus track on the 1995 remastered version of ''The Who Sell Out''. The notes for this album incorrectly state that it was the B-side version, however, it was actually the second version on the B-side. In 2021 the Who released a "Super Deluxe" edition of ''The Who Sell Out'' that contained a previously unreleased 1967 Townshend home demo of the song.
A live version, recorded on 27 November 2000, was released on the 2003 ''[[Live at the Royal Albert Hall (The Who album)|Live at the Royal Albert Hall]]'' album. When introducing the song, Pete Townshend says, "This one's in very bad taste".<ref>{{cite web|title=Live at the Royal Albert Hall|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-the-royal-albert-hall-r646641|author=Erlewine, S.T.|author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|publisher=[[Allmusic]]|accessdate=2011-11-26}}</ref>
==Other appearances==
The song has been released with several title variations: "Mary Anne with the Shaky Hands"; "Mary-Anne with the Shaky Hands" (on the [[MCA Records|MCA]] LP);<ref>{{cite web|title=Sinister Vinyl Collection|url=http://sinistersaladmusikal.wordpress.com/2010/05/10/sinister-vinyl-collection-the-who-a-quick-one-happy-jack-the-who-sell-out-1966-1967-1977/|work=Sinister Salad Musikal's Weblog|date=10 May 2010|accessdate=13 October 2013}}</ref> and "Mary Anne with the Shakey Hand".
"Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand" was also used as the B-side of the "[[Magic Bus (song)|Magic Bus]]" single in Norway.<ref>{{cite web|title=Magic Bus|url=http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=The+Who&titel=Magic+Bus&cat=s|publisher=Hung Medien|accessdate=2011-11-26}}</ref> It has also been included on several compilation albums. The acoustic version was included on the 1968 compilation album ''[[Direct Hits (The Who album)|Direct Hits]]''.<ref name=complete/><ref>{{cite web|title=Direct Hits|author=Eder, B.|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/direct-hits-r52612/review|publisher=[[Allmusic]]|accessdate=2011-11-26}}</ref> The mono B-side version was included on the 1985 compilation album ''[[Who's Missing (album)|Who's Missing]]''.<ref name=complete/><ref>{{cite web|title=Who's Missing|author=Unterberger, R.|author-link=Richie Unterberger|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/whos-missing-r21841|publisher=[[Allmusic]]|accessdate=2011-11-26}}</ref>
The song was also included on the 1994 compilation album ''[[Rarities Volume I & Volume II]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Rarities 1966–1972, Vols. 1–2|author=Prato, G.|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/rarities-1966-1972-vols-1-2-r204042/review|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|accessdate=2011-11-26}}</ref> The acoustic version was also included in the box set ''[[Thirty Years of Maximum R&B]]''.<ref name=complete/><ref>{{cite web|title=Thirty Years of Maximum R&B|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/thirty-years-of-maximum-r-b-r202232|author=Unterberger, R.|author-link=Richie Unterberger|publisher=[[Allmusic]]|accessdate=2011-11-26}}</ref> It was released as a single in the [[Netherlands]] backed with "I Can't Reach You".
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{The Who Sell Out}}
{{The Who singles}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Songs written by Pete Townshend]]
[[Category:1967 songs]]
[[Category:The Who songs]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Kit Lambert]]
[[Category:1968 singles]]
[[Category:Track Records singles]]
[[Category:British pop songs]]