| "Hello Mary Lou" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Ricky Nelson | |
| A-side | Travelin' Man |
| B-side | Hello Mary Lou |
| Released | 1961 |
| Length | 2:17 |
| Writer(s) | Gene Pitney, Cayet Mangiaracina |
"Hello Mary Lou" is a song written by U.S. singer Gene Pitney and Cayet Mangiaracina and performed by Ricky Nelson in English and German in 1961.[1] It reached #9 on the Billboard music charts on May 28, 1961, although the other side of the single, "Travelin' Man", hit #1. In the United Kingdom, where it was the unrivalled A-side, it hit #2, and it was a hit in much of Europe, particularly Norway, where it spent 14 weeks at #1. The song features an influential guitar solo by James Burton, often cited by later guitarists such as Brian May. The song is from his sixth album called Rick Is 21.
It has also been recorded in French by Petula Clark (as "Bye Bye Mon Amour") and it was also covered by LMP on their album A Century of Song as their selection for 1961.