Robert Palmer - "Johnny and Mary" (1980)

Johnny and Mary is a song written by Robert Palmer and was recorded in 1980 at Compass Point Studios, New Providence, in the Bahamas. The song was featured on Palmer's album Clues (1980). "Johnny and Mary" only went to #44 on the UK Singles Chart, but did reach #18 on Billboard's Club Play Singles chart. In Germany, it peaked at #7 on the singles chart and spent a total of 23 weeks in the Top 20.

"Johnny and Mary" was used as the signature tune in advertisements promoting Renault cars throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Early adverts used Palmer's original version, while a range of special recordings in different styles were produced during the 1990s; most famously Martin Taylor's acoustic interpretation which he released on his album Spirit of Django. Taylor recorded alternate versions for Renault; the last being in 1998 for the launch of the all-new Renault Clio.

The Wild One is a 1953 outlaw biker film directed by László Benedek and produced by Stanley Kramer. It is famed for Marlon Brando's iconic portrayal of the gang leader Johnny Strabler.

The Wild One was based on a short story, The Cyclists' Raid by Frank Rooney, in the January 1951 issue of Harper's Magazine. The story was later published in book form as part of The Best American Short Stories 1952. The story took a cue from an actual biker street party on the Fourth of July weekend in 1947 in Hollister, California that was elaborately trumped up in the July 21, 1947 issue of Life Magazine, and dubbed the Hollister riot, with staged photographs of wild motorcycle outlaw revelers. The Hollister event is now celebrated annually. In the film, the setting is the fictional Wrightsville, California.

The Black Rebels Motorcycle Club, a group of bikers led by Johnny Strabler (Marlon Brando), rides into Carbonville, California during a motorcycle race and causes trouble. A member of the gang steals the second place trophy (the first place one being too large to hide) and presents it to Johnny. Stewards and policemen order them to leave.

At the Bleeker's cafe, Johnny meets Kathie, (Mary Murphy). He asks her out to a dance being held that night. Kathie politely turns him down, but she is visibly intrigued by Johnny's dark, brooding personality. When another local girl (Peggy Maley) asks him "What are you rebelling against, Johnny?", he answers "Whaddaya got?" Johnny is attracted to Kathie and decides to stay a while. However, when he learns that she is the policeman's daughter, he changes his mind.

Then a rival biker gang, The Beetles, arrives. Their leader, Chino (Lee Marvin), bears a grudge against Johnny. The two groups used to be one large gang before Johnny split it up. When Chino takes Johnny's trophy, the two begin to fight. Johnny wins.

When local Charlie Thomas (Hugh Sanders) stubbornly tries to drive through, he hits a parked motorcycle and injures Meatball, one of Chino's bikers. Chino pulls Charlie out and leads both gangs to overturn his car. Harry intervenes and begins to arrest both Chino and Charlie, but when other townsfolk remind Harry that Charlie would cause problems for him in the future, he only takes Chino to the station. Later that night, Chino's gang abducts Charlie and puts him in the same jail cell as Chino, who is too drunk to leave with his friends.

Later, as both gangs wreck the town and intimidate the inhabitants, some bikers chase and surround Kathie, but Johnny rescues her and takes her on a long ride in the countryside. Frightened at first, Kathie comes to see that Johnny is genuinely attracted to her and means her no harm. When she opens up to him and asks to go with him, he rejects her. Crying, she runs away. Johnny drives off to search for her. This is seen and misinterpreted by Art Kleiner.

The townsfolk have had enough; Johnny's supposed assault on Kathie is the last straw. Vigilantes led by Charlie Thomas chase and catch Johnny and beat him mercilessly, but he escapes on his motorcycle when the mob is confronted by Harry. The mob give chase, and he is hit by a thrown tire iron and falls. His riderless motorcycle strikes and kills Jimmy.

Sheriff Singer (Jay C. Flippen) arrives with his deputies and restores order. Johnny is initially arrested for Jimmy's death. Kathie pleads on his behalf. Seeing this, two witnesses step forward and testify that Johnny was not responsible for the tragedy. Johnny is unable to thank them. The motorcyclists are ordered to leave the county albeit paying for all damage. Returning alone to Wrightsville, however, Johnny re-visits the cafe to say goodbye to Kathie one final time. He smiles awkwardly offering her his stolen trophy before leaving

Category:

Music

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• Robert
• Palmer
• Johnny
• and
• Mary
• 1980
• Clues
• singer
• synthpop
• Marlon
• Brando
• The
• Wild
• One
• 1953
• Lee
• Marvin
• motorcycle
• gang
• rebels
• outlaws
• TheBacmaster
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[ROADRAINGER]

Ratings have been disabled for this video WTF

[artistinstinct]

CAREFUL VOCAL APPROACH ....grew up with this song in the highschool walls of life.

Always a favorite!

[rochlin11]

great..good song

[rjc3208]

Another great job..Ricky!

[MADWORLD1427]

wow man, I thought I made a lot videos, you really pump these things out..lol..this is a great song!

[ildibildi53]

AWESOME......... thanks

[flipside1545]

thanks joe!