robert-palmer

 
Titre : Johnny And Mary

Ecrit par : R. Palmer

Première publication : Sur l'album Clues (1980)

Classement : UK#44

« It's martial music played with a lot of accuracy and finds me experimenting with prototype sequencers again. Lyrically I was dealing with my exposure to expatriots in the Bahamas. I'd never seen such contrived formality before but Johnny and Mary obviously had. These are people who have fallen into life like a habit, there's no struggle or romance in what they do  »   

Paroles :

Johnny’s always running around
Trying to find certainty
He needs all the world to confirm
That he ain’t lonely
Mary counts the walls
Knows he tires easily

Johnny thinks the world would be right
If it could buy truth from him
Mary says he changes his mind
More than a woman
But she made her bed
Even when the chance was slim

Johnny says he’s willing to learn
When he decides he’s a fool
Johnny says he’ll live anywhere
When he earns time to
Mary combs her hair
Says she should be used to it
Mary always hedges her bets
She never knows what to think
She says that he still acts
Like he's being discovered
Scared that he’ll get caught
Without a second thought

Johnny feels he’s wasting his breath
Trying to talk sense to her
Mary says he’s lacking a real
Sense of proportion
So she combs her hair
Knows he tires easily

Johnny’s always running around
Trying to find certainty
He needs all the world to confirm
That he ain’t lonely
Mary counts the walls
Says she should be used to it

Johnny’s always running around...

La chanson a été reprise par de nombreux artistes, notamment par Tina Turner en 1982 (pour la musique du film Summer Lovers), par le guitariste de jazz Martin Taylor en 1994 (en accompagnement de la célèbre campagne publicitaire anglaise "Papa and Nicole" des voitures Renault), par le groupe de rock alternatif Placebo en 2000 et par Bryan Ferry en 2014 (avec le DJ norvégien Todd Terje). / The song was covered by many artists, notably by Tina Turner in 1982 (for the Summer Lovers movie soundtrack), by jazz guitarist Martin Taylor in 1994 (for the famous Renault cars advertising campaign in the UK "Papa and Nicole"), by alternative rock band Placebo in 2000 and by Bryan Ferry in 2014 (with Norwegian DJ Todd Terje).

Elle a également été adaptée en français par Boris Bergman pour Marie Léonor en 1980 et par Salvatore Adamo en 2023. / It was also adapted in French by Boris Bergman for Marie Léonor in 1980 and by Salvatore Adamo in 2023.

Voir le texte de l'adaptation française Johnny Et Marie par Marie Leonor et celle de Salvatore Adamo en 2023.