Mary Hopkin

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Mary Hopkin (born 3 May 1950), who appeared on some recordings as Mary Visconti (from her marriage to Tony Visconti), is a Welsh folk singer best known for her 1968 Welsh folk hit "Those Were the Days."

She was one of the first Beatles to sign Apple's name.

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Early singing career

Hopkin was born in Pontardawe, Wales, and her father worked as a housing officer. As an infant, she began taking weekly singing lessons and began her musical career as a folk singer with the Selby Set and Mary Club in Cambridge. She recorded an EP of Welsh-language songs for a local record label named Cambrian, based in her hometown, before signing to Apple Records, the Beatles' first female artist to do so. Twiggy pictured herself on television talent show Opportunity Knocks and recommended her to Paul McCartney, who referred her to Paul McCartney.

"Those Were the Days," McCartney's debut single, was released in the United Kingdom on the 30th of August 1968. Despite fierce competition from well-known actor Sandie Shaw, whose own single version of the album was also released this year, Hopkin's version became a number one hit on the UK Singles Chart. It climbed to number 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks, after being held out of the top spot by the Beatles' "Hey Jude" and two weeks at number one on Canada's RPM singles chart for three weeks. It alone sold over 1,500,000 copies in the United States, and was given a gold disc by the RIAA. Sales in the United Kingdom surpassed 8 million people.

Hopkin performed "Morning of My Life," "Turn Turn Turn" and "Plaisir d'amour" at St Paul's Cathedral in London on October 2nd, 1968. Hopkin was considering a lead actor in Stanley Baker's forthcoming film Rape of the Fair Country, which was to be based on Alexander Cordell's book of the same name. The particular project didn't turn up, but Hopkin did perform the title songs to two of Baker's films, where's Jack? And Kidnapped.

Hopkin's debut album, Post Card, was released on February 21, 1969, and McCartney's, On February 21, 1969, Hopkin's debut album, Post Card, was again produced by McCartney. It included excerpts from three songs from Donovan, who also appeared on the album, as well as one song from George Martin and Harry Nilsson. However, it was her first appearance in the UK Albums Chart, despite it being her solitary triumph in that chart. According to the Billboard Albums chart, Postcard debuted at number 28 in the United States.

On March 26, 1969, McCartney's "Goodbye" was the next single released (credited to Lennon-McCartney). On the Billboard Hot 100 and number 15 on the RPM chart in Canada, it ranked second on the UK Singles Chart, at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 15 on the RPM chart in Canada. Hopkin said she mistook "Goodbye" for McCartney's promise to avoid "micromanaging" her career because she was uncomfortable with his portrayal of her as a pop chanteuse. Terry Doran, her boss at the time, expressed disappointment with her.

"Temma Harbour," Hopkin's third album, was a re-arrangement of a Philamore Lincoln song. It was her first single not to be produced by McCartney and debuted on January 16th, 1970, at number 6 in the United Kingdom and number 42 in Canada. "Temma Harbour" ranked 39 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 4 on the magazine's Easy Listening chart, placing it at number 39. Hopkin, Donovan and Billy Preston, was one of the chorus singers on the Radha Krishna Temple's 1970 hit single "Govinda," produced by George Harrison for Apple Records, alongside Donovan and Billy Preston.

Hopkin performed in the 1970 Eurovision Song Contest, winning second place with "Knock, Knock Who's There?" Despite being the pre-contest favorite, Hopkin lost to "All Kinds of Everything" by Irish singer Dana. "Knock, Knock Who's There," Mickie Most's production "Knock, Knock Who's There." On March 23, 1970, he was first introduced as a single and ranked second in the United Kingdom. It was a huge success around the world, with over a million being sold.

"Think About Your Children," Hopkin's last big hit, which debuted in October 1970, and ranked 19 in the United Kingdom. Hopkin has expressed disappointment with the work produced by Most, who had taken over as her producer with "Temma Harbour." Hopkin wanted to return to her folk-music roots after being seen in Eurovision.

Hopkin had a cover of "Que Sera Sera" in August 1969 at McCartney's request. Hopkin had no intention to record the album and refused to have the single released in the United Kingdom. It was first issued in France in September 1969 and then introduced in North America in June 1970. The single debuted at number 77 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 47 in Canada, and it was also a hit in Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Rhodesia (present-day Zimbabwe).

"Let My Name Be Sorrow," the last British single to reach the top of the charts, debuted at number 46 in July 1971. It was produced by Tony Visconti, whom Hopkin had met earlier for a Welsh recording of "Sparrow." In January 1972, "Let My Name Be Sorrow" became a hit in Poland.

On October 1, 1971, Hopkin's second album, Earth Song, Ocean Song, was released by Apple. Visconti produced the album, as well as the two title tracks by Liz Thorsen, which included cover versions of songs written by Cat Stevens, Gallagher, and Ralph McTell. Hopkin said it was the album she had always wanted to make, but she had no time to prove it because she was getting married to Visconti and having little to prove. The album's single, "Water, Paper and Clay," skipped the Billboard Hot 100. It was Hopkin's last album for Apple Records, which she left in March 1972.

"Knock Knock, Who's There?"

On BBC 1, Hopkin had her own peak time television series, Mary Hopkin in the Land of... following her participation in the Eurovision competition. Hopkin was featured in each episode, which was created by Eric Merriman, and each episode featured him exploring a new facet of storytelling through music and dance. In 1970, the six 30-minute shows were first broadcast in 1970 and then replicated in 1971.

Hopkin moved from the pop-music scene to have a family after marrying Visconti in 1971. Despite being dissatisfied with show business, she did not stop recording. In addition to performing in many major cities, she and Visconti travelled to Australia in January 1972 and performed at a large outdoor rock festival in South Australia. Hopkin resigned from Apple Records in March; her boss, Jo Lustig, said they were considering offers from "three major [record] companies." The single "Summertime Summertime" / "Sweet and Low" was released on Bell Records in June under the name of Hobby Horse. The A-side was a recreation of a 1958 Jamies song "Alone." On Regal Zonophone Records, she released "Mary Had a Baby"/ "Cherry Tree Carol" with Visconti's assistance.

On the 29th of July 1972, Hopkin appeared in her own, one-off television special for BBC 1. It was simply described as "light entertainment starring Mary Hopkin" in Sing Hi, Sing Lo.

Although no other singles or albums were released in her name until 1976, she appeared on many recordings starring Tom Paxton, Ralph McTell, David Bowie (Low), Bert Jansch, The Radiators from Space, Thin Lizzy, Carmen, Sarstedt Brothers, Osibisa, Sparks, Hazel O'Connor, and Elaine Paige. She is identified as "Mary Visconti" on all of these recordings (and also on her husband's own Inventory album). During this period, she appeared on several television shows, such as Cilla Black's, and various radio programs.

She returned to performing under her birth name in 1976 and released the single "If You Love Me (Really Love Me) (originally posted by Édith Piaf as "Hymne à l'amour) which debuted at Number 32 in the UK charts, which debuted at number 32. Hopkin's original composition, "To Tell Me Now," was on the B-side. Hopkin's next single was "Wrap Me in Your Arms," with the B-side still written by Hopkin ("Just a Dreamer"). These singles were released on Visconti's Good Earth Records label. Several songs that were originally intended for an album have now been released under Hopkin's own name, Mary Hopkin Music.

On their concept album "Princess Lirazel" by two members of Steeleye Span (Bob Johnson and Pete Knight), two members of Steeleye Span (Bob Johnson and Pete Knight) selected Hopkin to perform "Princess Lirazel." Bert Jansch was also at the Cambridge Folk Festival with her partner Bert Jansch. In 1976, her second child was born. Decca released The Welsh World of Mary Hopkin, a compilation of Hopkin's Cambrian recordings, before the 1970s ended.

Hopkin's first project in the 1980s was a well-reviewed stint as the Virgin Mary in Rock Nativity at the Hexagon Theatre in Reading, Berkshire. After this, Mike Hurst (record producer and formerly of the Springfields) asked her to sing lead in a new band named Sundance, which he formed with Mike de Albuquerque of ELO. They were invited to tour the United Kingdom with Dr. Hook, but Hopkin was dissatisfied with the show. "What's Love" became extremely popular in South Africa, despite the fact that it was the only region where it charted, with peaking at no.10 in April 1982. Hurst released recordings from this time on the Angel Air label in 2002.

In 1981, Hopkin and Visconti split. For the Vangelis soundtrack of Blade Runner, she sang "Rachael's Song" for the following year. Around 1984, Peter Skellern asked her to join him and Julian Lloyd Webber in a group called Oasis. Oasis, their self-titled and only album, was released on WEA with two singles. In 1984, the album debuted at number 23 on the UK album chart and stayed at number 23 for 14 weeks. A tour of the United Kingdom had been planned but it was abruptly ended when Hopkin became sick. Shortly after, the company was disbanded.

Hopkin appeared in several charity shows, including an appearance with Ralph McTell at the London Palladium in the 1980s. She appeared in George Martin's production of Dylan Thomas' Under Milk Wood in 1988. Rosie Probert, the actress, appeared in "Love Duet" with Freddie Jones as Captain Cat, and she appeared as Rosie Probert. The recording of the album was shot and turned into a special edition of The South Bank Show, in which Hopkin and Jones were seen rehearsing and recording "Love Duet." The cast reunited in 1992 for a revival of the play as a homage to Thomas in the presence of Prince Charles in The Prince's Trust.

In 1989, Hopkin released Spirit, a tribute album. This is a collection of light classical songs on Trax and features the single "Ave Maria." Benny Gallagher and Lyle, a musician who had performed songs for her during her time at Apple Music, produced the album.

Hopkin appeared with The Chieftains at the London Palladium in 1990 as a charity exhibition and later joined them on a tour of the United Kingdom.

She continued to do projects of her own, including Julian Colbeck; she wrote the lyrics and performed a song on his CD Back to Bach; and worked with people like Julian Colbeck. In addition, Marc Cerrone's The Collector, a stage play/opera, for which she appeared on the CD and video, as well as Marc Cerrone's The Collector, a stage play/opera. On their album The Bridge, she worked with old friends, guitarist Brian Willoughby, and Dave Cousins (of Strawbs). She also appeared on RAM Pietsch's tribute album.

The Welsh label Sain bought Cambrian's back catalogue and launched all of Hopkin's Welsh albums on a CD named Y Caneuon Cynnar/The Early Recordings, which spruced the overdubbed drums found on Decca recordings in 1996.

She joined The Chieftains on their UK tour in 1999 and, later this year, she and Benny Gallagher and Jim Diamond appeared in Scotland. There were also three television documentaries about her, one for HTV (1998), BBC Television (1998), and S4C (2000).

Robin Williams performed on "Those Were The Days" with Billy Connolly's album The Great Brain Robbery, performed the theme song for Billy Connolly's BBC television show "Were The Days" with Robin Williams rapping. She also appeared in Very Annie Mary, a Sara Sugarman film.

Live at the Royal Festival Hall 1972, she released a retrospective album on a label owned by her daughter, Mary Hopkin Music. It was followed on December 6, 2006, by a Christmas album, "Snowed Under," which was released on download only.

On her new eponymous brand, she released an album called Valentine to commemorate her 57th birthday in 2007. It featured 12 previously unheard tracks dating from 1972 to 1980, three of which were written by Hopkin. Recollections, a new album from 2008, was released on her own brand. It contained 11 tracks that were originally recorded between 1970 and 1986, as well as a CD of three Christmas songs, including "Mary Had a Baby" and "The Cherry Tree," which were first released on Regal Zonophone in 1972).

Now and Then, then's last archival CD, was released in May 2009. It has 14 tracks from 1970 to 1988. On the album Blodeugerdd: An Anthology of Welsh Music and Song, she sang "Y 'deryn pur" ("Gentle Bird"), Smithsonian Folkways Recordings released the song "Body Of the Flowers" ("Gentle Bird" ("Gentle Bird" (British Music and Song).

Jessica Lee Morgan, Hopkin's daughter, has released her first album, I Am Not, on which Hopkin performs on several songs.

Hopkin and her son, Morgan Visconti, published You Look Familiar, a project that weaves Hopkin's melodies, lyrics, and vocals with her son's instrumentation and arrangements in October 2010.

Painting by Numbers was published on Mary Hopkin Music in 2013. The album features ten songs written by Hopkin, two of which were co-written with others; "Love Belongs Right Here" with Brian Willoughby; and "Love, Long Distance" with Benny Gallagher.

Hopkin recorded a single with her son and daughter for Christmas 2014. On her website, the traditional Welsh Christmas carol, "Iesu Faban" (meaning "Baby Jesus) was referred to as a "close, personal choral performance of a traditional Welsh Christmas carol."

On August 30, 2018, Hopkin launched a new acoustic version of her 1972 "farewell" performance at the Royal Festival Hall to mark her 50th birthday of "Those Were the Days"'s issuance. Also included are the versions of "Those Were the Days" and "Goodbye," both of which were created in 1977 by her then husband, Tony Visconti.

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