Mary Hopkin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mary Hopkin
Hopkin at the Eurovision Song Contest 1970
Background information
Born	(1950-05-03) 3 May 1950 (age 75) Pontardawe, Wales
Genres	Folk-pop
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Years active	1968–present
Labels	Apple Manticore Clan Numero Uno [it] Mary Hopkin Music
Associated acts	Paul McCartney Tony Visconti David Bowie Ralph McTell Benny Gallagher

Mary Hopkin (born May 3, 1950) is a famous Welsh singer. She is best known for her hit song "Those Were the Days" from 1968, which went to number 1 in the UK. She was also one of the first artists to join The Beatles' own record company, Apple Records. For some time, she was known as Mary Visconti after her marriage to music producer Tony Visconti.

Biography

Early Singing Career

Mary Hopkin grew up in Pontardawe, Wales, and spoke Welsh. She loved singing from a young age and took lessons every week. She started as a folk singer with a local group called the Selby Set and Mary. Before joining a big label, she released songs in Welsh.

A famous model named Twiggy saw Mary win a TV talent show called Opportunity Knocks. Twiggy then told Paul McCartney of The Beatles about Mary. This led Mary to sign with Apple Records, The Beatles' own record company. She was one of their first artists!

Her first song, "Those Were the Days", was produced by Paul McCartney. It came out in the UK on August 30, 1968. Even though another singer, Sandie Shaw, released her own version, Mary's song became a number 1 hit in the UK. It also reached number 2 in the US, right behind The Beatles' "Hey Jude". The song sold over 8 million copies worldwide!

In 1969, Mary released her first album, Post Card, also produced by McCartney. It reached number 3 on the UK album charts. Her next song, "Goodbye", was written by Paul McCartney. It became a number 2 hit in the UK.

Eurovision and Beyond

In March 1970, Mary Hopkin represented the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest 1970. She sang "Knock, Knock Who's There?" and came in second place. This song was a big hit around the world, selling over a million copies.

After Eurovision, Mary wanted to go back to her folk music roots. Her last big hit was "Think About Your Children" in October 1970. She also recorded a song called "Que Sera, Sera" in 1969, but she didn't want it released in Britain. It became a hit in other countries like Japan and Australia.

Mary's second album, Earth Song/Ocean Song, came out in 1971. She felt this was the album she always wanted to make. After this, she decided to take a break from the music scene to start a family.

Life After Hit Singles

After marrying Tony Visconti in 1971, Mary stepped away from the pop music spotlight. However, she didn't stop recording completely. She sang on many songs that her husband produced for other artists, like David Bowie and Thin Lizzy. On these recordings, she was often credited as "Mary Visconti".

Returning to Music

In 1976, Mary started recording under her birth name again. She released the song "If You Love Me (Really Love Me)", which reached number 32 in the UK. She also wrote some of her own songs during this time.

In the 1980s, Mary took on new projects. She played the Virgin Mary in a show called Rock Nativity. She also joined a group called Sundance and later a group called Oasis. Oasis released an album that reached number 23 in the UK.

Mary and Tony Visconti divorced in 1981. In 1982, she sang on "Rachael's Song" for the movie soundtrack of Blade Runner. She also performed in charity shows and took part in a recording of Dylan Thomas' play Under Milk Wood.

Hopkin in 1982

Later Years and Family Collaborations

Mary continued to work on music projects she enjoyed. She sang with The Chieftains and collaborated with other musicians. In 1996, her early Welsh recordings were released on a CD called Y Caneuon Cynnar/The Early Recordings.

In the 2000s, Mary started her own record label, Mary Hopkin Music, run by her daughter. She released several albums of old and new songs, including Valentine (2007) and Recollections (2008).

Album cover of Y Caneuon Cynnar – The Early Recordings

In the 2010s, Mary began working more closely with her children. Her daughter, Jessica Lee Morgan, released her own music, with Mary singing on some songs. In 2010, Mary and her son, Morgan Visconti, released a joint album called You Look Familiar. Mary also released Painting by Numbers in 2013, which included songs she wrote.

To celebrate 50 years since "Those Were the Days" came out, Mary released a new acoustic version of the song in 2018. In 2023, for her 73rd birthday, she released an album called Two Hearts with her daughter Jessica Lee Morgan.

Discography

See also

In Spanish: Mary Hopkin para niños

• Apple Records discography