“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. 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.

By Ricky Nelson

Lyrics

Hello Mary Lou
Good-bye heart
sweet Mary Lou I’m so in love with you
well i knew,Mary Lou we’d never part
so hello Mary lou
good-bye heart

You passed me by one sunny day
flashed those big brown eyes my way
and ooh I wanted you forever more
now I’m not one who gets around
swear my feet stuck to the ground
even though I never did meet you before

I said “Hello, Mary Lou
Goodbye heart
Sweet Mary Lou I’m so in love with you
Well I knew Mary Lou
we’d never part
So hello Mary Lou
good-bye heart
well hello Mary Lou
good-bye heart
I say hello Mary Lou
Good-bye heart