I loved this song when it came out in 1980. I suppose synth-pop was a novelty at the time; it was certainly not something I associated with Robert Palmer, famed for his blue-eyed soul singing, sharp suits and model girlfriends.
It’s got such a melancholic moody feel, enhanced by the video and lyrics about a relationship in stasis. And that synth bed is so warm and inviting you just want to snuggle up inside it.
Somewhat bathetically, the song was a popular choice for TV ads at the time – and for some time afterwards – helping to sell Reunault cars, which must have earned Palmer a pretty penny without enhancing his credibility.
Not that he needed it, judging by his sartorial style and residence in the Bahamas, right across the street from Compass Point Studios in Nassau: the Yorkshireman always had the image of someone who travelled by private jet and subsisted on a diet of lobster and champagne.
I was a fan of the 1980 album, Clues, from which it was taken, and which featured contributions from Andy Fraser of Free on bass, Chris Frantz of Talking Heads on drums – though not on this song – and Gary Numan playing keyboards on a cover of his own song I Dream Of Wires.
I didn’t know Johnny And Mary had been re-recorded by dance producer Todd Terje in 2014, with rather dodgy vocals by Bryan Ferry, whose voice was clearly starting to fall apart by then. Musically it’s great but overall I’ll stick with the original.