Mary Had a Little Boy

AllMusic editor Andrew Hamilton constated that Penny Ford's "telling vocal and the story line" on the song make it "the most accessible cut" on the World Power album.{{cite web|first=Andrew|last=Hamilton|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/world-power-mw0000314697|title=Snap! – World Power|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=16 February 2020}} Larry Flick from Billboard complimented it as a "fairly appealing hip-houser".{{cite magazine|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/90s/1990/BB-1990-11-24.pdf|first=Larry|last=Flick|title=Single Reviews|magazine=Billboard|date=24 November 1990|access-date=16 February 2020|page=73|author-link=Larry Flick}} Push from Melody Maker viewed it as "funky".{{cite magazine|author=Push|title=Albums|work=Melody Maker|date=25 January 1992|page=28|access-date=20 February 2023|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/nothingelseon/52544485857/}} Another Melody Maker editor, Andrew Smith, described it as "pure European house", "on the acceptable, if rather bland".{{cite magazine|first=Andrew|last=Smith|work=Melody Maker|title=Albums|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/nothingelseon/52099567150/|date=5 May 1990|access-date=24 February 2023}} Pan-European magazine Music & Media declared it as an "irresistable, [sic] nervous dance track based on a wicked, sticking tune."{{cite magazine|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1990/MM-1990-12-15.pdf|title=Previews: Singles|magazine=Music & Media|date=15 December 1990|page=11|access-date=19 February 2020}} James Hamilton from Music Week called it a nursery rhyme paraphrasing singalong".{{cite magazine|first=James|last=Hamilton|title= Dance |magazine= Music Week |date= 8 December 1990 |page= 13 |access-date= 2 November 2020 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1990/MW-1990-12-08.pdf|author-link=James Hamilton (DJ and journalist)}} Timmy Mallett reviewed the song for Smash Hits, commenting, "This is really good." He added, "It's the sort of record I'd dance to, but it does sound as though they're scraping the barrel by doing what is basically a nursery rhyme."{{cite magazine|first= Timmy |last= Mallett |title= Review: Singles |magazine= Smash Hits |date= 28 November 1990 |page= 58 |access-date= 19 October 2020 |url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/smashhits90s/38743791491/in/album-72157663165612868/ |author-link= Timmy Mallett}}

"Mary Had a Little Boy" peaked at number one in Zimbabwe and on the RPM Dance chart in Canada. In Europe, it peaked within the top 10 in Austria, Flanders, Finland, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. In the latter country, the single reached number eight during its third week on the UK Singles Chart, on 16 December 1990. Additionally, it entered the top 20 in Italy, reaching number 19. In the United States, "Mary Had a Little Boy" charted on the Billboard Dance Club Play chart, peaking at number four. In New Zealand and Australia, it peaked at numbers 13 and 18, respectively.

A music video was released to promote the single. Filmed at Westway Studios in London, it was directed by James Hudson and produced by Nick Verden for Radar Films. The video received heavy rotation on MTV Europe.{{cite magazine|title=Station Reports > TV > MTV/London|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1991/MM-1991-01-19.pdf|magazine=Music & Media|date=19 January 1991|page=22|access-date=11 December 2022}}

• 7-inch single (Logic 113 831)

1. "Mary Had a Little Boy" (radio edit) – 3:41
2. "Mary Had a Little Boy" (radio edit instrumental) – 3:41

• CD maxi (Logic 663 831)

1. "Mary Had a Little Boy" (radio edit) – 3:41
2. "Mary Had a Little Boy" (club edit) – 5:56
3. "Believe the Hype" (US edit) – 6:25

• German Remix CD (Logic 613 852)

1. "Mary Had a Little Boy" (12-inch mix) – 8:12
2. "Mary Had a Little Boy" (Red Zone mix) – 6:43
3. "Mary Had a Little Boy" (7-inch radio edit) – 3:55

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List of RPM number-one dance singles of 1991

{{Reflist}}

{{Snap!}}

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Category:1990 singles

Category:1990 songs

Category:Ariola Records singles

Category:Arista Records singles

Category:Bertelsmann Music Group singles

Category:Logic Records singles

Category:Number-one singles in Zimbabwe

Category:Snap! songs