Mary Macgregor – Torn Between Two Lovers

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Torn Between Two Lovers (song)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

“Torn Between Two Lovers”
Torn Between Two Lovers - Mary MacGregor.jpg
Single by Mary MacGregor
from the album Torn Between Two Lovers
B-side“I Just Want to Love You”
ReleasedNovember 1976
Recorded1976
StudioMuscle Shoals Sound Studio in Alabama
GenreSoft rock
Length3:40
LabelAriola
Songwriter(s)Peter Yarrow Phillip Jarrell
Producer(s)Peter Yarrow Barry Beckett
Mary MacGregor singles chronology
Torn Between Two Lovers
(1976)”The Girl (Has Turned Into a Woman)”
(1977)

Torn Between Two Lovers” is a song written by Peter Yarrow (of the folk music trio Peter, Paul & Mary) and Phillip Jarrell that speaks about a love triangle, and laments that “loving both of you is breaking all the rules”. Mary MacGregor recorded it at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in 1976 and it became the title track of her first album.

Chart performance

“Torn Between Two Lovers” reached No. 1 on the U.S. pop chart in February 1977 and achieved the same position on the Easy Listening chart in the final week of 1976 and first week of 1977. It also hit No. 1 on the Canadian charts, and peaked at No. 3 on the country charts of both nations. In March 1977, it was No. 4 in the United Kingdom.

Weekly charts

Chart (1976–77)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)14
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)1
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)1
Canada Top Singles (RPM)1
Ireland (IRMA)5
Netherlands (Single Top 100)11
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)4
South Africa (Springbok Radio)6
UK Singles (OCC)4
US Billboard Hot 1001
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)1
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)3
US Cashbox Top 1001
West Germany (Official German Charts)40

Year-end charts

Chart (1977)Rank
Australia7
Canada RPM Top Singles9
New Zealand46
UK58
U.S. Billboard Hot 10010
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary19
U.S. Cash Box5

Certifications

RegionCertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)Gold50,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Cover versions

In 1977, Gracie Rivera recorded “Torn Between Two Lovers” as the first track for her debut album, Gracie. The song became a hit with Hong Kongers and carved her name in their music scene in the ’70s.

Gracie Rivera – Torn Between Two Lovers 1977

“Torn Between Two Lovers” has also been recorded by Johnny Rodriguez for his 1977 album Practice Makes Perfect,

Johnny Rodriguez

Anna-Lena Löfgren for her 1979 album Lev Som Du Lär and Anita Meyer for her 1984 album Face to Face.

Connie Francis recorded “Torn Between Two Lovers” for her 1989 album release Where the Hits Are which was recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio and contained a number of songs whose original versions were Muscle Shoals recordings.

Torn Between Two Lovers : Connie Francis

Sharon Cuneta recorded her version for her album Isn’t It Romantic Volume 2 in 2007.

Torn Between Two Lovers

Joey Sontz recorded his version for his debut album Chasing the Dream in 2012.

“Torn Between Two Lovers” has been rendered in a number of languages, including Cantonese, “中間人” by Faye Wong from the album Shirley Wong;

中間人

German, “Zwischen zwei Gefühlen” by Penny McLean;

PENNY MCLEAN PERFORMING "ZWISCHEN ZWEI GEFÜHLEN (TORN BETWEEN TWO LOVERS)" (1980)

Portuguese, “Só, entre dois amores” by Celly Campello (pt);

CELLY CAMPELLO – SÓ ENTRE DOIS AMORES

Dutch, “Hulpeloos verloren” by Conny Vandenbos;

Hulpeloos verloren (Torn between two lovers) / Conny Vandenbos.

French, “Drame entre deux amours” by Claude François;

Claude François, Drame entre deux amours.

Swedish, “Ge mig dina tankar” by Wizex;

Wizex – Ge Mig Dina Tankar

and Spanish, “Entre dos amores” by Christie Lee.

Christie Lee – Entre dos amores – 1978

The song was mentioned in the lyrics of Dolly Parton‘s 1984 country single “God Won’t Get You“.

Dolly Parton-God won't get you
  • Torn Between Two Lovers – Dave Monk
Torn between two lovers – Mary MacGregor – instro cover by Dave Monk
  • Torn Between Two Lovers – Instrumental
Torn Between Two Lovers – Instrumental
  • Susan Wong – Torn Between Two Lovers
Susan Wong – Torn Between Two Lovers
  • Teresa- Torn between two lovers
Teresa sing – Torn between two lovers – Mary MacGregor
  • Torn Between Two Lovers (cover on guitar by Eric )
Torn Between Two Lovers – Mary MacGregor (cover on guitar by Eric )

TV movie

“Torn Between Two Lovers” inspired the title of a television movie aired in 1979, starring Lee RemickGeorge Peppard and Joseph Bologna, in which the song is played.

TORN BETWEEN TWO LOVERS

Torn Between Two Lovers (album)

Torn Between Two Lovers

TornBetweenTwoLovers.jpg
By Scanned by uploader Derived from a scan of the album cover (creator of this digital version is irrelevant as the copyright in all equivalent images is still held by the same party). Copyright held by the record company or the artist. Claimed as fair use regardless., Fair use, Link

Studio album by Mary MacGregor
Released1976
StudioMuscle Shoals Sound Studio, Sheffield, Alabama
GenrePop
LabelAriola America
ProducerPeter YarrowBarry Beckett
Mary MacGregor chronology
Torn Between Two Lovers
(1976)…In Your Eyes
(1978)

Torn Between Two Lovers is the debut album by Mary MacGregor. It was produced and partly written by Peter Yarrow, and released in 1976.

Release and promotion

The album was released in 1976 and reached the number 17 position on the Billboard 200 chart. Three singles were released in promotion of the album, all reaching both the Country singles and Hot 100 pop charts. The title track was a number-one hit on the pop and adult contemporary charts.

Critical reception

Reviewing in Christgau’s Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981), Robert Christgau gave the record a “C” and said, “I consider it significant that Peter Yarrow’s first commercial success of the decade is an Olivia Newton-John substitute, albeit one who’s willing to admit she fucks around.”

Track listing

Side one

  1. “Mama” (Stephen Ferguson)
Mama

2. “This Girl (Has Turned Into a Woman)” (Peter Yarrow, Mary MacGregor)

This Girl (Has Turned into a Woman)

3. “Good Together” (Gretta Larson)

Good Together

4. “It’s Too Soon (To Let Our Love End)” (Jim Salestrom)

It's Too Soon (To Let Our Love End)

5. “Why Did You Wait (To Tell Me)” (Peter Yarrow)

Why Did You Wait (To Tell Me)

Side two

  1. “The Lady I Am” (Gretta Larson)
The Lady I Am

2. “For a While” (Peter Yarrow, Kevin Hunter)

For a While

3. “I Just Want to Love You” (Randy Sharp)

I Just Want Love You

4. “Take Your Love Away” (Randy Sharp)

Take Your Love Away

5. “Torn Between Two Lovers” (Phil Jarrell, Peter Yarrow)

Torn Between Two Lovers

Personnel

  • Tim Henson – keyboards
  • David Hood – bass guitar
  • Roger Hawkins – drums
  • Tom Roady – percussion
  • Pete Carr – lead guitar, acoustic guitar
  • Jimmy Johnson – rhythm guitar
  • Ken Bell – acoustic guitar
  • Larry Byrom – acoustic guitar on “Good Together”
  • Stu Basore – pedal steel guitar
  • Barry Beckett – keyboards, synthesizer
  • David Campbell – string arrangements and conducting
  • Muscle Shoals Horns (Charles Rose, Harrison Calloway, Harvey Thompson, Ronnie Eades)
  • Ginger Holladay, Lisa Silver, Sheri Kramer – background vocals

Charts

Chart (1977)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)35
U.S. Billboard 20017
U.S. Country Albums3

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