US single release: Mary Had A Little Lamb by Wings – 29 May 1972

Q: When was Mary Had A Little Lamb by Wings released in the US?

29 May 1972. The UK release was three weeks earlier on 9 May 1972.

Q: Why did Paul McCartney write Mary Had A Little Lamb?

McCartney wrote it for his children, who were his primary audience when he played piano at home. He looked up the original nursery rhyme words and wrote a tune around them.

Q: Was Mary Had A Little Lamb Wings' first single?

No — it was their second. Their debut was Give Ireland Back To The Irish (February 1972), banned by the BBC.

May 29, 2026

US single release: Mary Had A Little Lamb by Wings – 29 May 1972

Monday 29 May 1972 | Paul McCartney, Release, Wings

On Monday 29 May 1972, Wings’ second single, Mary Had A Little Lamb, was released in the United States. The b-side was Little Woman Love.

The Song

Mary Had A Little Lamb was based on the 19th century nursery rhyme of the same name, with music written by Paul McCartney around the original words. It had been released in the UK on 9 May 1972, where it reached number nine on the charts. The US release followed three weeks later.

In America, the single reached number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100. It fared less well on the Cash Box Top 100, peaking at no higher than 48.

McCartney on Writing the Song

McCartney explained the song’s origins in Paul McCartney In His Own Words:

“I do things that aren’t necessarily very carefully thought out. Now, you know, I’ve just got three kids over the last few years, and when I am sitting at home playing at the piano my audience a lot of the time is the kids. I just wrote that one up, the words were already written, you know, I just found out what the words to the nursery rhyme were, wrote a little tune up around it, went and recorded it. I had an idea in my head to find out what the words to the original nursery rhyme were.”

— Paul McCartney, Paul McCartney In His Own Words

The song was a deliberate departure from the rock sound Wings had established with their debut single Give Ireland Back To The Irish (February 1972), which had been banned by the BBC. Mary Had A Little Lamb was seen by many critics as a calculated move towards safer, more commercial territory — though McCartney’s explanation suggests it was simply a natural product of family life.

Key Facts

US release date: 29 May 1972
UK release date: 9 May 1972
A-side: Mary Had A Little Lamb
B-side: Little Woman Love
US chart peak: Number 28 (Billboard Hot 100)
US chart peak: Number 48 (Cash Box Top 100)
Wings single number: 2nd

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Mary Had A Little Lamb by Wings released in the US?

29 May 1972. The UK release had been three weeks earlier, on 9 May 1972.

How high did Mary Had A Little Lamb chart in the US?

Number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100, and no higher than 48 on the Cash Box Top 100.

Why did Paul McCartney write Mary Had A Little Lamb?

McCartney said he wrote it for his children, who were his primary audience when he played piano at home. He looked up the original nursery rhyme words and wrote a tune around them. It was a spontaneous, domestic inspiration rather than a calculated commercial decision.

What was on the b-side of Mary Had A Little Lamb?

Little Woman Love, also written by McCartney.

Was Mary Had A Little Lamb Wings’ first single?

No — it was their second. Their debut single was Give Ireland Back To The Irish, released in February 1972, which was banned by the BBC due to its political content.