"Johnny and Mary" went to No. 44 on theUK Singles Chart,[5] and was a top 40 hit in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and several European countries. In Germany, it peaked at No. 7 on the singles chart and spent a total of 23 weeks in the top 20.[6][7] In Spain, it peaked at No. 1 on the Spanish singles chart (AFYVE).[8]
Though the single did not chart in the US Hot 100, it did reach No. 18 onBillboard'sClub Play Singles chart.[9]
The hook from "Johnny and Mary" was used as the signature tune in advertisements promotingRenault cars throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Early adverts used Palmer's original version, while a range of special recordings in different styles were produced during the 1990s, most famously an acoustic interpretation byMartin Taylor, which he released on his albumSpirit of Django. Taylor recorded alternate versions for Renault; the last being in 1998 for the launch of the all-newRenault Clio. In 2021, Swedish singerHanna Hägglund recorded a new version of the song, used again by Renault in TV ads to launch its latest version of model Clio.[10][11]
Upon its release, Mike Gardner ofRecord Mirror noted that Palmer had merged his own style with that ofGary Numan, "resulting in a mixture that sounds suspiciously like mid periodCliff Richard". He added that it has the "double distinction of giving the ears a treat and being a formidable appetiser for his forthcoming album".[12] Martyn Sutton ofMelody Maker also believed that the "ultra-modern, Eighties single" was "something of a departure" from Palmer as it "offers less blue eyed soul than usual and a lot more cold eyes, electronic wheeling and dealing". He concluded that it "deserves to be a hit".[13]Paul Rambali ofNME was less positive in his review, writing that "what seems like a sad little story of connubial confusion" is "made more commonplace than it might otherwise be through injudicious use of electronic textures". He also felt that a "decent middle eight would have helped too".[14] In contrast,Danny Baker, writing a new review forNME, stated that "this is the best buy at 45 right now" and remarked that Rambali, "who coolly received this a fortnight ago, has a gleam in his piercing blue eye that suggests he mayn't have given this the shake it deserved at that time".[15]
Norwegian DJTodd Terje covered "Johnny and Mary" for his debut studio albumIt's Album Time. His version features vocals from English musicianBryan Ferry. Terje's version was released as a single on 7 April 2014 as a digital download[28] and peaked at number 185 on theFrench Singles Chart.[29] It also appears on Ferry's fourteenth studio album,Avonmore.
In 1989, model Leigh Jaeger released a version of the song as a single throughA&M Records. Jaeger previously appeared as one of the models in the music videos for Palmer's "I Didn't Mean to Turn You On" and "Simply Irresistible". Jaeger's version was produced byStephen Stewart-Short and the 12-inch format included a remix byPhil Harding and Ian Curnow.[30] The music video featuresvogue dancing and was the earliest to showcase the dance in the UK.[31]
Placebo included a cover of the song on a Special Edition Bonus Disc of their albumSleeping with Ghosts in 2003.
Finnish artistStig recorded the song as "Jari ja Mari (Johnny and Mary)" on theStig EP, released on 24 April 2015.
Black Marble covered the song on theirI Must Be Living Twice EP, released on 14 August 2020.
Tina Turner covered the song on the Summer Lovers Soundtrack
DJ Bobby A released a true to the original version May 2025 receiving airplay in many European countries and peaking at #1 in Finland.
