"Ferry Cross the Mersey" is a song written by Gerry Marsden. It was first recorded by his band Gerry and the Pacemakers and released in late 1964 in the UK and in 1965 in the United States. It was a hit on both sides of the Atlantic, reaching number six in the United States and number eight in the UK. The song is from the film of the same name and was released on its soundtrack album. In the mid-1990s, a musical theatre production, also titled Ferry Cross the Mersey, related Gerry Marsden's Merseybeat days; it premiered in Liverpool and played in the UK, Australia, and Canada.

Song title and lyrics

"Mersey" refers to the River Mersey in northwest England, which flows into the Irish Sea at Liverpool. The Mersey Ferry runs between Liverpool and Birkenhead and Seacombe on the Wirral Peninsula. Cash Box described the song as "a touching, soft cha cha best sentimental opus that Gerry vocals with much sincerity."

Chart performance

"Ferry Cross the Mersey" became a Top 10 hit in the UK and also in the U.S., where it was a bigger hit. It did best in Chicago, where it reached number one on WLS-AM.

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Charity record for The Hillsborough Disaster Fund

In May 1989, a charity version of "Ferry Cross the Mersey" was released in aid of those affected by the Hillsborough disaster, which had claimed the lives of 95 Liverpool fans the previous month (a 96th, Tony Bland, died in 1993 as a consequence of that disaster and a 97th, Andrew Devine, in 2021). The song was recorded by Liverpool artists the Christians, Holly Johnson, Paul McCartney and Gerry Marsden, with producers Stock Aitken Waterman also credited. The single held the number one spot in the UK chart for three weeks and the Irish chart for two weeks.

Chart performance

Other cover versions