Tandyn Almer, composer of iconic '60s pop tune, dies

WASHINGTON -- When Tandyn Almer was 23, he wrote a catchy pop song that topped out at No. 7 on the Billboard charts. Great things were expected of him as a songwriter, and some thought he might even become a star in his own right.

But in all the decades that followed, there were few triumphs, and certainly nothing like the acclaim he received for composing the words and music of "Along Comes Mary." In 1966, the bouncy, enigmatic song became the first hit for the Association, one of the most popular bands of the era. Almer was praised as a musical mastermind who brought a fresh sophistication to the sun-dappled pop-rock of the time.

For the past few years, Almer had occupied an unkempt basement apartment in McLean, Va., where he died Jan. 8. He had a combination of atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to his sister-in-law, Randi Minetor.

He was 70. Several acquaintances were surprised that he had lived that long.

For years, Almer had no health insurance. He had been a chain smoker and made no secret of a bipolar disorder, which often led to dramatic mood swings. His right leg was amputated below the knee in 2011.

He was born July 30, 1942, in Minneapolis. Almer's parents couldn't settle on a name, so they came up with Tandyn as a whimsical afterthought.

By 1965, he had written "Along Comes Mary," which was picked up by the Association. Something about the tune -- its rhythmic complexity, its soaring harmonies, the intricate wordplay of its lyrics -- impressed more than just the teenagers who danced to it.

George Benson, Hugh Masekela, Cal Tjader and other jazz musicians recorded "Along Comes Mary," and amateur musicologists tried to unravel the complicated lyrics, with their internal rhymes and images of youthful alienation.