"Virginia Plain" is a song written in 1972 by Bryan Ferry. It was recorded by his band Roxy Music and became their first single, backed with "The Numberer" (an instrumental composed by Andy Mackay). It became a Top 10 hit in the UK, peaking at #4.
The song was not present on the original LP version of the band's debut, Roxy Music, and had not even been recorded when the album was released. After the success of the album in the UK, it was included on later reissues. In 1977 it was re-released as a single, together with "Pyjamarama", originally the second Roxy Music single, to promote their Greatest Hits album, and reached #11.
"Virginia Plain" features bass guitarist Rik Kenton, who joined after Graham Simpson left the band. It begins with a deceptively quiet introduction, followed by an instant increase of volume as soon as the vocals come in on the first verse, this apparently being a deliberate ploy by Bryan Ferry to trap unwary radio and club DJs. The song was also notable at the time for its lack of chorus and for its synthesizer work by Brian Eno.
Former art student Ferry took the title "Virginia Plain" from one of his own paintings, featuring images of the cigarette brand of the same name and Warhol superstar Baby Jane Holzer. Holzer is also referenced in the lyric, "Baby Jane's in Acapulco / We are flying down to Rio".
