Song Lyric Sunday – “My Maria” by Brooks & Dunn

This week Jim Adams has prompted us with choosing songs involving Maria | Marie | Mary for this week’s Song Lyric Sunday.

Ronnie Dunn, Me & Kix Brooks (October, 1993)

I chose “My Maria” by Brooks & Dunn which was a cover version released in 1996 and reached #1 on the US country chart and won the 1997 Grammy for Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. It is on the album “Borderline” which was released by Arista Records.

I had the honor of meeting Brooks & Dunn in 1993 after my first husband won front-row tickets with “Meet & Greet” backstage passes. I was so excited and I made matching shirts for us to wear to the concert. DON’T JUDGE my gawd-awful glasses & perm! I cut my ex out of the photo because I don’t want to call him and get permission to put him on the blog. The concert we attended was, of course, 3 years before Brooks & Dunn brought “My Maria” back to life after over 20 years.

Covering a song can become a bigger hit than the original version.

The original version, co-written by B.W. (Buckwheat) Stevenson and Daniel Moore was released by Stevenson in 1973, peaking at #9 on the US Pop Chart. It remained in the Top 40 for twelve weeks in 1973, plus spent one week at #1 on the US adult contemporary chart.

SONG FACTS

• Daniel Moore had been working on “My Maria” for 2 years when B.W. Stevenson, a songwriter from Dallas, Texas helped him finish it. Stevenson had the lyrics finished in 15 minutes.
• The 1973 original version reached #7 on the Canada RPM Top Singles and #1 on the Canada RPM Adult Contemporary.
• The 1996 cover version by Brooks & Dunn made it to #79 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Canada Country Tracks RPM.
• Brooks & Dunn version stayed on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles chart for 3 weeks in May-June and finished at #1 for the Year-End US Billboard Country Songs chart for 1996.
• Brooks & Dunn walked away with the 1997 Grammy for Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
• The original sold 950,000 singles and Brooks & Dunn’s cover sold over 6 million.

“My Maria”

My Maria don't you know I've come a long, long way
I been longin' to see her
When she's around she takes my blues away
Sweet Maria the sunlight surely hurts my eyes
I'm a lonely dreamer on a highway in the skies
Maria, (Oh Maria I love you girl, oh my Maria)
Maria, (Oh Maria I love you girl, Maria) I love you
My Maria there were some blue and sorrow times
Just my thoughts about you bring back my piece of mind
Gypsy lady you're a miracle work for me
You set my soul free like a ship sailing on the sea
She is the sunlight when skies are gray
She treats me so right lady take me away
My Maria (Oh Maria I love you girl, oh my Maria)
Maria (Oh Maria I love you girl, Maria) I love you
My Maria (Oh Maria I love you girl, oh my Maria)
Maria (Oh Maria I love you girl, Maria) I love you
My Maria (Oh Maria I love you girl, oh my Maria)
Maria (Oh Maria I love you girl, Maria) I love you
My Maria (Oh Maria I love you girl, oh my Maria)
Maria (Oh Maria I love you girl, Maria) I love you
My Maria (Oh Maria I love you girl, oh my Maria)
Maria (Oh Maria I love you girl, Maria) I love you
My Maria (Oh Maria I love you girl, oh my Maria)
Maria (Oh Maria I love you girl, Maria) I love you
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Louis C Stevenson / Daniel Joseph Moore
My Maria lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group