“Maria”

Description

"I wonder where Maria's gone (x3). Ear-lye in the morning." "Guess she's gone and I can't go (x3), Ear-lye in the morning." "Yonder she comes and howdy-do (x3), Ear-lye in the morning."

Notes

The similarity to "The Drunken Sailor" will be obvious even from the lyrics -- but since the theme of the song is different, the chorus is absent, and the tune somewhat modified, I decided to classify these as separate songs. Presumably at some point someone put new lyrics to the "Drunken Sailor" melody. - RBW

The 1917 version collected by Sharp -- in Hindman, KY, where many of the Ritchies attended the settlement school -- has a rather different melody; perhaps the words and earlier melody came first, then someone switched tunes to "Drunken Sailor." - PJS

Cross references

• cf. "The Drunken Sailor (Early in the Morning)"

References

1. Ritchie-SingFam, pp. 66-67, "[Maria]" (1 text, 1 tune)
2. SharpAp 258, "Maria's Gone" (1 text, 1 tune)
3. Roud #3625
4. BI, JRSF066