> Peter Bellamy > Songs > Maria's Gone

Maria's Gone

[ Roud 3625 ; Ballad Index JRSF066 ; trad.]

Cecil Sharp and Maud Karpeles collected Maria's Gone on September 20, 1917 from Hillard Smith in Hindman, Kentucky (where many of the Ritchies attended the settlement school) and published it in their English Folk-Songs from the Southern Appalachians II.

Jean Ritchie included Morning Come, Maria Gone in her book Singing Family of the Cumberlands (Oxford University Press, 1955) and recorded it in 1971 for her LP Clear Waters Remembered (Transatlantic XTRA 1123, UK, 1971; Geordie 101, USA, 1974).

Peter Bellamy sang Maria's Gone in 1985 on his EFDSS album Second Wind. He commented in the album's sleeve notes:

Another love which still holds me in thrall is the white folk music of Southern Appalachia. Kentucky's splendid Jean Ritchie was the physical medium through whom I first contacted that particular Summer Country and it is she I must thank for both Fair and Tender Ladies and Maria's Gone. I learned early on the inadvisability of trying to ape accents but elements of the thrilling mountain vocal style are hard to escape. Anyway, who wants to?

Jon Boden sang Maria's Gone as the January 18, 2011 entry of his project A Folk Song a Day.

Lyrics

Peter Bellamy sings Maria's Gone

Mornin' come and Maria's gone
Mornin' come and Maria's gone
Mornin' come and Maria's gone
And it's early in the morning

Oh she's gone and I can't go
Oh she's gone and I can't go
Oh she's gone and I can't go
And it's early in the morning

Mornin' come and Maria's gone
Mornin' come and Maria's gone
Mornin' come and Maria's gone
And it's early in the morning

Never did I know her mind
Never did I know her mind
Never did I know her mind
And it's early in the morning

Mornin' come and Maria's gone
Mornin' come and Maria's gone
Mornin' come and Maria's gone
And it's early in the morning

Trouble, trouble is my name
Trouble, trouble is my name
Trouble, trouble is my name
And it's early in the morning

Mornin' come and Maria's gone
Mornin' come and Maria's gone
Mornin' come and Maria's gone
And it's early in the morning