Harve Presnell They Call The Wind Maria, is an American popular song with lyrics written by Alan J. Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe for their 1951 Broadway musical, Paint Your Wagon, which is set in the California Gold Rush. Rufus Smith originally sang the song on Broadway, and Joseph Leader was the original singer in London’s West End. It quickly became a runaway hit, and during the Korean War, the song was among the “popular music listened to by the troops”.
Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra recorded the song in 1951, and it was among the “popular hit singles at the record stores” that year. It has since become a standard, performed by many notable singers across several genres of popular music. A striking feature of the song in the original orchestration (also used in many cover versions), is a driving, staccato rhythm, played on the string instruments, that evokes a sense of restless motion.
Harve Presnell They Call The Wind Maria lyrics
[CHORUS]
Maria, Maria
They call the wind Maria
[“ROTTEN LUCK” WILLIE]
Way out here they got a name
For rain and wind and fire
The rain is Tess, the fire’s Joe
And they call the wind Maria
Maria blows the stars around
And sends the clouds a-flyin’
Maria makes the mountains sound
Like folks were up there dyin’
[CHORUS]
Maria, Maria
They call the wind Maria
[“ROTTEN LUCK” WILLIE]
Before I knew Maria’s name
And heard her wail and whinin’
I had a gal and she had me
And the sun was always shinin’
Then one day I left my girl
I left her far behind me
And now I’m lost gol’ darn lost
Not even God can find me
[CHORUS]
Maria, Maria
They call the wind Maria
[“ROTTEN LUCK” WILLIE]
Out here they got a name for rain,
For wind and fire only
But when you’re lost and all alone
There ain’t no word but lonely
And I’m a lost and lonely man
Without a star to guide me
Maria, blow my love to me
I need my girl beside me
[CHORUS]
Maria, Maria
They call the wind Maria
[“ROTTEN LUCK” WILLIE and CHORUS]
Maria, Maria
Love, my love, pull me
