Maria is track seven on the 1994 James album Wah Wah and that version is sung by Larry Gott. A live version from the Alton Towers 1992 show appears on the live disc of the 2012 The Gathering Sound boxset, whilst a live acoustic version appears on the 2016 Record Store Day release of the 1992 Greenpeace Palace concert.
Another acoustic version from a US radio session appears on The Adventure Club sessions compilation. An as-yet-unreleased demo version appeared on a very rare Mercury in-house cdr entitled B-Sides.
Maria began life as a track called Maria’s Party in the summer of 1992 and was often cited by Tim in interviews as the key track in James new direction after the Seven LP. It featured throughout the acoustic tours of the US and UK in 1992, but failed to make the final cut for the Laid LP.
The party referred to in the song apparently took place at a large house in Belgium.
Details
LyricsListenReleaseAvailable OnGigsGuitar Tabs
There's a Malayan stripper of sex unknown
Some Siamese twins from a broken home
Maria's party, what a show going on
Maria loves her life, she'll show you how
There's a strong man tearing himself into pieces
A magician who will spin you on the end of his spindly fingers
There's a show going on
Maria loves her life, she'll show you how, how, how
There's a high wire act on the telephone wire
And another Buddhist monk has set himself on fire
There's a fakir outside being buried alive
Maria's mad aunt has yet to arrive
A dog that dances, and a frog with wings,
A bear in a tutu that just loves to sing the karaoke
There's a show going on
Maria loves her life, and that's all, and that's all, and that's all.
La La La La La La La .....
You will love her forever when the scene hits your town
La La La La La La La .....
You will love her forever
You will love her forever
Maria's party
And that's all, that's all, that's all, that's all
Some Siamese twins from a broken home
Maria's party, what a show going on
Maria loves her life, she'll show you how
There's a strong man tearing himself into pieces
A magician who will spin you on the end of his spindly fingers
There's a show going on
Maria loves her life, she'll show you how, how, how
There's a high wire act on the telephone wire
And another Buddhist monk has set himself on fire
There's a fakir outside being buried alive
Maria's mad aunt has yet to arrive
A dog that dances, and a frog with wings,
A bear in a tutu that just loves to sing the karaoke
There's a show going on
Maria loves her life, and that's all, and that's all, and that's all.
La La La La La La La .....
You will love her forever when the scene hits your town
La La La La La La La .....
You will love her forever
You will love her forever
Maria's party
And that's all, that's all, that's all, that's all
| Song: | Maria |
| Released: | 12th September 1994 |
| Main Associated Album (or Single): | Wah Wah |
| First Heard Live: | Glastonbury Festival – 26th June 1992 |
- The Adventure Club Sessions :Compilation (non James), Album, 1993
- Selections From Wah Wah (US promo) :Promo, Album, 1994
- Wah Wah promo tape :Promo, Album, 1994
- Wah Wah :Studio, Album, 1994
- B-Sides (CDR promo) :Promo, Album, 2001
- The Gathering Sound (full promo) :Promo, Box Set, 2012
- The Gathering Sound :Compilation, Box Set, 2012
- Laid / Wah Wah Super Deluxe Edition :Compilation, Box Set, 2015
- The Greenpeace Palace Concert :Live, Album, 2016
- Live To Vinyl :Studio, EP, 2021
- Manchester Castlefield Bowl – 2nd July 2022
- Warrington Parr Hall – 29th June 2022
- Manchester AO Arena – 3rd December 2021
- Dublin 3arena – 1st December 2021
- Wolverhampton KK Steel Mill – 23rd November 2021
- Scarborough Open Air Theatre – 9th September 2021
- London Metropolis Studios Session – 24th August 2021
- Southampton Guildhall – 14th March 2019
- Nottingham Royal Concert Hall – 12th March 2019
- Bath Forum – 7th March 2019
- Margate Winter Gardens – 6th March 2019
- Cleveland Agora Theatre – 21st May 1994
- Toronto Ontario Place Forum – 20th May 1994
- Atlanta 99x – 28th March 1994
- Chicago Vic Theatre – 20th February 1994
- Milwaukee Marquette University Varsity Theatre – 19th February 1994
- Washington WUST Music Hall – 14th February 1994
- Washington WDST – 14th February 1994
- Philadelphia Trocadero – 12th February 1994
- Boston Avalon – 10th February 1994
- Boston WFNX – 10th February 1994
- Providence The Strand – 9th February 1994
- Toronto Opera House – 6th February 1994
- Toronto CFNY – 6th February 1994
- Modern Rock Live – 13th January 1994
- Paris, Casino de Paris – 23rd November 1993
- Cologne Live Music Hall – 12th November 1993
- Radio Europe Black Session – 23rd September 1993
- London Finsbury Park – 11th July 1993
- Bath Moles Club – 21st March 1993
- Manchester Free Trade Hall – 17th December 1992
- London Town And Country Club – 16th December 1992
- Leeds Town And Country Club – 14th December 1992
- Glasgow Royal Concert Hall – 13th December 1992
- Los Angeles The Palace Theater – 23rd November 1992
- Chicago World Music Theatre – 18th November 1992
- Milwaukee Riverside Theatre – 15th November 1992
- New York The Ritz – 1st November 1992
- New Britain, CT, The Sting – 25th October 1992
- Chicago Riviera – 13th October 1992
- Pacific Amphitheatre, Costa Mesa, Los Angeles – 25th September 1992
- KCRW Morning Becomes Eclectic – 22nd September 1992
- The Other Side – September 1992
- Adventure Club Sessions – September 1992
- Morlaix Tamaris Festival – 18th July 1992
- Alton Towers – 4th July 1992
- Stockholm Moderna Museet – 27th June 1992
- Glastonbury Festival – 26th June 1992
James - Maria
Taken from the album Wah Wah
Written by James, performed by James & Brian Eno
Opening Riff:
e------------------------------------8-7----------------
B--5--3---5-5-5-3/13---5-5-5-3/13------5-3/13--------
G-------------------------------------------------------
D-------------------------------------------------------
A-------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------
Riff 2:
e-------------------------------------------------------
B--10-10-10--10p8-10p8----------------------------------
G----------------------7-7-7/9--------------------------
D-------------------------------------------------------
A-------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------
Riff 3:
e-----13-----12-----13-----12---------------------------
B--13-----13-----13-----13----13------------------------
G-------------------------------------------------------
D-------------------------------------------------------
A-------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------
Song Structure:
The song begins with two guitars playing what basically boils down to the Opening Riff. Parts of this can be heard throughout the song.
When the chord changes to Em Riff 2 is played, and after that when a guitar comes in strumming an A5, Riff 3 is played.
The chord sequence is quite simple, Am for a bit, then Dm, back to Am again the Em Dm Am. Think Just Like Fred Astaire but in Am not A. In acoustic versions the chord sequence is far more noticable, and more consistent; in the album version it occasionally forgoes the Dm in the "verse."
Lyrics/Chords:
Am
There's a Malayan stripper of sex unknown
Some Siamese twins from a broken home
Dm Am
Maria's party, what a show going on
Em Dm Am
Maria loves her life, she'll show you how
There's a strong man tearing himself into pieces
A magician who will spin you on the end of his spindly fingers
There's a show going on
Em Dm Am
Maria loves her life, she'll show you how, how, how
There's a high wire act on the telephone wire
And another Buddhist monk has set himself on fire
There's a fakir outside being buried alive
Maria's mad aunt has yet to arrive
A dog that dances, and a frog with wings,
A bear in a tutu that just loves to sing the karaoke
There's a show going on
Maria loves her life, and that's all, and that's all, and that's all.
La La La La La La La .....
You will love her forever when the scene hits your town
La La La La La La La .....
You will love her forever
You will love her forever
Maria's party
And that's all, that's all, that's all, that's all
Transcribed by Alex Carter 2001.
alex@shandy3000.fsnet.co.uk
Taken from the album Wah Wah
Written by James, performed by James & Brian Eno
Opening Riff:
e------------------------------------8-7----------------
B--5--3---5-5-5-3/13---5-5-5-3/13------5-3/13--------
G-------------------------------------------------------
D-------------------------------------------------------
A-------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------
Riff 2:
e-------------------------------------------------------
B--10-10-10--10p8-10p8----------------------------------
G----------------------7-7-7/9--------------------------
D-------------------------------------------------------
A-------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------
Riff 3:
e-----13-----12-----13-----12---------------------------
B--13-----13-----13-----13----13------------------------
G-------------------------------------------------------
D-------------------------------------------------------
A-------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------
Song Structure:
The song begins with two guitars playing what basically boils down to the Opening Riff. Parts of this can be heard throughout the song.
When the chord changes to Em Riff 2 is played, and after that when a guitar comes in strumming an A5, Riff 3 is played.
The chord sequence is quite simple, Am for a bit, then Dm, back to Am again the Em Dm Am. Think Just Like Fred Astaire but in Am not A. In acoustic versions the chord sequence is far more noticable, and more consistent; in the album version it occasionally forgoes the Dm in the "verse."
Lyrics/Chords:
Am
There's a Malayan stripper of sex unknown
Some Siamese twins from a broken home
Dm Am
Maria's party, what a show going on
Em Dm Am
Maria loves her life, she'll show you how
There's a strong man tearing himself into pieces
A magician who will spin you on the end of his spindly fingers
There's a show going on
Em Dm Am
Maria loves her life, she'll show you how, how, how
There's a high wire act on the telephone wire
And another Buddhist monk has set himself on fire
There's a fakir outside being buried alive
Maria's mad aunt has yet to arrive
A dog that dances, and a frog with wings,
A bear in a tutu that just loves to sing the karaoke
There's a show going on
Maria loves her life, and that's all, and that's all, and that's all.
La La La La La La La .....
You will love her forever when the scene hits your town
La La La La La La La .....
You will love her forever
You will love her forever
Maria's party
And that's all, that's all, that's all, that's all
Transcribed by Alex Carter 2001.
alex@shandy3000.fsnet.co.uk
Share:
