> 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 20 September 1917 from Hillard Smith in Hindman, Kentucky (where many of the Ritchies attended the settlement school). They published it in their English Folk Songs From the Southern Appalachians, Volume II, in the section Play-Party Games.

Jean Ritchie included Morning Come, Maria Gone with quite different verses in her book Singing Family of the Cumberlands (Oxford University Press, 1955). She recorded it in 1971 for her LP Clear Waters Remembered.

Peter Bellamy sang Maria’s Gone in 1985 on his EFDSS album Second Wind. He noted:

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?

Kate Burke and Ruth Hazleton sang Maria’s Gone on their 2007 album Summer’s Lonesome Tale. They noted:

Learned from the singing of great Sydney singer Margaret Walters, who learned it from Peter Bellamy. We were immediately taken with the tune of this mournful song, and what starts a a plaintive lament morphs into an angrily self-deprecating rant. We altered the timing to 5/4 on a whim.

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

Melrose Quartet learned Maria’s Gone “from the singing of Jean Ritchie via Peter Bellamy”. They sang it on their 2017 CD Dominion.

Narthen (formerly Coope, Simpson, Fraser & Freya) sang Morning Come, Maria Gone in 2018 on their eponymous No Masters album Narthen. They noted:

This song first appeared in the book Singing Family of the Cumberlands by Jean Richie in 1955, written about her parents Balis and Abigail Richie and their 14 children from the Cumberland Mountains in Viper, Kentucky. She went on to record it for her 1971 album Clear Waters Remembered. Jean Richie was a true ambassador for the folk tradition and brought her love for the music to the forefront of the folk revival. Starting from the wealth of material that was already in her family repertoire, she went on to complete a Fulbright scholarship looking at the links between English folksong and the Appalachian traditions.

When Jo [Freya] was at University she frequented the Nottingham Traditional Music Club. There, the congenial Roy Harris supported Jo’s solo singing by providing her with countless albums to listen to as she built up her repertoire. This one remains a firm favourite.

Burd Ellen sang Morning Come, Maria’s Gone on their 2021 cassette Morning Come, Maria’s Gone. The cassette also has three re-mixes of this track.

Will Finn and Rosie Calvert sang Mariah’s Gone on their 2024 album Fallow Alchemy.

Lyrics

Hillard Smith sings Maria’s Gone

I wonder where Maria’s gone,
I wonder where Maria’s gone,
I wonder where Maria’s gone
So early in the morning.

She has gone and I can’t go,
She has gone and I can’t go,
She has gone and I can’t go
So early in the morning.

Yonder she comes and it’s how do you do,
Yonder she comes and it’s how do you do,
Yonder she comes and it’s how do you do
So early in the morning.

Give her a kiss and march on through,
Give her a kiss and march on through,
Give her a kiss and march on through
So early in the morning.

Swing to the right, then to the left,
Swing to the right, then to the left,
Swing to the right, then to the left
Until you swing your partner.

Now we’ll promenade, one, two, three,
Now we’ll promenade, one, two, three,
Now we’ll promenade, one, two, three
So early in the morning.

Jean Ritchie sings Morning Come, Maria’s Gone

Chorus (after each verse):
Morning come and Maria’s gone,
Morning come and Maria’s gone,
Morning 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.

Never could I know her mind,
Never could I know her mind,
Never could I know her mind
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.

Peter Bellamy sings Maria’s Gone

Chorus (after each verse):
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.

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.

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