Maria by Blondie Songfacts
Maria by Blondie Songfacts
Songfacts
This was written by Blondie keyboard player Jimmy Destri, who when asked what this song was about replied: "Desire. Teenage desire because I have a teenage daughter and she's pretty beautiful and I watch all these boys gawk at her. I put myself in their shoes thinking about what I used to do with girls back then. I wasn't a very forward guy at all, I was like from afar and I'd go home and write a poem about her - I was really a sad little bastard. It sounds cute but you don't get any attention that way. So 'Maria' is about desire and the whole idea of using the Ave Maria thing is a way of saying she's on a pedestal, she's almost holy. It's not a religious thing at all, I don't believe in religion really." (from the official Blondie website - thanks, Simon - welling, England)
This was Blondie's comeback song - their lead singer Debbie Harry was 53 when it was released. The band re-formed in 1998 for a tour and album after breaking up in 1982. The new version of the band was made up of original members Chris Stein (guitar) and Deborah Harry (vocals) as well as former members Jimmy Destri (keyboards) and Clem Burke (drums) along with two new members. The band was gone for about a generation, which meant there were a lot of new fans who were just discovering Blonde and hearing their earlier hits for the first time.
When this hit #1 in the UK, Blondie became the first act to have #1s in the UK in the '70s, '80s and '90s.
This may seem like a great Karaoke choice, but it's more challenging to sing than many people think. Says Debbie Harry, "It has undone many a Karaoke singer. And me."