I remember when the song came out in 1973, the lyrics were quite controversial. I was fifteen at the time and the soft porn lyrics coming from the radio was of course enjoyed by any teenage boy. It raised an eyebrow in my home, but it was quickly shrugged off. But the song just had a nice flow to it and brings me back to those times.
At age 30, Maria’s marriage to her musician partner and husband Geoff Muldar was coming to an end. She played with a couple of bands in the 1960’s. Now, she was expecting to be waitressing to support her and her seven year old daughter their hometown of Woodstock, New York.
In 1973 Maria Muldar was looking for one more song to complete her newest album. In a Something Else interview Maria was quoted as saying “While recording the album, Muldaur had no desire for pop stardom or a Rolling Stone cover “but it just happened to me,” she tells us. “I just collected a bunch of songs that I knew and liked. I was just following my bliss. Pop stardom and fame never really interested me, but this success was a blessing. It has allowed me to support myself and continue my 50-year-plus odyssey through various parts of American roots music.”
Asked if she still enjoys playing the same song for almost fifty years she said she does. She really enjoys seeing the audience faces light up as the song begins. In an article on Songfacts she said “Reason number two is I love the look of the faces of the audience when the band strikes that number up, when the band goes into the intro of that number. Because apparently, from all the stories that have been told to me when I meet my fans after the show to sign my CD, that song was the soundtrack to many a love-and-lust affair, and if I had been writing down all the stories of what people tell me they were doing or were inspired to do because of that song, or as that song was playing, I could have written quite the little x-rated book. So when I start that song, people’s faces light up and I see very happy, maybe slightly x-rated memories flitting across their faces.”
Although it was a one hit song for her, the song tends to evoke some strong memories. I told you my memories from the song. What are your yours?
Here is an early live performance. I like how she improvises from the studio release:
Here is a later version uploaded to Youtube in 2011. A little more jazzy!
