Born Maria Garzia Rosa Domenica d'Amato on 12th September 1943 in Greenwich Village, New York, she performed in the early 1960s in Greenwich Village with Bob Dylan, John Sebastian, David Grisman, and Stefan Grossman. Later in the 1960s her distinctive vocals were heard in many of the tracks recorded by Jim Kweskin & the Jug Band.
She began her solo career in 1972 when her marriage to fellow Jug Band member Geoff Muldaur ended, retaining her married name. Her first solo album "Maria Muldaur", released in 1973, contained her hit single "Midnight at the Oasis", which reached number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1974. It also peaked at number 21 in the UK Singles Chart. Later that year, she released her second album Waitress In A Donut Shop. This included a re-recording of "I'm a Woman", the Leiber and Stoller number first associated with Peggy Lee and a standout feature from her Jug Band days. The title of this album is taken from a line in another song on the album, "Sweetheart" by Ken Burgan.
Around this time, Muldaur established a relationship with the Grateful Dead. Opening for some Grateful Dead shows in the summer of 1974, with John Kahn, bassist of the Jerry Garcia Band, would eventually earn her a seat in that group in the late 1970s, as a backing vocalist.
Later in her career, as her voice deepened, the blues were featured in more of her recordings. Her 2005 release Sweet Lovin' Ol' Soul was nominated for both a W.C. Handy Award and a Grammy award in the Traditional Blues Category.
In 2011 she released the album "Steady Love".
Any Old Time
Maria Muldaur Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're down and out you say
At first I thought I'd tell you
To travel on the other way
But in my memory lingers
All you once were to me
So I'm gonna give you one more chance
Any old time, you want to come back home
Drop me a line, and say no more you'll roam
You had your chance to play the game fair
When you left me, sweetheart
You only left a load of care
Now that you're down
I'm going to stick by you
If you will only tell me
Your roamin' days are thru
you'll find me here
Like the day you left me alone
Any old time
You want to come back home
The lyrics to Maria Muldaur's song Any Old Time conveys a sense of forgiveness and willingness to give a second chance to someone who has made mistakes in the past. The singer of the song received a letter from someone who is down and out, and initially considered telling them to travel in a different direction. However, the singer remembers what this person once meant to them and decides to offer a chance for redemption. The chorus of the song reflects this sentiment, with the singer telling this person that they can come back home at any old time, just by dropping a line and saying that they will no longer roam.
The singer also acknowledges that this person had previously left them with a load of care, likely caused by their actions before they left. However, now that this person is down, the singer promises to stick by them if they are willing to give up their roamin' days. The song ends with the singer assuring the person that they will always be there for them if they ever decide to return home.
Overall, the lyrics to Any Old Time convey a sense of compassion and forgiveness, with the singer willing to give a second chance to someone who has made mistakes in the past. It's a message that anyone can relate to - we all make errors and fall on hard times, but with the support of others, we can find our way back home.
Line by Line Meaning
I just received your letter
I got the letter you sent me
You're down and out you say
You're struggling, according to your own words
At first I thought I'd tell you to travel on the other way
Initially, I considered rejecting your plea and insisting that you move on
But in my memory lingers all you once were to me
However, I still remember the person I loved and cared for in the past
So I'm gonna give you one more chance to prove what you can be
So, I'm willing to give you another opportunity to demonstrate who you can become
Any old time, you want to come back home
Whenever you're ready to return, just let me know
Drop me a line, and say no more you'll roam
Send me a message letting me know you won't wander anymore
You had your chance to play the game fair
Previously, you had an opportunity to act fairly
When you left me, sweetheart, you only left a load of care
But when you abandoned me, you only caused me pain
Now that you're down, I'm going to stick by you
Despite your current situation, I'll remain loyal to you
If you will only tell me your roamin' days are thru
However, I need assurance that you've given up your unsteady lifestyle
You'll find me here, like the day you left me alone
I'll be here, just like I was when you initially left me
Any old time, you want to come back home
Whenever you're ready to return, just let me know
Contributed by Connor S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.