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".
Say You Will
Maria Muldaur Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That part of me that was only for you,
That kind of romance
Comes only once, that kind of love
That kind of fever dance
That you love because you become someone else in an instant
Say you will, say you will give me one more chance
That always seems to heal the wounds, if I can
Get you to dance
Somethin' in you put a hold on my heart
It's hard to believe now
Here in the place that will never be dark
I remember that place...
That kind of touch, electricity of love
That certain kind of grace
That you love because you become someone else in an instant
Say you will, say you will give me one more chance
At least give me time to change your mind
That always seems to heal the wounds, if I can
Get you to dance
Say you will, say you will give me one more chance (say you will)
At least give me time to change your mind (say you will)
That always seems to heal the wounds, if I can
Get you to dance
Say you will, say you will give me one more chance (say you will)
At least give me time to change your mind (say you will)
That always seems to heal the wounds, if I can
Get you to dance
Say you will, say you will give me one more chance (say you will)
At least give me time to change your mind (say you will)
That always seems to heal the wounds, if I can
Get you to dance
Say you will, say you will give me one more chance (say you will)
At least give me time to change your mind (say you will)
That always seems to heal the wounds, if I can
Get you to dance
Say you will, say you will give me one more chance
At least give me time to change your mind
That always seems to heal the wounds, if I can
Get you to dance
The lyrics of Maria Muldaur's song "Say You Will" seem to be about a past love affair that the singer still hopes to revive. The opening lines suggest that something about the other person brought out a certain part of the singer's personality that had been dormant until then. This sparks a feeling of nostalgia for the unique kind of love and romance that they once shared, which included an intense physical and emotional connection that swept them away. This love was transformative, turning them into someone else in the instant they were caught up in the passion.
The chorus is a plea to the other person to give the relationship another chance, or at least to allow time and conversation to heal the wounds and create an opportunity to reconnect. The repeated phrase "if I can get you to dance" seems to symbolize the idea that, just as in a dance, both parties need to commit to the moment and move together in order to rekindle what was once there. Ultimately, the song is about expressing a heartfelt desire to capture a past feeling and connection, and holding onto the hope that it is still possible.
Line by Line Meaning
Somethin' in you brought out somethin' in me, that I've never been since
You have a unique quality that allowed me to experience a new aspect of myself.
That part of me that was only for you,
There was a part of me that I deliberately reserved only for you.
That kind of romance
The type of romance that is rare and special.
Comes only once, that kind of love
This kind of love comes only once in a lifetime.
That kind of fever dance
The intense passion that ignites between two people who are deeply in love.
That you love because you become someone else in an instant
Being in love makes you feel like a different person, someone new and better.
Say you will, say you will give me one more chance
Please give me another opportunity to prove myself to you.
At least give me time to change your mind
Allow me some time to reason with you and try to convince you to forgive me.
That always seems to heal the wounds, if I can
In the past, granting me another chance has helped heal our relationship.
Get you to dance
If I can convince you to give me another chance, it will be like dancing together again, moving forward in harmony.
Somethin' in you put a hold on my heart
You have a strong emotional impact on me.
It's hard to believe now
It's difficult to fully comprehend the depth of our relationship now that things are not going well.
Here in the place that will never be dark
Even with our current troubles, there is a sense of hope and light that remains.
I remember that place...
I still recall the shared moments of happiness and love that we once had.
That kind of touch, electricity of love
The feeling of deep connection and passion that exists between two people in love.
That certain kind of grace
The elegance and beauty that comes with true love and understanding.
Say you will, say you will give me one more chance (say you will)
I am pleading with you to give us one more chance and to say that you will do so.
At least give me time to change your mind (say you will)
I am asking for some space to try to change your mind and to say that you will give me that time.
That always seems to heal the wounds, if I can
In the past, giving me more time has allowed us to heal and move forward from our disagreements.
Get you to dance
If you dance with me, if you come back to me, we can move forward together toward a brighter future.
Contributed by Jayce M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.