They enjoyed working together so much that they decided to create an album together. Co-written by all the group members, the songwriting and recording were accomplished over a ten-day period at Dave Stewart's house, as Dylan was due to go out on tour. Their first studio album, Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 1 was released on October 18, 1988. The band members were credited under various pseudonyms, all sons of a fictional Charles Truscott Wilbury, Sr. The album was immediately dubbed as one of the top 100 albums of all time by Rolling Stone, and was a critical and commercial success, spawning several successful singles and eventually reaching triple-platinum sales status in the US. Additionally, it was nominated for several awards and won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group in 1989.
The death of Orbison on December 6, 1988 prevented further full collaborations, and the band continued without him. In 1990, they released a second studio album titled Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 3. The intentional misnumbering is attributed to Harrison's sense of humor; additionally, the pseudonyms for all members were changed. The album met with less success than its predecessor, and the group eventually disbanded in 1990, their final released recording being the song "Nobody's Child", the title track of a benefit album released to benefit Romanian orphans.
In 2007, a compilation of both albums was released, entitled The Traveling Wilburys Collection. As well as both of the original albums, the release included bonus tracks and music videos; additionally, previously uncredited session drummer Jim Keltner, who appeared in some of the group's music videos, was listed as a member of the group, as was Dhani Harrison, the son of George who had assisted in some parts of the overdubbing of the previously unreleased material.
Maxine
Traveling Wilburys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It was late in the mornin' of November
She was loading up the wagon in the rain
She said she'd be back in the morning
But she never came through here again
I'd see her in the market
These days the market's an old parking lot
And she never came through here again
Maxine, Maxine, Maxine, Maxine
Time plays tricks on your memory
It's been a long weekend
She said she'd be back here by Monday
But never came through here again
Some say a saucer landed
And someone took her in
They found her blue cigarette here on the ground
And she never came through here again
Maxine, Maxine, Maxine, Maxine
I bought a tabloid paper
She was rumored to be in
Was a photo of a woman on a llama
But she never came through here again
And if you should see her
She may be old by then
Tell her that I miss her and you can ask her when
She's ever coming through here again
Maxine, Maxine, Maxine, Maxine
(Ok, that's it)
The Traveling Wilburys' song "Maxine" tells the story of a woman named Maxine who one day mysteriously disappears, never to be seen again. The opening lines of the song - "One, two, three, four, five, six" - serve as a countdown, creating a sense of urgency and anticipation. The lyrics then describe Maxine as a poor woman who is seen regularly at the market but never has much to spend. Time passes, and the market becomes an old parking lot. The singer wonders what happened to Maxine and why she never came back.
The song then takes a strange turn, introducing the idea that Maxine may have been taken by aliens. There is a rumor that a saucer landed and someone took her in. They find her cigarette on the ground, but she still never returns. Later, the singer sees a photo of a woman on a llama in a tabloid paper, but it is unclear if it is actually Maxine. The song ends on a melancholy note, with the singer hoping that if Maxine is still alive, she will come back one day.
Overall, "Maxine" is a haunting and mysterious song that leaves the listener with more questions than answers about what happened to Maxine. It explores themes of loss, distance, and the passage of time.
Line by Line Meaning
It was late in the mornin' of November
The story began on a rainy November morning.
She was loading up the wagon in the rain
Maxine was seen packing her stuff in a wagon on a rainy morning.
She said she'd be back in the morning
Maxine promised to come back in the morning.
But she never came through here again
Unfortunately, Maxine did not come back or was never seen again.
I'd see her in the market
The artist would often see Maxine in the market.
She never had much to spend
Maxine did not have much money to spend, according to the singer.
These days the market's an old parking lot
Nowadays, the market has become an old parking lot.
And she never came through here again
Sadly, Maxine never passed through the area again.
Time plays tricks on your memory
The artist suggests that one's memory can be distorted by time.
It's been a long weekend
It has been a long time since Maxine left, according to the artist.
She said she'd be back here by Monday
Maxine promised to return by Monday.
But never came through here again
Sadly, Maxine did not keep her promise.
Some say a saucer landed
There are rumors that Maxine may have been taken away by a UFO.
And someone took her in
According to the rumors, Maxine was taken by someone or something.
They found her blue cigarette here on the ground
The only thing left behind was Maxine's cigarette, found on the ground.
And she never came through here again
Unfortunately, Maxine never returned or was seen by anyone again.
I bought a tabloid paper
The artist decided to read a tabloid newspaper.
She was rumored to be in
The tabloid paper claimed that Maxine was rumored to be in it.
Was a photo of a woman on a llama
The photo in the tabloid showed a woman riding a llama, but it is unclear if it was really Maxine.
But she never came through here again
Despite the tabloid rumors, Maxine was never seen again.
And if you should see her
The artist wonders if anyone ever sees Maxine.
She may be old by then
The artist acknowledges that Maxine may have aged by now.
Tell her that I miss her and you can ask her when
If anyone sees Maxine, the singer wants them to tell her that they miss her and ask when she will come back.
Maxine, Maxine, Maxine, Maxine
The chorus repeats Maxine's name, emphasizing her absence in the artist's life.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind