B.W. Stevenson Sings an Ode to a Beautiful Woman in “My Maria”

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In 1973, country superstar B.W. Stevenson released his hit single “My Maria” as part of his album of the same title. 

Right after its release, the song immediately hit the charts landing at no. 1 on the US Billboard Easy Listening, no.1 on Canada RPM Adult Contemporary charts, and no. 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100, making it to the list of B.W. Stevenson’s greatest hits. 

The song became so popular over the coming years that the famous country duo Brooks & Dunn released their version in 1996 as part of their album Borderline. 

Before “My Maria” was released, Stevenson released the song “Shambala,” which gained immediate success. Two weeks after its release, the group Three Dog Night released their version of the song, which became a much bigger hit, charting at no. 3 on the US music charts, while Stevenson’s version stalled at no. 66. 

Because of this, Stevenson decided to rewrite “Shambala” with his composer Daniel Moore and release it as a new song, now popularly known as “My Maria,” in hopes that it would take over the charts. And it seems like they made the right choice since “My Maria” is considered one of Stevenson’s biggest hits today. 

Meaning Behind the Song 

Written by Daniel Moore and B.W. Stevenson, the song simply describes how the protagonist feels when his partner can’t be with him. 

The song’s lyrics are simply an ode to a beautiful woman whom the protagonist sees as the only cure for his loneliness. It’s a song that beautifully describes how passionately loving someone can be. 

The song is romantic without being sappy, which is hard for most love songs to achieve. This made it a hit not just with listeners but also with country singers. 

So if you haven’t listened to B.W. Stevenson’s “My Maria,” you can enjoy his full performance below. 

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