Recording and Mixing Dates: Recorded September 28 and 29, 2016. Mixed September 29, 2016.
Genesis: I wrote this song during the Carter Administration—1977. This is a wistful song in waltz time that displays the singer-songwriter environment of that decade. I can hear traces of Dylan, Neil Young, and even David Blue. I never recorded the song until this week but I recall rehearsing it with a harmonica in a harmonica rack.
I wrote a new verse this week—I needed to fill in a gap. Apart from that, this song has not changed in almost 40 years.
Production: Acoustic Bass, Acoustic Guitars, Pedal Steel, and Drums.
Lyrics
Marita, Marita
Marita, Marita
Where are you now?
If you would tell me
I’d get there somehow
Trapped in this city
Give me reason to leave
Marita, Marita
My heart’s on my sleeve
I remember the moment
When you said goodbye
Snow on the ground
Smoke in the sky
Nothing has changed much
It still hasn’t cleared
The nights are so long
So much worse than I feared
I held you for a while
But I couldn’t hold you back
I tried to pursue you
But I only lost track
The postmarks keep changing
They show where you’ve been
Lost and found
And then lost again
Marita, Marita
My hope’s almost gone
With time standing still
I can’t get to the dawn
Wearied and wondering
What more I can do
Marita, Marita
Come out of the blue
Copyright 2016 Fred Grittner All Rights Reserved
52 tracks blog 
Dear Fred, this is very probably a good song, you already knew how to write good lyrics long before I stopped throwing away my attempts. You know I do not like steel guitar sounds at all, and that made it quite difficult for me to listen. Am always looking forward to the ‘Thursday Song’.
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Too each his own!
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Nice song, Fred. The lyrics do have a flavor of the late 1970s. I rarely disagree with Jan’s assessments, but I like the pedal steel. Kind of reminiscent of Sneaky Pete. Everybody to his own kick, I guess.
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Thanks, Henry. Pedal steel turns some people off. I’ve always liked it.
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I’m not sure that Lightfoot ever did any songs with that type of waltz beat but I still think I’m hearing a bit of his influence in the musical composition. Am I crazy to think that? As usual, your mastery of lyrics come through with flying colors.
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Could be. I wasn’t thinking Lightfoot but he was a big influence in the 70s.
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