maria mckee

Maria McKee got drunk on communion wine and found justice on her own with the visionary theatrics of her eponymous debut.  Having found critical acclaim but minimal success over two albums ('Lone Justice' and 'Shelter') with Lone Justice, McKee was restless with the stylistic shackles the record companies were putting on her music:   “I believed in what I was doing with my with my whole heart and soul, at that moment. But then the moment passed and I was experimenting again. As I continue to do, as my fans can attest… frustrated, elated or otherwise...It’s been hard for my fans, let’s put it that way.  I like to think that my career has been a smorgasbord, where there’s a little something for everybody. But it’s been really hard for me to have a commercial success because of it, because I’m constantly alienating one fan base or another ... It [caused friction with record companies] when I was part of the major label system, absolutely. It was a constant thorn in my side, and also a thorn in the side for anyone trying to make money off an artist like myself ... I think I was trying to be something I wasn't.  Maybe I thought that me being myself wasn't good enough and that I ought to put this out because the first Lone Justice album didn't do well or whatever. Maybe if I was somebody else, maybe people will like that...maybe that would work. And some of it was young...literary ego. 'Yeah, I can rhyme all of these three-syllable words together and make it sound like some cultural statement.' It was like I was in a fog."

Her solo debut was produced by Mitchell Froom and features McKee on acoustic guitar, guitar, piano, and vocals;   Alejandro "Alex" Acuña on percussion;  Bruce Brody on conducting, keyboard, and hammond organ;  Shane Fontayne, James Ralston, and Marc Ribot on guitar;  Mitchell Froom on keyboard;  Jim Keltner and Jerry Marotta on drums;  Tony Levin and Jerry Scheff on bass;  Sid Page as concert master;  Philip Pickett on recorder and crumhorn;  Greg Sutton on vocals;  Richard Thompson on guitar and mandolin;  Steve Wickham on fiddle;  and horns by the Heart Attack Horns. 

Despite the star-studded cast of musicians, and the improvements in her songwriting and singing, 'Maria Mckee' only made it number one hundred and twenty in the US and forty nine in the UK.  








http://mariamckee.org/










interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2W0fu5MkMeM







"I've Forgotten What It Was in You (That Put the Need in Me)" went to number twenty nine on the US modern rock tracks chart. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAdvozd2muw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzfB-Wa9Te8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCc4PgRRVPs






"To Miss Someone"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5Wwabj5bXg





"Am I the Only One (Who's Ever Felt This Way?)" 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqdmaD3Ia1k




"Nobody's Child" 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_Ns94aa_Xk






"Panic Beach" 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2l4yEBV-PU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0RBA-EFa2I


Well, the dog act got drunk again last night
The king and queen of the waltz clog team had another fight
The king was careless with his tango grip
Nearly lost his queen in a dip

Yeah, she righted herself
Straightened out her slip and kicked him in the shin
Miss Billy Begonia thinks she's hit the "Big time"
She wants a thick red rug from the dressing room door
To the front-line of the footlights

She's got a sky blue swans down powder puff
And a corset to keep her spirits up
Yeah, she don't sweat
She sours and melts like ice cream in the sun
She'll be out of a job at the end of this three week run

We're having fun out here on Panic Beach
All the vaudeville bums are here out on Panic Beach
I hear them talk about the Palace but it's so far out of reach
So I'll do my time then say goodbye to Panic Beach
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye

The visionary theatric strikes a juggler's seesaw tune
And the dying swan pirouettes and fawns
By the light of the street lamp moon

When my trunk is filled with taffeta
Those "Big time" hacks won't laugh at us
When my taps are made of silver
I can make the kiddies thrill for just one buck and wing
Yeah, I will nail them to my heel and the Panic Choir sings

Here comes a lucky little thing to Panic Beach
Yeah, you know we got to teach him how to sing
While we're stuck on Panic Beach
Ah the way ya hear 'em say it, doesn't seem so outta reach
So I'll do my time then say goodbye to Panic Beach
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye

Well, the landlord gets a free show every Saturday at six
Sometimes on a Sunday
All dependin' on whatever kinda mood he's in

I keep his glass filled up with sherry
And sing him all his favorite songs
If a tear comes to his eye he may let a month go by
Before he takes away my key
Oh, that sherry starts to taste real good to me

Hey mama, look at me on Panic Beach
I may be hungry but my rent is free up on Panic Beach
Yeah, I can almost see the palace no longer outta reach
So I'll do my time then say goodbye to Panic Beach
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQniwbbS3PY




"Can't Pull the Wool Down (Over the Little Lamb's Eyes)" 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDpDggkw0m8




"More Than a Heart Can Hold"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyNwYYsyhso



"This Property Is Condemned" (Brody, McKee, Patrick Sugg, Gregg Sutton)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upwxB3DJiM8




"Breathe" (McKee, Sutton) hit number fifty-nine in the UK.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdJOpb6dJlY




"Has He Got a Friend for Me?" (Richard Thompson) 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOu3yhwz-qM



"Drinkin' in My Sunday Dress" 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bn44ojbTjts




full album:



All songs by Maria McKee, except where noted

"I've Forgotten What It Was in You (That Put the Need in Me)" – 3:41
"To Miss Someone" – 3:52
"Am I the Only One (Who's Ever Felt This Way?)" – 2:56
"Nobody's Child" (McKee, Robbie Robertson) – 3:58
"Panic Beach" – 5:55
"Can't Pull the Wool Down (Over the Little Lamb's Eyes)" – 3:45
"More Than a Heart Can Hold" (Bruce Brody, McKee) – 4:29
"This Property Is Condemned" (Brody, McKee, Patrick Sugg, Gregg Sutton) – 4:44
"Breathe" (McKee, Sutton) – 4:39
"Has He Got a Friend for Me?" (Richard Thompson) – 3:32
"Drinkin' in My Sunday Dress" – 3:27

you gotta sin to get saved

Maria McKee found redemption in the soulful country rock of this powerful and passionate roots revival.  McKee had found success in the UK as a songwriter with Feargal Sharkey's rendition of 'A Good Heart' while in the US her band Lone Justice made waves of their own with two albums of roots rock before imploding.  Her excellent eponymous solo debut was considered a commercial disappointment; and McKee went on hiatus in Ireland.  While there, she her own number one hit in the UK with 'Show Me Heaven' from the 'Days of Thunder' soundtrack.  

McKee recalls:    "I moved away, I got homesick, I missed my friends. I missed the music I grew up with, I missed that original celebration that Lone Justice had...I was flirting with all different kinds of music. I didn’t know what I was gonna do...I had written all these weird songs, everything from cabaret music to Kate Bush music." 

She decided to work with producer George Drakoulias who had worked with the Black Crowes and the Jayhawks.  She brought in former bandmates from Lone Justice as well as guitarists from the Jayhawks for the recordings.  The sessions for 'You Gotta Sin to Get Saved' featured Maria McKee on piano, rhythm guitar, and vocals; Jon Auer on background vocals; Bruce Brody on organ, piano, Hammond organ, background vocals, handclapping, and Wurlitzer; David Campbell as conductor; George Drakoulias and Jim Keltner on drums; Marvin Etzioni on bass, guitar, mandolin, background vocals, and handclapping; Don Heffington on percussion, drums, background vocals, and handclapping; Gary Louris on electric guitar, background vocals, and handclapping; Spyder Mittleman on saxophone; Bud O'Brien and Don Was on bass; Mark Olson on acoustic guitar, guitar, harmonica, background vocals, and handclapping; Benmont Tench on organ, piano, Hammond organ, background vocals, handclapping, Wurlitzer, and vox organ; Mike Utley on piano; with Dale Lavi and Nicol Sponberg  on handclapping; Ken Stringfellow, Julia Waters, Maxine Waters, and Edna Wright on background vocals; and horns by The Memphis Horns.  

'You Gotta Sin to Get Saved' rose to number twenty-six in the UK, twelve in Sweden and on the US Heatseeker Chart, and number eleven in Norway.  McKee explains the album title:   "To take a word like sin and sort of demystify it and just take it out of religious terms - that's what I'm trying to do here.  It's just basically for me that title is more of a human term.  we're sort of all on the same path - looking for something; and there's different stages of faith, different stages of truth."






http://mariamckee.org/


https://myspace.com/mariamckeeofficial









"I'm Gonna Soothe You" eased on up to number thirty-five in the UK.







"My Lonely Sad Eyes"




"My Girlhood Among the Outlaws"




"Only Once" 




"I Forgive You" 




"I Can't Make It Alone" made it to number seventy-four in the UK.




"Precious Time"





"Why Wasn't I More Grateful (When Life Was Sweet)" 








"You Gotta Sin to Get Saved" 





'You Gotta Sin to Get Saved'
full album:

https://myspace.com/mariamckeeofficial/music/album/you-gotta-sin-to-get-saved-6239

http://www.last.fm/music/Maria+McKee/You+Gotta+Sin+To+Get+Saved


http://www.youtube.com/artist/maria-mckee





"I'm Gonna Soothe You" (Bruce Brody, Marvin Etzioni, McKee) – 3:36
"My Lonely Sad Eyes" (Van Morrison) – 2:41
"My Girlhood Among the Outlaws" (McKee) – 3:44
"Only Once" (McKee) – 4:03
"I Forgive You" (Sam Brown, McKee) – 5:06
"I Can't Make It Alone" (Gerry Goffin, Carole King) – 3:38
"Precious Time" (Gary Louris, Mark Olson) – 3:35
"The Way Young Lovers Do" (Van Morrison) – 3:29
"Why Wasn't I More Grateful (When Life Was Sweet)" (Brody, Etzioni, McKee) – 5:05
"You Gotta Sin to Get Saved" (Brody, Sam Dogg, Etzioni, McKee) – 5:49