Annotation:Maid of Monterey

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MAID OF MONTEREY. AKA - "Maid of Montieree." Old-Time, Breakdown or Air. USA, North Carolina. G Major. The old-time breakdown version is from the playing of Ararat, North Carolina, fiddler Marcus Martin, recorded in the field by Artus Moser for the Library of Congress, Archive of Folk Culture (AFS 7890-B1). However, Martin's version is based on a 19th century song composed by John Hill Hewitt, published in Baltimore in 1851. The song depicts the Battle of Monterrey (September 21-24, 1846), a major engagement of the Mexican-American War. The lyric begins:

Marcus Martin (1881-1974)

The moon was shining brightly upon the battle plain,
The gentle breeze fanned lightly, the features of the slain;
The guns had hushed their thunder, the drum in silence lay,
When came the Señorita, the Maid of Monterrey.

The guns had hushed their thunder, the drum in silence lay,
When came the Señorita, the Maid of Monterrey.

Martin played the song as an uptempo air; quickly.

Source for notated version:

Printed sources:

Recorded sources: Old 97 Wrecords 001, "The Hush Puppies."

See also listing at:
Hear a home recording of Marcus Martin playing the tune [1] [2]
Hear Martin's field recording at Slippery Hill [3]

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