The moon shone down serenely on Manhattan
I was here in New York City for the show
An Irish band was playing out in Brooklyn
And the weather man said it was five below
It was then I saw Maria for the first time
And soon we were talking like old friends
She spoke of life in Queens and in the City
And of plans to go to L.A. in the spring
Maria's heading out to California
It's the thing in life she wants to do the most
She's tired of living here in New York City
And tomorrow she'll be leaving for the coast
She came out here some years ago from Ireland
A lady of the finest social grace
With eyes as lovely as the stars of evening
And the smile of Venus on her charming face
We talked about the old times and the homeland
It was like as if she'd never been away
Maria's heart was back home in Roscommon
As the night rolled gently towards another day
Maria's heading out to California
It's the thing in life she wants to do the most
She's tired of living here in New York City
And tomorrow she'll be leaving for the coast
I can see the lights a-dancing on the harbor
I'm like a lonesome cowboy on the range
I'm saying goodbye to her perhaps forever
There's a feeling in my heart that I find strange
I hope life treats her well in California
There's nothing better once you've known the best
She's leaving now and I'll be missing someone
As that big jet plane will take her to the west
Maria's heading out to California
It's the thing in life she wants to do the most
She's tired of living here in New York City
And tomorrow she'll be leaving for the coast
So tired of living here in New York City
And tomorrow she'll be leaving for the coast