Ladies and gents
Turn up this sound system
To the sound of Carlos Santana
And the GMB's
Ghetto blues from the Refugee camp

Oh, Maria Maria
She reminds me of a West Side Story
Growing up in Spanish Harlem
She's living the life just like a movie star

Oh, Maria Maria
She fell in love in East L.A
To the sounds of the guitar, yeah, yeah
Played by Carlos Santana

Stop the looting, stop the shooting
Pick pocking on the corner
See as the rich is getting richer
The poor is getting poorer

See Maria on the corner
Thinking of ways to make it better
In my mailbox there's an eviction letter
Somebody just said, "See you later."
Ahora vengo mama chola mama chola
Ahora vengo mama chola (east coast)
Ahora vengo mama chola mama chola
Ahora vengo mama chola (west coast)

Maria Maria
She reminds me of a West Side Story
Growing up in Spanish Harlem
She's living the life just like a movie star

Oh, Maria Maria
She fell in love in East L.A
I said, to the sounds of the guitar, yeah, yeah
Played by Carlos Santana

I said a la favella los colores
The streets are getting hotter
There is no water to put out the fire
Mi contar esperanza

Se mira Maria on the corner
Thinking of ways to make it better
Then I looked up in the sky
Hoping of days of paradise

Ahora vengo mama chola mama chola
Ahora vengo mama chola (north side)
Ahora vengo mama chola mama chola
Ahora vengo mama chola (south side)
Ahora vengo mama chola mama chola
Ahora vengo mama chola (world wide)
Ahora vengo mama chola mama chola
Ahora vengo mama chola (open up your eyes)
Maria you know you're my lover
When the wind blows I can feel you
Through the weather and even when we are apart
It still feels like we're together

Maria, yeah
She reminds me of a West Side Story
Growing up in Spanish Harlem
She's living the life just like a movie star

Oh Maria Maria
Oh, she fell in love in East L.A
To the sounds of the guitar
Played by Carlos Santana

Put 'em up y'all
Carlos Santana with the Refugee camp
Wyclef
Jerry Wonder
Mr. Santana
GMB
Yo, Carlos, man you're making that guitar cry