"Maggie May" is a song co-written by singer Rod Stewart and Martin Quittenton, and performed by Rod Stewart on his album Every Picture Tells a Story, released in 1971.

"Maggie May" expresses the ambivalence and contradictory emotions of a boy involved in a relationship with an older woman and was written from Stewart's own experience. In the January 2007 issue of Q magazine, Stewart recalled: "Maggie May was more or less a true story, about the first woman I had sex with, at the 1961 Beaulieu Jazz Festival." The woman's name was not "Maggie May"; Stewart has stated that the name was taken from "an old Liverpudlian song about a prostitute."

The song was recorded in just two takes in one session. Drummer Micky Waller often arrived at recording sessions with the expectation that a drum kit would be provided and, for "Maggie May", it was – except that no cymbals could be found. The cymbal crashes had to be overdubbed separately some days later.

Lyrics

Wake up Maggie I think I got something to say to you

It's late September and I really should be back at school

I know I keep you amused but I feel I'm being used

Oh Maggie I couldn't have tried any more

You lured me away from home just to save you from being alone

You stole my heart and that's what really hurt

The morning sun when it's in your face really shows your age

But that don't worry me none in my eyes you're everything

I laughed at all of your jokes my love you didn't need to coax

Oh, Maggie I couldn't have tried any more

You lured me away from home, just to save you from being alone

You stole my soul and that's a pain I can do without

All I needed was a friend to lend a guiding hand

But you turned into a lover and

mother what a lover, you wore me out

All you did was wreck my bed

and in the morning kick me in the head

Oh Maggie I couldn't have tried anymore

You lured me away from home 'cause you didn't want to be alone

You stole my heart I couldn't leave you if I tried

I suppose I could collect my books and get on back to school

Or steal my daddy's cue and make a living out of playing pool

Or find myself a rock and roll band that needs a helpin' hand

Oh Maggie I wish I'd never seen your face

You made a first-class fool out of me

But I'm as blind as a fool can be

You stole my heart but I love you anyway

Maggie I wish I'd never seen your face

I'll get on back home one of these days