I Did What I Did for Maria" is a song recorded by British singer Tony Christie.[1] It was written and produced by Mitch Murray and Peter Callander,[2] who were also responsible for Christie's "Las Vegas" and "Avenues and Alleyways".[3] The song is about a widower who, on the eve of his execution, recalls how he remorselessly avenged his dead wife, hence the title.[citation needed] It reached number two in the UK Singles Chart in June 1971, and was also a major hit in Ireland, where it also reached number two. It was a number-one hit in New Zealand,[4] and also peaked at number three in Australia.