Today's song is "Martha My Dear", which was written by Paul and reportedly inspired by his girlfriend, Jane Asher, who broke off their engagement in mid-1968 (apparently after finding Paul with another woman--his next girlfriend, Francie Schwartz). However, Wikipedia also says, "The title "Martha My Dear" was inspired by McCartney's Old English Sheepdog, also named Martha."
Since this song (sort of) marks the end of Paul and Jane, at least musically, I'm going to post a bit of what Wikipedia says about their relationship, since it's rather interesting:
The Asher house was also a place of intellectual stimulation for McCartney... According to Cynthia Lennon, McCartney was "as proud as a peacock" to have Jane as a girlfriend, and saw her as "a great prize."
However, Marianne Faithfull remembered McCartney and Asher "never getting on very well," and described one evening at Cavendish Avenue when McCartney wanted a window to be open and Asher wanted it shut. McCartney would repeatedly get up and open the window and then Asher would get up and close it, although neither of them made any comment about it during the whole evening.
Asher has consistently refused publicly to discuss McCartney or her time with him, and has maintained her position on the matter to this day. On this basis, she is described by the Beatles' 1968 biographer Hunter Davies as the only major Beatles associate not to have published her recollections.
Although this song is about a break-up, it's really a lovely song. The music hall-style piano and brass instruments throughout really add something to the track, a kind of old-timey feeling, which is enhanced by the use of an old-fashioned name like Martha.
That's all for today! See you tomorrow. :)
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Heard It Tally: 36
Songs Completed: 147
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