Martha My Dear
“Hold your head up, you silly girl”
McCartney piano-led music-hall number from the White Album, addressed to his Old English Sheepdog Martha but phrased as if to a woman. Solo McCartney performance with a 14-piece brass and string score by George Martin.
Track9 · Side opener · Side 2
Songwriter(s)McCartneyCredited as Lennon-McCartney
RecordedOctober 4 – 5, 1968
ReleasedNovember 22, 1968
● hover for more info● tap a tag for its page and notes
Text180 tags
Word cloud
Recurring words
bitdearfindforgetotherremembersillythicka bita goodalways beenand mebe gooddays ineach othergood tohave alwaysis alllook aroundlook whatof whatplease rememberspend mythough ito seewhat iswhat you'veyou findyou haveyourself inyourself toall around yougood to mehold your handmeant to bethat you andyou and mewere meant to be
Cover-shared shape
[ADJ] to[NOUN] in[NOUN] of[VERB] a[VERB] around[VERB] me[VERB] my[VERB] to[VERB] up[VERB] what[VERB] you're[VERB] your[VERB] yourself[WORD] around[WORD] been[WORD] i[WORD] my[WORD] toa [ADJ]a [NOUN]be [ADJ]don't [VERB]for [WORD]have [WORD]i [VERB]in [NOUN]my [ADJ]my [NOUN]the [ADJ]to [VERB]were [VERB]you [ADJ]you [VERB]your [NOUN][ADJ] to me[VERB] [VERB] me[VERB] a [ADJ][VERB] my [NOUN][VERB] to be[VERB] your [NOUN][WORD] i [VERB][WORD] my [NOUN][WORD] to [VERB]a [NOUN] ofdon't [VERB] mei [VERB] mywhen you [VERB]you [ADJ] [NOUN]i [VERB] my [NOUN]
Distinctive word
boundconversationinspirationmartha
Music269 tags
Chord degree
III–vivi–IIIV–vi♭VII–VIV–II–IVIV–♭III♭III–IVIV–vi–iiii–V–IV–I–IVII–VV–IVIV–Vvi–iiii–Iii–VVI–iiV–iiVI–IIV–IV–vivi–ii–Iiii–iiiVI–ii–iiIV–V–IV–Viii–VI–III–VII–iiiii–♭VII–VIVI–II–V–IVvi–ii–vi–IIV–III–vi–iiI–IV–♭III–IVvi–II–vi–II–VV–IIIii–ii–VIV–V–IViii–VIii–I–ii–VI–IV–♭IIIvi–ii–♭VIIvi–II–VI–iiII–vi–II–VI–ii–Vii–♭VIIVI–II–VIII–vi–iiI–VIIII–V–IVii–viV–IV–Vii–V–I–IVii–vi–IIII–viii–ii
Chord shape
C → AAm → EmC7 → B♭C → EmAm → FC → Em → AmC → DmC → BC → FmC7 → FmAm → AmAm → DAm7 → D7C → FC7 → F7C7 → FC → B♭C → DC → B → EmC → B7 → EmAm → Am → DAm → D → GC → F → B♭C → B♭ → CC → D → CAm → DmAm → GC → GmAm → D → G → CC → B7C → A → DmC → Gm → C → FC9 → F7Am → D → BC → D → C → DAm → Am7 → D7Am7 → Em → A9C → B → Em → EmAm → Dm → Am → DC → B♭ → Dm → GmC → Gm → C → F → E♭C → Fm → B♭mAm → D → G → C → B♭C → F → E♭ → F → E♭ → FC → Dm → G → Dm → G → Dm → GAm → D9Am7 → EmC7 → F7 → B♭C → A7C → Dm → GC → F → E♭Am → Dm7Am → Dm → B♭C → A7 → DmAm → F → EAm → Am7Am → D → Am → D → GAm7 → D7 → G7Am7 → Dm7Am7 → FC → Em → Am → FC → F → B♭ → A♭Am → G → Am → DC → F → E♭ → FAm → Em → AC → B♭ → DmAm → Dm → CAm7 → D7 → G7 → CC → A → Dm → GmAm → D → G → FC → Fm → FmC → Em → Am7
Chord literal
C → AA → DmDm → GG → CC → B♭B♭ → DmB♭ → Dm → GmDm → G → CF → GmC → FF → B♭Gm → C → FC → F → B♭Dm → GmG → DmGm → E♭C7 → B♭G → C → B♭C → A → DmGm → Gm → CD → Gm → GmC7 → F7 → B♭B♭ → Dm → Gm7Gm7 → C7 → F7Gm → F → Gm → CB♭ → A♭Dm → Gm7E♭ → D7Gm → DmA → Dm → GmGm → CA7 → DmC7 → F7F7 → B♭C → A7D → GmA♭ → B♭C → GmE♭ → DGm7 → C7D7 → GmGm → F
People26 tags
Sources & references
Tags on this page are original analysis, transcribed and cross-checked against the fine work of others: Alan W. Pollack's “Notes on…” series, the Beatles Complete Scores (Hal Leonard), Mark Lewisohn's session histories, Ian MacDonald's Revolution in the Head, Dave Rybaczewski's Beatles Music History and Andy Babiuk's Beatles Gear for the instruments and studio equipment, and others besides - then verified by ear against the recordings. Full bibliography: Sources & thanks.
Updated
Feedback
Got a tag idea for Martha My Dear? Or think we've got it all wrong - no, no, no? Don't let it be.