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2.00pm
8 November 2012
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I didn’t see a topic on this. FeelNumb.com, via The Macca Report, posted the story of Martha and the song she inspired, with photos.
The Story About Paul McCartney ‘s Dog Martha
In 1965 soon after buying his house on Cavendish Avenue, Paul McCartney bought his first pet, an Old English sheepdog puppy he named the dog Martha. She was born June 16, 1966.
About Martha, Paul said:
“She was a dear pet of mine. I remember John (Lennon) being amazed to see me being so loving to an animal.” He said, ‘I’ve never seen you like that before.’ I’ve since thought, you know, he wouldn’t have. It’s only when you’re cuddling around with a dog that you’re in that mode, and she was a very cuddly dog.”
In 1997, McCartney revealed that Martha had been the inspiration behind the song “Martha My Dear ” and that it was not a message of love to Jane Asher, who McCartney intended to marry in 1968 and who many listeners thought the song was actually about. “It’s a communication of some sort of affection but in a slightly abstract way.” McCartney said.
‘You silly girl, look what you’ve done,’ all that sort of stuff. These songs grow. Whereas it would appear to anybody else to be a song to a girl called Martha, it’s actually a dog, and our relationship was platonic, believe me.
McCartney also said:
“When I taught myself piano I liked to see how far I could go, and this started life almost as a piece you’d learn as a piano lesson. It’s quite hard for me to play, it’s a two-handed thing, like a little set piece. In fact I remember one or two people being surprised that I’d played it because it’s slightly above my level or competence really, but I wrote it as that, something a bit more complex for me to play. Then while I was blocking out words you just mouth out sounds and some things come I found the words ‘Martha My Dear ‘.”
Martha died in 1981 at the age of 15 at McCartney’s farm house in Mull Of Kintyre , Scotland. She is survived by her offspring, one of which was featured on McCartney’s 1993 album “Paul Is Live” album cover. Her name is Arrow.
parlance
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meanmistermustard, MrCleanMachine, Beatlebug, Von Bontee2.59pm
21 November 2012
Offline I knew it was about his dog and all but I didn’t know the rest. Cute story!
3.07pm
16 September 2013
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parlance said
I didn’t see a topic on this. FeelNumb.com, via The Macca Report, posted the story of Martha and the song she inspired, with photos.“When I taught myself piano I liked to see how far I could go, and this started life almost as a piece you’d learn as a piano lesson. It’s quite hard for me to play, it’s a two-handed thing, like a little set piece. In fact I remember one or two people being surprised that I’d played it because it’s slightly above my level or competence really, but I wrote it as that, something a bit more complex for me to play. Then while I was blocking out words you just mouth out sounds and some things come I found the words ‘Martha My Dear ‘.”
parlance
The very first time I heard this song, I recall thinking “Hmm, that must not be Paul on piano, because it sounds too advanced for him.” And here he is, admitting that he surprised himself by being able to play that melody. And I like the insight of knowing that the “story” came about by simply “mouthing out sounds,” until actual words start to form. That’s such a cool, abstract way to go about composing lyrics.
Also, it is certainly comforting to read that his relationship with Martha was purely platonic. I’m glad he cleared that up. 
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parlance, MrCleanMachine, Beatlebug10.11pm
1 November 2012
Offline I also used to think the piano in “Lady Madonna ” was too good to be Paul, as well as the little piano solo in “Good Day Sunshine “, and the harpsichord in another song I can’t remember now…
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9.13pm
10 February 2013
Offline I remember reading Ian MacDonald’s grumpy assessment of this song and how the lyrics are “confusing” in terms of the meaning about who Martha actually is. I don’t find it confusing at all: “Though I spend my days in conversation please, be good to me…” and “Hold your head up/hold your hand out, you silly girl, look what you’ve done…” It seems pretty clear to me that it’s a song to a pet.
Martha lived to a ripe old age, particularly for a dog of that size. It’s very cool that Macca & family have a pup of hers (and maybe even a grandpup by now).
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Beatlebug9.34pm
8 November 2012
Offline Monkey Finger said
Martha lived to a ripe old age, particularly for a dog of that size. It’s very cool that Macca & family have a pup of hers (and maybe even a grandpup by now).
That was one correction I meant to post about the article – Arrow was her granddaughter (she would have been astoundingly old by 1993 to be her daughter). I would imagine by now in 2014, we’d be about 4 or 5 generations removed.
parlance
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Beatlebug9.54pm
2 April 2014
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parlance said
Monkey Finger said
Martha lived to a ripe old age, particularly for a dog of that size. It’s very cool that Macca & family have a pup of hers (and maybe even a grandpup by now).That was one correction I meant to post about the article – Arrow was her granddaughter (she would have been astoundingly old by 1993 to be her daughter). I would imagine by now in 2014, we’d be about 4 or 5 generations removed by now.
parlance
EACH DAY JUST GOES SO FAST
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10 February 2013
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Indeed. And don’t even get me started on dog years.
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MrCleanMachine, Beatlebug12.24am
28 March 2014
Offline Another fine Lennon/McCartney song…… 
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8.47am
17 October 2013
Offline Thought you might enjoy this rendition of the song………..It might be a bit above Pauls guitar level…….It’s a world above mine.
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3 June 2014
Offline That is incredible! At least, to me. It makes me hate my extremely mediocre guitar skills.
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4.14pm
16 September 2013
Offline Thanks for posting this video, Atlas. As a guitar player, I remember how excited I was when I got my hands on the sheet music for this song. Since it was written in the key of E Flat, I had big plans to use a capo and figure it out acoustically, much like this gorgeous arrangement. I actually was finally able to play it like this, at about half-speed, and with only the occasional mistake or missed note. So this is cool to hear it now, sounding almost like a guitar companion piece to “Blackbird .”
And I really like the ending, where he has to tune down the guitar to hit that final bass note. 
3.35pm
31 March 2008
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I wonder if Arrow (Martha’s daughter) was named after Oblio’s dog in Nilsson’s The Point. I hope so.
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3.17pm
8 November 2012
Offline A little more about Martha at Beatles Rarity.
parlance
3.27pm
28 May 2014
Offline I know that Martha the dog was the inspiration for the song but I’m amazed that he did the piano. I knew about Arrow but I wonder which descendents he has of Martha now.
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12.58am
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20 August 2013
Offline From the American Kennel Club, a celebration of Martha.
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2.13am
8 November 2012
Offline A photo of Linda and Arrow, courtesy of Women of the Beatles:
parlance
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Beatlebug, WeepingAtlasCedars10.29am
8 January 2015
Offline I taught myself to play Martha My Dear by ear, its a neat piece of piano-playing, and it’s actually more tricky for me to sing along to the initial part because the piece is syncopated (the don’t forget meee… bit).
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8.54am
23 August 2016
Offline I think George did play in the song, during the instrumental section you can hear rhythm guitar played in George’s style. 
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8.59am
9 March 2017
Offline He did, there’s photographic evidence to prove it.
I confirmed with both Joe and Ron Nasty that this picture was taken during the sessions and as you can see here, George is playing his Gibson Les Paul.
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