Saturday, July 6, 2013

Martha My Dear: Dog Song Saturday

It's Saturday.  Time for a dog song at Talking Dogs!  Love the Beatles?  Old English Sheepdogs?  Then we've got a treat for you.

Did you know Paul McCartney wrote a dog song?  Martha My Dear was written for Paul's beloved Old English Sheepdog, Martha.  You'll find Martha My Dear on the 1968 Beatles White Album and available on iTunes.

The video that accompanies the song here contains some charming vintage photos of Paul and Martha together. 

McCartney got Martha as a puppy in 1965 and she was his first pet.  In the book Many Years From Now by Barry Miles, McCartney is quoted as saying:
"She was a dear pet of mine. I remember John 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."
Some have said that this song is about his relationship with Jane Asher.  However, in 1997, McCartney said it was his dog, Martha, who inspired this song.
"It's a communication of some sort of affection but in a slightly abstract way - '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."
You know the drill.  Grab a dog.  Sit.  Stay.  Relax and enjoy Martha My Dear sung by Paul McCartney and accompanied by the Beatles.

Fetch more dog song music videos at Talking Dogs and be sure to check out some barking good blogs in today's Pet Blogger Hop!

9 comments:

  1. Yes, totally vintage photos. Love the black n white photos. Happy Saturday. Lots of Golden Woofs, Sugar

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  2. Great choice for Dog Song Saturday, Miss Sue!!!
    Have a great weekend!
    Oz

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  3. i always loved the story behind this song and i love the vintagey photos too

    urban hounds

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  4. this is one of my all time favorites but I never knew it was written for his dog!!!
    I used to want an Old English Sheepdog back in the day :)

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  5. That's really cool that such a famous guy wrote a song for his dog :)

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  6. This brings back some great memories of an OES that used to be part of our lives. What a great dog. People would ask us how she could see and we had this smart ass answer: contacts.

    Of course it also brings back memories of the Fab Four, an era that was special to those of us who were there.

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  7. I have always loved "Martha" but never knew it was about Paul's dog...That makes it even better! Thank you for sharing today :D

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