Martha & The Muffins - Echo Beach [totp2]

[Preston2244]

The perfect pop song, love it!

[robert140602]

An undisputed classic.

The guitar is unmistakeable

[yarrumXL]

isn,t it funny how horrific memories come back to haunt us ,the recurrent misery of my life never disappoints

[TungstenV]

I had those earrings.

[hicsumfabulalepus]

Well, F@@@ me sideways!!!! I always thought the lead singer was a bloke!!!! I've never seen them, only heard them on the radio and for all these years I thought it was a bloke and the name didn't mean anything! Now I feel dumb. But if I don't look at her, I still think she sounds like a bloke.

[mackemlad888]

@hicsumfabulalepus The name Martha is a tiny bit of a clue!

[darkwaverful]

hate this song

[MrWints70]

my job is very boring i work in a warehouse

[gilllew]

THEY WERE WHAT YOU CALLED "A ONE HIT WONDER" - HOWEVER ITS ONE OF MY FAVOURITE SONGS FROM 1980

[fayewray88]

Love these crazee Canadians! Gotta love a pop band that references Marshall Mcluhan in one of their songs - the medium is the message - indeed!!

[14bonkyb]

Martha looks as if she's just walked off set from Blake's 7 ... great song though

[MrGreybo]

Steve Wright is a legend factoyd

[TheHungryTrollRawr]

Steve Wright - what a fucking bellend!

[wbell539]

18 Dec: Martha Wright's birthday! Which is how I came to be here.

[szorial1]

Alreet Wiggy, Im from Billinge mate :)

[KhurrumAsif]

Brilliant. BTW any DJ who talks over any part of a song is a twat, IMHO.

[normanby100]

Welllll! I listened to him in the eighties. Once I'd recovered the will to live, I intellectually came to the above opinion. Thank you for your concern.

[TheHungryTrollRawr]

@normanby100 Thats him fucking TOLD! go on m8 :)

[normanby100]

Steve Wright is a notorious Thatcherite cum Murdoch arse-licker.

[TheBeaver1998]

please kill me, i found heaven.

[Aromaticduck]

My Job is very boring i'm a Wallpaper quality control inspector... No, it wouldn't have worked..

[keego2001]

All of sudden I'm 16 again.....alas it only lasts for 2.45 minutes

[thisiszaphodbeeblebr]

This is THE song of the 1980's!

[TheFootballPieman]

Love it....Music get's better as it gets older this new stuff is rubbish and is harmful to society

[logom0]

listening to this in the car with my dad...memories...

[groovei]

great musicality..tuneful..interesti­ng,..

[bregreen72]

hands up if you areoldenough to remember this song , and used to call her martha and the muffdivers well i was 17, have i grown up mm

[MetricStarDestroyer]

I love how they don't put any effort into making it look like they're actually playing on these shows.

[Aromaticduck]

My Job is very boring...and i'm not even an Office clerk..

[EssexBoy696969]

Over 31 years old - and still annihilates any of the dross in the charts in 2011.

[APRIL141958model]

Typical twat, Wright, spoiling the great ending to this song!

[ech0dancer]

ty iglwy for telling me this song exists & ty WiggyVideos3 for uploading it - never heard it til tonight :)

[GriefTourist]

that keyboard player looks hot..pity theres no close up

[chasboz]

Who hasn't experienced the same office ennui that's in this song, I would like to blow this crab shack now and go to echo beach.

[blica1]

this reminds me of summer rainy days when i was 12 yrs old..great tune from a good canadian band, that are still doing it to this day ! !

[alcockell]

Here's hoping the current run of TOTP repeats on BBC4 get this far and further...

A MUCH better master then...

[dokrok61]

Martha / Peter Warren, what's the difference ?

[gigsing]

I was a lifeguard on Echo Beach and believe me it was no fun. One screech from a seagull would be amplified massively. I had to wear ear plugs.

Martha did turn up once in her bikini, but spent all her time on her laptop doing office work.

That building in the distance was a dodgy hotel.

[dannyofthededd]

hey y'all....echo beach is the sound of the planet minus us idiots..or is this just my interpretation..?

[gazitboy]

The anthem of my youth. Love the song & the memories

[34airflow]

Weren't they great?

[TheHumbuckerboy]

I have always had a soft spot for this excellent song ;I like the chorus/flange effect on the guitar .

[THEELDER1]

The eighties were the BEST era in music ever!



[fac5c1981]

This reminds me of when Ihad mumps!! x

[ampheat]

Echo Beach DOES INDEED exist, it is a beach in Vietnam. I know someone who was at Echo Beach when in Vietnam working at an embassy. Do they not also have a song named Saigon or something? Now is that a coincidence or what??

[adamsez]

@ampheat The best explanation I've heard is 'Echo Beach' is fictional, but if you want it to be somewhere, it's Sunnyside Park at the Western Beaches in Toronto. In 2003 I saw a bench there with 'Martha' etched into it, so it must be true!

[ampheat]

@adamsez I would love to read what Martha and her muffins could say to clarify this mystery. If on the beach you mention you can "watch the sun go down" like you can on the Echo Beach in Vietnam, then this mysterious beach could be in Toronto indeed. Martha please say something. We are depending on you. Tell us if Echo Beach exists!!

[meeces13]

@ampheat its a part of Toronto

[seanywarnywoo]

hey Martha, want a Muffin

[iansdigby]

A really good song spoilt by the inane comments of the TOTP DJ/ announcer over the top of the best bit: "Echo Beach, far away in time...."

[thfcberba]

@iansdigby steve wright is and always been an ignorant twat when it comes to music and always spoils songs

[aproctor1]

@thfcberba

A thumbs up is not enough, well said.

[nealdew71]

@thfcberba He should have known youtube was on the horizon!

[mercians]

@thfcberba You are quite correct in that statement. If you ever catch 'The Steve Wright Show' arse lick spittal talk over everthing show , you will have noticed it's more about Steve Mong than anything else

[BilboBaghead81]

@thfcberba I heard this too, and apparently, back in the day, he was full of himself and, oddly, smelled. Like didnt wash much smelled. A turd is how my dad described him. Just an unlikable turd the second he was off air. And yes my dad worked at BBC radio so I value his opinion.

[VinnyMonster1]

@thfcberba Top of the pops 2 tended to be like that all the time, it seemed a lot of the time just to be there to make fun of old songs and artists. Echo Beach was amazing.

[tonticule]

sorry, that should be 'pounced'...

[ambadad]

@natdc794 Actually that is Martha Ladly on keyboards, with Martha Johnson doing the lead vocal. For me the group's best album is their 3rd, "This is the Ice Age". Ladly is now Associate Professor of interaction design, at the Ontario College of Art and Design, while the group (now just Johnson and guitarist Mark Gane) put out a new (and very good) album in 2010 called "Delicate". Met this video's line-up at Sheffield Poly in 1980. Lovely people.

[tonticule]

@ambadad, I was at that gig at Sheffield Poly SU in 1980 too! Were you the one who tried to nick the tambourine off the stage and got punced on by security?



[ambadad]

@tonticule No, I was actually a member of SCPUS Stage Services (we used to do the PA and DJ-ing at the discos), so having spent the afternoon helping M&M set up and watching the soundcheck, I wasn't likely to be pinching the tambourine. Great concert.

[newaver64]

everyone came from echo beach back then.

[SunamiJane]

the woman i loved loved this song.no accounting for taste, apart from the line 'my job is very boring i'm an office clerk' which really speaks to my soul

[TheMaxACDCJohnLennon]

I know it's out of fashion ... What?!? the song? NEVER!!!

[KingKennyRules]

@TheLexyboy .......hahahaha.......good one!!!

[natdc794]

Unfortunately, this is the lip-sync version, not a true live version of this wonderful, tuneful, beautifully produced song.

[natdc794]

This is the lip-synch version, unfortunately, of this fantastic song. The second Martha (yes, there were two) is not in this video!

[thprfssnl1]

way to interrupt the song at the best part btw

[nk801]

Hmm, is it just me or does the guitarist at 2.18 look like a young George Harrison? (Hare Krishna George).

[OffTheCharts365]

Wiggy - thanks for posting this song/video.

Come listen to this song and and many other "lost hits" and "chart wonders" from the 70's (and some 80's) on a free internet station, "OffTheCharts"

Go to Live365.com and type OFF THE CHARTS into the search box. Click on the station logo and the stream should begin. The link to the station is also on my YouTube home page.

Again, thanks for posting your video/song.

[Rikk303]

@467Deejay she looks like Steve Wright and not the good one either

[KakquesqueNightmare]

my job is very boring, I'm an office clerk

[TheLexyboy]

@KakquesqueNightmare my job is worse,  im on night shift on the docks! Im actually being paid double time to reply to you!!!

[GloucesterAdam]

@KakquesqueNightmare My life is very boring, I'm Steve Wright....

[m1ddy40]

One of the best records of the eightys!!! still sounds GREAT !

[roberthvalera]

TOTP is great because it sounds EXACTLY like the record AND you get to see them

[ZitkalaNoni]

The intro of the song sounds like The Cure. nice..

[ZitkalaNoni]

Wow..

[Teebonemendez]

Tune!

[DanG596]

martha babi marry me !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[67omerta]

fantastic song of 80's

great sax

[ClemKropotkin669]

DL the audio from this track at soundnabber doht cohm.

[TheCollierylad]

first song on the Jukie when I'm in the pub

[lanceromance123]

OMG always thought this was a uk or australian song didnt realize it was home grown outta canada

[loonybites]

Classic song!

[petergrifff]

Superb

[bigmagic96]

Love youtube.......have always liked this song but never seen this TOTP performance. Excellent stuff.

[orangenblackie]

so pleased i grew up in the 80's - was a fantastic time.

[jpfalmeidabeja]

The 80's were the best music years!

This song was/is super!

Lovit!!!

[tracker0158]

oh my god..... what a pair of babes...the blonde on the keyboard, id lick until I got callouses on my tongue..and martha..!!!..........love them both. remember that tune in high school............im in a punk-new wave time warp!!!! bring it back.......better than that Justin Beiber bullshit cat on a hot tin roof noise..............

[Feisty1967]

Love the black and white Mod earrings, great era.

[pattismithforever]

Gefälliger, runder Sound mit sehr anmachendem Rhythmus, einfach geile Musik.

[sabalouie2000]

luv marthas 2-tone earrings, classic early new wave!

[strummerocks]

@sabalouie2000 Very late New Wave really, even late post-punk

[sabalouie2000]

@strummerocks 1980, late post-punk?!

Compare Martha & The Muffins to Joy Division, Fad Gadget, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Cabaret Voltaire, Bauhaus for starters is like comparing a cute puppy to a full grown german shepard! Post-punk only got goin in 1979! Give Punk a Chance to brew!

[Drricharddickson]

Excellent stuff :-)

[doggie101171]

Only found this song thanks to the tv series called Echo Beach a few years ago, lol.

[celebiboy123]

XD i got hacked WHO THE F ARE THESE people

[celebiboy123]

Truly Canadian..

[wagsouza]

S U C K S !!!

[ThePipettesFans]

who's the girl on the keyboard?!

because she lookz like Ani Saunders from The Pipettes

[MrTD27]

@ThePipettesFans last seen working with uk band cactusprick

[dmfeelings]

@ThePipettesFans yes of course that's who it is.

[hotlips4000isback2]

This came out the year i was born yet i LOVE this song SO much! ;)

[AimeeBekkaNeate]

love this song x

[hogansheroes58]

top songs .ta keep it up

[Volvo745T]

Never really noticed until now, but this has a funky bass line.

[nik1969100]

An unforgettable song!!!

[jhnbalance]

she is not so beautiful a lady gaga but the song is great !

[jhnbalance]

why does it stop so suddenly the best part of the song is not included in the vid !

[spvc1968]

"Women Around the World at Work" and (as 'M+M') "Black Stations/White Stations" were their other big hits.

[panagiotouchris]

did she have another hit ? or she was just a onehit wonder ?

[TuringOracle]

far away in time indeed... listening to this stuff turns me into a sentimental sot (or makes me want to dance). It's a bittersweet pain. Damn the persistence and linearity of time.

[vaggelisparaskevas]

memories of mad desire

[sirtinycreep]

Did Martha go on to play violin in the Associates?

[VinnyMonster1]

All time Classic!

[1SEG1]

Marvellous song....oh to play the saxophone like that too.

[UKSazzy67]

There was a nod there to the Mod culture at the time, she is wearing black and white check earrings. Black and White check was very much in fashion at the time, as were Harrington Jackets, dark-blue drainpipe jeans and Pork-pie hats. Oh happy days, better than boring old now!

[strangefacekid]

@UKSazzy67 The Mod culture??? Correct me if I'm wrong here, but eh, aren't stovepipes, harringtons and pork pie's attributed to a completely different culture, that being the rude boy or non political skinhead?

[madderzrox]

Last night I was singing this accompanied on guitar by the guy who wrote it. Freakin' awesome :)

[Nickthetoast]

Great song... but then, I guess I've always been just a trifle uncool...

[blagger56]

UNCOOL? Liking this! Yo the man...LOL. This is brilliant stuff

[kevintheshedend1976]

Reminds me of the 4th year, 'far away in time' 1980 is it really 30 years???? scary

Time flies my friends

[logom0]

one of thee most underated bands and songs ever

[BaileyJx]

happy days :))

[echochill]

this is an old fave - I grew up thinking is was just for me because my name is Echo and my Dad grew up around the real Echo Beach. It's in the Qu'Appelle Valley Provincial Park in Saskatchewan (Echo Valley). There is "Echo" everything there - even Echo Radio Shack! You can find Echo Beach, Lake and Retirement Home. too funny!

[kentgraovac]

I live near Toronto and this song was HUGE in the spring of 1980. It spent two weeks at #3 and it would have gone #1 but there was very stiff competition at that time from Gary Numan, Lipps, Inc., The Pretenders and Pat Benatar.

[MrBlueSky1978]

One of the best guitar intros in pop music history! Spine tingling!

[eezy1972]

@MrBlueSky1978

The sax aint bad either!!

[ColumRogers]

I missed it out on so much by 11 years. x

[powerhouse2112p]

LOVE this song. Where is Echo Beach? I know it is far away in time...but can I have coordinates for my GPS. Can we all.

PLEASE.

 Life would be so much better.

[kayvagabond]

echo beach is allegedly sunnyside beach off queen west and roncesvalles in Toronto canada

i moved close to there because i love this song

[Kanadianas]

are you serious?

[ripporter]

"Most of the second verse was inspired by a summer's evening spent at Sunnyside Beach on the shoreline of Lake Ontario in Toronto. The lake and beach could have been in the middle of nowhere while the city behind

became a "surrealistic sight"

While Echo Beach did not exist for me as a real location, I used it as a symbol of the place everyone wants to escape to when they're not where they want to be." - Mark Gane, from the official Martha and the Muffins website.

[ripporter]

Also, it's really not that much of a beach - small and frequently closed due to pollution - it used to be part of a big park but the park was destroyed to make way for a highway. I used to think the song was about Wasaga Beach, on Georgian Bay, a two hour drive north of Toronto - it's the world's longest freshwater beach and lots of kids would drive there on the weekend from Toronto.

[Kanadianas]

read the pop ups in the clip it explains everything

[acmedressform]

"but first, martha and her muffins clearly visible" HA HA HA

[Bunyappa]

This song Rocks Baby. Great Post Pal and thanks :)

[mc5kotjmf]

echo beach, faraway in time. ECHO BEACH! love it..

[Mojo1982]

Classic tune!

[0088176]

great song bring back the 80s

[monroeboy80]

This song has always had a great intro.

[Chinupp]

A great wallpapering song! Lmao!!

[DazedSheep]

The best nusic is from the 80's

[tanslec2]

with you there...

[thprfssnl1]

@DazedSheep what is nusic and where can i get some