Martha's Harbour Explained

Martha's Harbour
Cover:	Martha's Harbour All About Eve cover.jpg
Border:	yes
Type:	single
Artist:	All About Eve
Album:	All About Eve
B-Side:	Another Door
Released:	^[1]
Length:	3:08
Label:	Mercury Phonogram
Producer:	Paul Samwell-Smith
Prev Title:	Every Angel
Prev Year:	1988
Next Title:	What Kind of Fool
Next Year:	1988

"Martha's Harbour" is a song by English rock band All About Eve. The acoustic ballad^[1] reached 10 on the UK Singles Chart and helped the group's self-titled debut album reach No. 7 on the UK Albums Chart. The song features only Julianne Regan's voice, acoustic guitars played by Tim Bricheno, and sound effects of ocean waves.

Background

On its creation, Julianne Regan has said, in an interview on BBC radio, "This song happened by accident when we were recording the first album. It was one of those things when we had the day off and we were sat in this very idyllic setting beneath a willow tree besides a stream by this beautiful residential recording studio and it just came out so naturally. It was a miracle of a little song and it's very dear to us because of that, because it was very pure, a really happy accident. Everybody went to the pub and we put it down and by the time they got back Martha's Harbour was committed to tape. Martha's Harbour is a fictitious backdrop for this happening."^[2] Although Andy Cousin is credited as a co-writer, he does not perform on the recording nor was he involved in the writing.^[3]

Top of the Pops performance

The song is well known for an incident on the popular BBC UK music show Top of the Pops, when the group, ready to do a mimed (as was BBC policy at the time) performance of their hit, were not played the backing track through their monitors, so they sat motionless while the television and studio audience could hear the song.^[4] Due to this error on the part of the BBC, the band were invited back the following week (the song having climbed the chart) and insisted on playing the song live.

Track listings

7-inch single^[5]

A. "Martha's Harbour"

B. "Another Door"

UK 12-inch single^[6]

A1. "Martha's Harbour"

A2. "Another Door"

B1. "In the Meadow" (live)

UK and European CD single^[7]

1. "Martha's Harbour" – 3:10
2. "Another Door" – 3:26
3. "Wild Flowers" – 3:51
4. "She Moves Through the Fair" – 5:21

UK cassette single^[8]

1. "Martha's Harbour"
2. "Another Door"
3. "Never Promise (Anyone Forever)" (live)
4. "In the Meadow" (live)

European 5-inch CD Video single^[9]

1. "Martha's Harbour" – 3:07
2. "Like Emily" – 5:16
3. "Another Door" – 3:26
4. "She Moves Through the Fair" – 5:05
5. "Martha's Harbour" (video) – 3:23

Credits and personnel

Credits are lifted from the UK 7-inch single sleeve.^[5]

• Julianne Regan – writing, vocals
• Tim Bricheno – writing, acoustic guitar
• Andy Cousin – writing
• Paul Samwell-Smith – production
• Tony Phillips – engineering
• Stylorouge – artwork design
• Simon Fowler – photography
• Tony Perrin – management

Notes and References

1. 16 July 1988. News. Record Mirror. 4. 27 June 2022. Flickr.
2. Web site: BBC - Radio 2 - Sold On Song - TOP 100 - Martha's Harbour. Bbc.co.uk. 25 April 2021.
3. Web site: Archive.
4. News: Paphides. Peter. Six of the most memorable moments in miming. 10 May 2017. The Guardian. 4 February 2014.
5. Martha's Harbour. All About Eve. 1988. UK 7-inch single sleeve. Mercury Records, Phonogram Records. EVEN 8, 870 498-7.
6. Martha's Harbour. All About Eve. 1988. UK 12-inch single sleeve. Mercury Records, Phonogram Records. EVENX 8, 870 498-1.
7. Martha's Harbour. All About Eve. 1988. UK & European CD single liner notes. Mercury Records, Phonogram Records. EVNCD 8, 870 498-2.
8. Martha's Harbour. All About Eve. 1988. UK cassette single sleeve. Mercury Records, Phonogram Records. EVENM 8, 870 498-2.
9. Martha's Harbour. All About Eve. 1988. European 5-inch CDV single liner notes. Mercury Records, Phonogram Records. 080 522-2.
10. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. 5. 35. 17. 27 August 1988. 13 November 2020.