- Original Artists: Martha and the Muffins
- Album: Metro Music
- Awards: Juno Award for Single of the Year
- Released: 1980-10-01
- Recorded: 1979-09-01
- Genres: Pop, Rock, 80s
- Artists: Pudenski Brothers
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"Echo Beach" is a song written by band member Mark Gane and recorded by the Canadian new wave group Martha and the Muffins. The group recorded the song in the UK at Oxford's Manor Studios in 1979 and released the song on the Album Metro Music.
The band actually contained two Marthas, Lead singer Martha Johnson, The other one is Martha Ladly (playing keyboards). Martha Ladly is now a Professor of Interactive Design and Martha Johnson is still performing today with her husband Mark Gane as Martha & The Muffins.
Echo Beach Single Cover
Where is Echo Beach?
Echo Beach, as mentioned in the song, does not refer to a real beach but is rather a symbolic notion of somewhere Mark Gane would rather be, somewhere 'far away in time'. One of the two versions of the single featured a map of Abbotsbury showing Chesil Bank and the Fleet here in Dorset. The map on the original issue was of Toronto Islands.
From nine till five I have to spend my time at work
Mark Gane would rather be Relaxing On Echo Beach
The job is very boring, I'm an office clerk
The only thing that helps pass the time away
Is knowing I'll be back at Echo Beach some day
In reality, the song was created while songwriter Mark Gane was working checking wallpaper for printing faults. He found the work rather dull and his mind drifted to times he would like to live over again. This reminded him of a memory of Sunnyside Beach on the shoreline of Lake Ontario in Toronto in summer. Echo Beach was a reference made to a faded time and place gone in the lyrics of the song "Hiroshima Mon Amour" by the band Ultravox.
“The lake and beach could have been in the middle of nowhere while the city behind became a surrealistic sight.”
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