John Martyn OBE, born Iain David McGeachy (11 September 1948 – 29 January 2… Read Full Bio ↴John Martyn OBE, born Iain David McGeachy (11 September 1948 – 29 January 2009), was a British singer-songwriter and guitarist. Over a forty-year career he released twenty studio albums.

He grew up in Glasgow and attended Shawlands Academy. John Martyn moved to London from Glasgow in the mid 1960s. He made his initial recorded impact in 1967, at the age of 19, with his debut album London Conversation. He then quickly became an integral part of the British music scene, incorporating Folk, Blues, and Jazz into his unique sound.

In the late 60s to early 70s he was close friends with Nick Drake, for whom he wrote the song Solid Air. The album of the same name remains an extremely moving album, as does the later Grace and Danger which documents his divorce from his wife Beverley with whom he recorded several albums (as John & Beverley Martyn).

During the 70s John lived in Hastings on the South Coast of England. Whilst in Hastings he released, amongst others, the Live At Leeds album which he sold from his own house. Also during his time in Hastings John tried to help Paul Kossoff put his life back together.

A long held alcohol problem didn't prevent Martyn from releasing twenty-two albums. In 2003 he contracted an infection that resulted in the amputation of part of a leg, an episode documented in the 2004 BBC documentary "Johnny Too Bad". He recovered, however, and continued to play, record and tour. In 2008, he was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC Folk Awards. He has influenced many songwriters and guitarists and is an artist whose stature only grows with time. He worked with artists such as Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, David Gilmour and Levon Helm.

Sadly, he passed away on 29th January 2009.

A tribute album entitled Johnny Boy Would Love this…a Tribute to John Martyn was released on 15 August 2011, comprising cover versions of his songs by various artists who he had worked with or influenced.

Go Down Easy
John Martyn Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You curl around me
Like a fern in the spring
Lie down here
Let me sing the things you bring

And we can go down easy
Oh, my lover, we can go down easy
Oh, my darling, we can go down easy

You come up and see me
With your big brown eyes
Come around to my place
You know I'll sympathize you

And we can go down easy
Oh, my lover, we can go down easy
Oh, my darling, we can go down easy

I won't be fancy
But I will be free
You know I love you
And you can really talk to me

And we can go down easy
Oh, my darling, we can go down easy
Oh, my lover, we can go down easy

You curl around me
Like a fern in the spring
Lie down here
Let me sing the things you bring

And we can go down easy

Oh, my lover, we can go down easy
Oh, my darling, we can go down easy

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of John Martyn's "Go Down Easy" are an intimate invitation to someone the singer holds dear to curl around him and let him sing the things they bring. The metaphor of the fern in spring suggests newness and life, which highlights the purity of the relationship between the two individuals. The singer's desire for vulnerability and authenticity is emphasized by the repetition of the line "we can go down easy." The phrase suggests that they can let their guards down and be together in a comfortable and natural way without the need for pretense.

The second verse in "Go Down Easy" continues the theme of the first, and the singer tells his beloved to come up and see him, promising never to judge but always to sympathize. The line "You know I love you, and you can really talk to me" highlights the loving nature of the relationship between the two individuals. The songwriter is emphasizing that the two individuals can be their true selves with each other without fear of judgment. The metaphor of "going down easy" is repeated, yet this time the words are interchanged with the phrase "Oh, my darling." This change suggests a further depth of romantic love that exists between the two individuals.

Overall, in "Go Down Easy," John Martyn describes the simple beauty of love, vulnerability, and authenticity between individuals. The lyrics express a kind of love that is unconditional and grounded in acceptance and understanding of each other.

Line by Line Meaning

You curl around me
You embrace me closely

Like a fern in the spring
Like a plant that grows and flourishes in the season of renewal and rejuvenation

Lie down here
Come and rest beside me

Let me sing the things you bring
Let me express my love for you in the way that I know best

And we can go down easy
We can share moments of tranquility and peace with one another

Oh, my lover, we can go down easy
Oh, my beloved, let us cherish the time we have together

You come up and see me
You come and visit me

With your big brown eyes
With your alluring and captivating gaze

Come around to my place
Come to my home

You know I'll sympathize you
You know I'll be understanding and supportive of you

I won't be fancy
I won't try to impress you with material possessions or grand gestures