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.
Hurt In Your Heart
John Martyn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When that hurt in your heart has gone.
When that hurt in your heart has gone,
Give me a call.
Darling, that's all that you have to do.
Show me a sign;
A word or a line,
To save this poor heart
From breaking.
When that hurt in your heart has gone;
When that hurt in your heart has gone.
When that hurt in your heart has gone,
I'll still be your friend.
Right to the end of forever
And further still.
This hurting will mend,
And I hope you'll remember all the time;
Hope you'll remember every line,
Hope you'll remember
All the love, all the love, all the love.
When that hurt in your heart has gone;
When that hurt in your heart has gone.
When that hurt in your heart has gone,
Just say my name.
You don't have to say it loud;
I'll still feel the same
And I'll still be true,
Waiting for you
To come sailing through,
Cause you know you can.
When that hurt in your heart has gone;
When that hurt in your heart has gone.
When that hurt in your heart has gone,
Give me a call...
The singer of John Martyn's song "Hurt In Your Heart" is offering comfort and friendship to someone who is struggling with emotional pain. He urges the person to reach out to him when the hurt has gone, promising to be a steadfast friend no matter what. He acknowledges the difficulty in overcoming this kind of pain but offers hope to the person that they will remember the love that existed before the hurt took hold. The singer offers a hand to hold while the pain is mended and is willing to wait for the person to come back to him when they are ready. He doesn't need them to shout his name from the rooftops, simply knowing that they are still out there and still his friend is enough for him.
The song is a beautiful reminder of the power of friendship and the healing properties of love. It speaks to the universal experience of emotional pain and the importance of being there for each other when we need it most. The lyrics are simple, yet poignant and John Martyn's soulful voice adds depth to the message.
Line by Line Meaning
When that hurt in your heart has gone;
Once the pain in your heart subsides,
When that hurt in your heart has gone.
When that hurt in your heart has gone.
When that hurt in your heart has gone,
Once that ache in your heart disappears,
Give me a call.
Contact me for support.
Darling, that's all that you have to do.
My love, don't hesitate to let me know.
Show me a sign;
Give me a signal,
A word or a line,
A brief message or a few words,
One stitch in time,
An action taken now to prevent further damage in future,
To save this poor heart
To prevent this heart from being utterly broken
From breaking.
From shattering into pieces.
I'll still be your friend.
I'll continue to be there for you as a friend.
Right to the end of forever
Till the end of time,
And further still.
Even beyond that.
This hurting will mend,
This pain will subside in time,
And I hope you'll remember all the time;
I sincerely wish you'll always remember those moments,
Hope you'll remember every line,
Hope you'll hold onto every word said,
Hope you'll remember
I pray you never forget
All the love, all the love, all the love.
The immeasurable amount of love we shared.
Just say my name.
Just call out my name.
You don't have to say it loud;
You don't need to shout it,
I'll still feel the same
My feelings won't change,
And I'll still be true,
And I'll remain loyal to you,
Waiting for you
Eagerly anticipating your return
To come sailing through,
When you finally overcome your struggles
Cause you know you can.
Because I believe in your strength and resilience.
Give me a call...
Don't hesitate to reach out...
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JOHN MARTYN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind