They have described themselves as queer, straight edge, vegan and anarchist. They have no designated frontperson and all contribute vocals. Two members of Martha previously founded (and still play in) the band ONSIND, and another leads the band No Ditching.
They have variously cited The Housemartins, Motown, Billy Bragg, The Thermals, Ted Leo, power pop, The Replacements, Heart, The Marked Men, Big Star, Masshysteri, and The Exploding Hearts as influences.
Martha formed in the village of Pity Me, a suburb of Durham in the North East of England. Formed by J.C. Cairns (guitar/vocals), Daniel Ellis (guitar/vocals), Naomi Griffin (bass/vocals), and Nathan Stephens-Griffin (drums/vocals) in the early 2010s, they released their self-titled debut EP in February 2012.
A year later they released the "Sycamore"/"Lost Without You" single on their own Discount Horse label. The band played Indietracks festival for the first time in 2013. After releasing a split single with American artist Spoonboy (David Combs of The Max Levine Ensemble) Martha headed to the studio with MJ of Hookworms to record their first album.
Courting Strong was released by Fortuna Pop! in the U.K. and Salinas Records in the U.S. They followed it with more split singles with American bands Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez and Radiator Hospital, a repeat visit to Indietracks and an appearance at Glastonbury Festival.
Their next album Blisters in the Pit of My Heart, also produced by MJ, was issued in mid-2016 by Dirtnap Records in the U.S. and Fortuna Pop! once again in the U.K.
They toured the UK with Radiator Hospital in late 2015, and played a tour of the UK and Ireland with Joyce Manor in July 2017.
In mid to late April and early May 2018 they, along with Bad Moves of Washington, D.C., supported Jeff Rosenstock for the Northeastern and Midwestern leg of his US tour.
On 17 April 2018 Martha, filling in last minute for Yo La Tengo, were the guest band on an episode of The Chris Gethard Show on truTV.
On 13 December 2018 the band released single "Heart Is Healing"; announcing they had signed to Big Scary Monsters in the UK and EU and had a new album following soon. On 28 January 2019 the band unveiled title track "Love Keeps Kicking" as a single. The video for which was the second directed for the band by friends Ben Epstein and David Combs of The Max Levine Ensemble. The band's third album, Love Keeps Kicking, was released on 5 April 2019.
If I Had a Hammer
Martha Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I could be glad all of the while
I could change the grey skies to blues
If I had you
I could leave the old days behind
Leave all my pals, I'd never mind
I could start my life all a new
If I had you
Sail the mighty ocean wide
I could cross the burning desert
If I had you by my side
I could be a king, dear, uncrowned
Humble or poor, rich or renowned
There is nothing I couldn't do
If I had you
I could show the world how to smile
I could be glad all of the while
I could change the grey skies to blues
If I had you
I could leave the old days behind
Leave all my pals, I'd never mind
I could start my life all a new
If I had you
I could climb the snow capped mountains
Sail the mighty ocean wide
I could cross the burning desert
If I had you by my side
I could be a king, dear, uncrowned
Humble or poor, rich or renowned
There is nothing I couldn't do
"If I Had a Hammer" is a song that speaks about the power of love and companionship. Throughout the lyrics, the singer imagines a world full of endless possibilities if they had the love and support of someone special. The opening line, "I could show the world how to smile" sets the tone for the song that aims to inspire optimism and positivity. The following lines continue to express a deep desire for change and a longing for a better life. The use of "grey skies" implies a sense of dreariness and depression that the singer wants to overcome.
The song then turns to the idea of leaving behind old habits and friends to start anew. The singer acknowledges that this would not be a problem if they had the love and support of someone special. The lyrics about climbing mountains, sailing oceans, and crossing deserts are metaphors for the challenges that we face in life. The idea is that with someone by our side, we can conquer any obstacle that comes our way.
The closing lines of the song declare that there is nothing that the singer could not do if they had the love and support of the person they desire. This is a beautiful expression of the power of love, and how it can give us the strength to face anything that life throws our way.
Line by Line Meaning
I could show the world how to smile
With you by my side, I would be so happy that I would radiate joy and show others how to smile.
I could be glad all of the while
I would always be happy if I had you in my life and would never have a reason to be sad.
I could change the grey skies to blues
My optimism and happiness would brighten up even the gloomiest, dreariest days.
If I had you
All of these things are possible if I had your love and companionship.
I could leave the old days behind
With you, I would be able to leave behind any negative experiences or hardships in my past and move forward with you by my side.
Leave all my pals, I'd never mind
Even if I had to leave my friends behind, it wouldn't matter as long as I had you with me.
I could start my life all a new
With your love, I could start fresh and build a new life filled with happiness and possibility.
I could climb the snow capped mountains
With your support, I would have the courage and determination to face any challenge, no matter how daunting.
Sail the mighty ocean wide
With you by my side, I would be able to explore new horizons and experience the world in all its beauty and wonder.
I could cross the burning desert
Even in the face of difficult or dangerous obstacles, I would have the strength and perseverance to overcome them with your love.
If I had you by my side
All of these things are possible and within my reach, as long as I have you by my side.
I could be a king, dear, uncrowned
With your love, I would feel so powerful and in control of my destiny that I wouldn't need any sort of formal title or recognition to feel like royalty.
Humble or poor, rich or renowned
No matter what my circumstances are, as long as I have your love and support, I feel content and fulfilled.
There is nothing I couldn't do
With your love as my driving force, I feel like I can accomplish anything and overcome any obstacle.
If I had you
Overall, having your love and companionship would bring me so much joy and make my life so much richer and more fulfilling.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GORDON MILLS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind