Echo Beach chords

Martha and the Muffins

Song Key: A Minor

Time Signature: 4/4

Tempo: 163 bpm


Guitar Tuning: Standard (E A D G B e)

Skill Level: Advanced Beginner / Early Intermediate

Chords: Am, Bb, C, Cmaj7, D, Em, F, G

Arrangement Song Details
R-H Chord Charts Chord Chart Legend
Am D Major Cmaj7 Bb Major Bb Major barre chord Em F Major F Major barre chord G Major
L-H Chord Charts Lefties Chord Chart Legend
Am-LH D Major-LH Cmaj7-LH Bb Major-LH Bb Major barre chord-LH Em-LH F Major-LH F Major barre chord-LH G Major-LH
Performance Video
Speed: x0.1

Echo Beach

Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other key 
Intro:  ‖     Keyboard      ‖

           Am    D   Cmaj7    Am    D     C
Riff:   ‖:     |   -       |      |    -    :‖ x 4

           Am        G        Em    F     G
Ch:     ‖:     |           |      |    -    :‖ x 2

     Am                        D       C          Am     D     Em 
1. I know it’s out of fash-ion   And a tri-fle un-cool |    -     |
       Am               D      C          Am     D     Em
   But I can’t help it   I’m a ro-man-tic fool |    -     |
          Am              D             C      Am     D     Em 
   It’s a hab-it of mine   To watch the sun go down |    -     |
      Am           D            C      Am     D     Em 
   On E-cho Beach   I watch the sun go down |    -     |

        G                        D
** From 9 – 5 I have to spend my time at work
      G                             D
   My job is ver-y bor-ing   I’m an of-fice clerk
       Am                                Em
   The on-ly thing that helps me pass my time a-way
      Am                            Em                F     G 
   Is know-ing I’ll be back on Echo Beach some day |     |     |
   
      Am     G     Em    F    G    Am     G     Em    F   G    Am 
   ‖      |     |      |   -    |      |     |      |   -   |      | % ‖
      
          Am    D   Cmaj7    Am    D   C
Riff:  ‖      |   -       |      |   -    ‖

      Am                         D            C         Am       D     Em 
2. On sil-ent sum-mer eve-nings   The skies a-live with lights |    -     |
     Am                          D         C       Am      D     Em  
   A build-ing in the dist-ance   Sur-re-a-lis-tic sight |    -     |
      Am           D               C     Am      D     Em 
   On E-cho Beach   Waves make the on-ly sound |    -     |
      Am           D              C      Am      D     Em 
   On E-cho Beach   There’s not a soul a-round |    -     |

        G                        D
** From 9 – 5 I have to spend my time at work
      G                              D
   My job is ver-y bor-ing    I’m an of-fice clerk
       Am                                Em
   The on-ly thing that helps me pass my time a-way
      Am                             Em
   Is know-ing I’ll be back on Ech-o Beach some day
   
           F      G      Bb      C       F      G      Bb      C
Instr: ‖      |       |      |       |      |       |      |       ‖
 
          Am      G      Em    F   G    Am      G      Em    F   G
Solo:  ‖      |       |      |   -   |      |       |      |   -   ‖

        Am            G                  Em              F         G
Chorus: E-cho Beach   Far a-way any-time   E-cho Beach   Far a-way any-time
        Am            G                  Em              F         G
        E-cho Beach   Far a-way any-time   E-cho Beach   Far a-way any-time...


Guitar Riff:
       Am       D      C     Am      D       C
    e |---------------------------------------------|
    B |--------------------0---------------------0--|
    G |---5-4-0-7----7---------5-4-0-7-----7--------|
    D |------------7-----5---------------7-----5----|
    A |-0--------5-----3-----0---------5-----3------|
    D |---------------------------------------------|

Arrangement Details:

  • Key Signature: A Minor (Relative to C Major) - no sharps or flats
  • Time Signature: 4/4 — Four quarter-note beats per measure
  • Tempo: Moderately fast
  • Metronome: ♩ = 163
  • Voice Range: G4 - E5
Chord Types in This Arrangement:
Chord Types Formula Chords
Major 1-3-5 C, D, F, G, Bb
Major 7th 1-3-5-7 Cmaj7
Minor 1-b3-5 Am, Em

Beginner Guitarists:

These chords can be played in a variety of ways with a blend of open and barre chords for player comfort. If you haven't learned barre chords, you'll find an open voicing for Bb in the charts above.

  • The chords themselves are beginner‑friendly — all open shapes.
    But the riff is:
    • fast (163 bpm)
    • syncopated
    • requires string‑skipping
    • needs confident right‑hand control
    • sits awkwardly for absolute beginners
  • So the difficulty isn’t the harmony — it’s the technique, and the ability to play the riff at tempo.
  • An advanced beginner (someone with a few months of playing) can learn the riff slowly, and gradually speed up with confidence.
  • The notes in the Guitar Riff (above) can be picked out while playing the chords... very easy once you get used to it. If you find the guitar riff difficult to play at first, you can simply strum the chords.
  • | Am | D - Cmaj7 | Where you see chords in a bar separated by a hyphen, the beat counts are split evenly in the bar (2 beat-counts each).

Song Details:

Album
Album Cover
  • Songwriter: Mark Gane
  • Lyrics Begin: I know it’s out of fashion and a trifle uncool,
  • Genre: New Wave
  • Featured Artists: Martha and the Muffins
  • Single:
    Recorded: 1979
    Released: February 1980
    B-side: Teddy the Dink
  • Album: Metro Music
    Recorded: August 1979
    Released: February 1980
Song / Artist Capo Key Chords
Ashes To Ashes - David Bowie +1 G G, G7, G#dim7, Am, Am7, A7, C, D, Dm, E, Em, F
Bad Case Of Loving You - Robert Palmer - E E, A, B, Bb, A/C#, D/E
Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes - F F, F/Eb, Bb, Dm, C
I Love Rock 'n' Roll - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts - E E5, A5, B5
I'm So Excited - The Pointer Sisters +3 Em Em, Em7, F#m7, G, Am7, Bm7, C, C/D, C/G, D
Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper - C C, Dm, Dm/C, Em, Am, F, G
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