Born in Hampstead, London, Faithfull began her career in 1964 after attending a Rolling Stones party, where she was discovered by Andrew Loog Oldham. Her debut album Marianne Faithfull (released simultaneously with her album Come My Way on April 15, 1965) was a commercial success followed by a number of albums on Decca Records. From 1966 to 1970, she had a highly publicised romantic relationship with Mick Jagger. Her popularity was further enhanced by her film roles, such as those in I'll Never Forget What's'isname (1967), The Girl on a Motorcycle (1968), and Hamlet (1969). However, her popularity was overshadowed by personal problems in the 1970s. During that time she was anorexic, homeless and a heroin addict.
Noted for her distinctive voice, Faithfull's previously melodic and higher-registered vocals (which were prevalent throughout her career in the 1960s) were affected by severe laryngitis, coupled with persistent drug abuse during the 1970s, permanently altering her voice, leaving it raspy, cracked and lower in pitch. This new sound was praised as "whisky soaked" by some critics and seen as having helped to capture the raw emotions expressed in Faithfull's music.
After a long commercial absence, Faithfull made a comeback with the 1979 release of her critically acclaimed album Broken English. The album was a commercial success and marked a resurgence of her musical career. Broken English earned Faithfull a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance and is often regarded as her "definitive recording". She followed this with a series of albums, including Dangerous Acquaintances (1981), A Child's Adventure (1983) and Strange Weather (1987). Faithfull also wrote three books about her life: Faithfull: An Autobiography (1994), Memories, Dreams & Reflections (2007) and Marianne Faithfull: A Life on Record (2014).
Faithfull is listed on VH1's "100 Greatest Women of Rock and Roll" list. She received the World Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2009 Women's World Awards and was made a Commandeur of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the government of France.
A Stranger On Earth
Marianne Faithfull Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But somehow those folks belong
Me, I try for all I'm worth
But I still remain a stranger on this earth
Some people gloom, other folk cry
Me, I have to struggle to keep alive
Ever since the day of my birth
I try to be what all folks should
Forgetting the bad and doing good
But no matter how I try
My troubles always multiply
Now, I've been doing the best I can
Ever since life began
Some day when I prove my worth
I won't be a stranger on earth
Now I've been living the best I can
Ever since my life began
The day's gonna come when I prove my worth
And I won't be no stranger
No, I won't be a stranger
On this earth
Marianne Faithfull's song, A Stranger on Earth, is a melancholic and introspective reflection of the singer's life and struggles. The lyrics of the song express her feelings of being a misfit in the world, even though she tries to do good and be accepted. She starts by acknowledging that some people don't know what's right from wrong, but they still belong somewhere. However, she feels like she's always been striving for acceptance and belonging, but she's still a stranger on earth.
The second stanza of the song further emphasizes Marianne's feelings of struggling to survive. She looks around and sees people who are gloomy or crying, but for her, it's a constant battle just to survive. Marianne reveals that she's been a stranger ever since the day of her birth, which creates a sense of hopelessness and isolation. She continues to try to do good and forget the bad, but her troubles tend to multiply. The final stanza provides a glimmer of hope that one day she'll prove her worth, and she won't be a stranger on earth anymore.
Overall, A Stranger on Earth is a poignant and intimate portrayal of Marianne Faithfull's inner turmoil and struggle for acceptance in a world that seems to reject her.
Line by Line Meaning
Some fools don't know what's right from wrong
There are people who lack common sense and cannot differentiate between right and wrong
But somehow those folks belong
Despite their lack of common sense, they seem to fit in somewhere
Me, I try for all I'm worth
I put a lot of effort into everything I do
But I still remain a stranger on this earth
Despite my efforts, I still feel like I don't belong or understand the world around me
Some people gloom, other folk cry
Different people express their pain and sadness in different ways
Me, I have to struggle to keep alive
I have faced difficulties in my life just to survive
Ever since the day of my birth
These struggles have been with me since I was born
I've been a stranger, stranger on this earth
These struggles have made me feel like I am an outsider or a misfit in this world
I try to be what all folks should
I make an effort to do what is right and be a good person
Forgetting the bad and doing good
I try to let go of negative feelings and focus on positive actions
But no matter how I try
Despite my best efforts
My troubles always multiply
My problems seem to continue to grow and become more difficult
Now, I've been doing the best I can
I have tried my hardest
Ever since life began
From the very beginning of my life
Some day when I prove my worth
I hope that one day I will be recognized for my efforts and accomplishments
I won't be a stranger on earth
And I will finally feel like I belong and understand this world
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SID FELLER, RICK WARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Larry Auerbach
An utterly beautiful, deeply sad song, a cover by Marianne Faithfull of a song originally done by Dinah Washington. It made me cry tonight, as it shuffled up in my music library. It's been a favorite of mine for a couple of decades.
Castor Denston
This is the one that I know, but I looked up Dinah's version, and I think that this version brings out the despair and haunting quality of the song. It's the saddest song you could ever hear. It fits so beautifully into one of my favorite albums.
X X
she's a saint !
TerraRysinYah
marianne, u are awesome, i adore you, ething youve been thru is everthing you are and u rock.. dont forget that .. ever . beauty is skin deep but youre beauty is so much more than that. 1 woman to another that has been there and done that. you have shown strength when there was none , grace , and realism at its best.you ARE a hero.
X X
SPECTACULAR
X X
RAW TALENT
kay
I want to go to heaven
Steven Norman
While I prefer Dinah's incomparable version..it's ironic that Marianne chose this song..it reflects her troubled life..haunted and tormented..
Frank Leduc
I hate Chuck Norris now