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.
Conversation On A Barstool
Marianne Faithfull Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't breathe in the air in this city tonight.
It's taken everything I had to give
And now I just want to get out of here.
But I won't be sorry if you won't be
And I don't want your pity or your sympathy.
But for forty-five dollars I can make it,
He came from Miami to start out again.
To leave him was easy, I did it all the time.
He said that he loved me and he wanted a child,
If he opened his mouth, he was telling you lies.
But I won't be sorry if you won't be
And I don't want your pity or your sympathy.
But for thirty-five dollars I can make it,
You wait and see.
I was an actress, a girl in the Chorus
On Broadway I danced for a Kennedy.
They know me in London and they know me in Paris,
I'm only talkin' 'cause you looked like you needed a friend.
But I won't be sorry if you won't be
And I don't want your pity or your sympathy.
But for twenty-five dollars I'm half-way
To Miami
The song "Conversation On A Barstool" by Marianne Faithfull is a powerful piece about a woman who is losing hope in love and life in the city, so she decides to start afresh. The lyrics are deep and emotionally charged. Faithfull sings of being tired and unable to breathe in the city air, expressing a powerful yearning to escape. She then goes on to say that she has given everything she had and now just wants to get out of there. In the background, the melody plays a slow, bluesy tune that emphasizes the desperation in the lyrics.
The chorus of the song is particularly striking. Faithfull sings, "But I won't be sorry if you won't be, And I don't want your pity or your sympathy, But for forty-five dollars I can make it, You wait and see". These lines are a metaphor for her inner struggles and determination. She is revealing that she knows her worth, and though she may be struggling, she is not going to give up or be pitied. The final line is a challenge, a statement of defiance that she will not let her circumstances defeat her.
The second verse is about a failed relationship. Faithfull sings of a man who came from Miami to start again, but he was a liar, and she could not trust him. He wanted a child, but she knew he could not be trusted. Again, the chorus emphasizes Faithfull's determination and strength.
Overall, "Conversation On A Barstool" is a powerful song about a woman who has faced some hard times but knows her worth and is determined to make a new start.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm tired, so tired I can hardly stand,
I am completely exhausted and need to rest as I cannot keep standing.
I can't breathe in the air in this city tonight.
The air here is heavy and making it hard for me to breathe normally.
It's taken everything I had to give
I have already exerted myself to the maximum limit of my capabilities.
And now I just want to get out of here.
I am looking for a quick escape from this place and situation.
But I won't be sorry if you won't be
I am unapologetic if you also do not express any remorse.
And I don't want your pity or your sympathy.
Please do not offer me compassion or show me any empathy.
But for forty-five dollars I can make it,
I can afford to leave this place and find my way out for an amount of $45.
You wait and see.
Just watch what I can do when I put my mind to it.
He came from Miami to start out again.
He moved to this city from Miami to start a new life and escape his past.
To leave him was easy, I did it all the time.
Breaking ties with him was a regular occurrence, and I never found it challenging.
He said that he loved me and he wanted a child,
He professed his love for me and expressed his desire to have a child together.
If he opened his mouth, he was telling you lies.
Every time he spoke, he was deceitful and could not be trusted.
But for thirty-five dollars I can make it,
I have calculated that I can leave this place if I had $35.
I was an actress, a girl in the Chorus
I used to work as an actress and a dancer in a chorus group.
On Broadway I danced for a Kennedy.
I performed as a dancer in a Broadway show, which a member of the Kennedy family watched.
They know me in London and they know me in Paris,
I am a known personality in London and Paris due to my past work and fame.
I'm only talkin' 'cause you looked like you needed a friend.
I am talking to you to offer you some comfort as you appeared to be in distress and needed a companion.
But I won't be sorry if you won't be
I am not going to feel guilty, and neither should you if you have any regrets.
And I don't want your pity or your sympathy.
I am not interested in receiving any compassion or empathy from you.
But for twenty-five dollars I'm half-way
If I had $25, I am confident that I could reach my destination halfway.
To Miami
I am referring to Miami, which seems to be my destination to escape from this current situation.
Contributed by Caden K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.