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.
Down Town
Marianne Faithfull Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And life is making you lonely
You can always go
Down town
When you've got worries
All the noise and the hurry
Seems to hurt, I know
Just listen to the music of the traffic in the city
Linger on the sidewalks where the neon signs are pretty
How can you lose?
The lights are much brighter there
You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares
And go down town
Things will be great when you're
Down town
No finer place for sure
Down town
Everything's waiting for you
Don't hang around
And let your problems surround you
There are movie shows
Down town
Maybe you know
Some little places to go
To where they never close
Down town
Just listen to the rhythm of the gentle bossa-nova
You'll be dancing with them, too, before the night is over
Happy again
The lights are much brighter there
You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares
And go down town
Where all the lights are bright
Down town
Waiting for you tonight
Down town
You're gonna be all right now
And you may find
Somebody kind
To help and understand you
Someone who is just like you
And needs a gentle hand
To guide him along
So maybe I'll see you there
We can forget all our troubles, forget all our cares
And go down town
Things will be great when you're
Down town
Don't wait a minute more
Down town
Everything's waiting for you
The song "Down Town" by Marianne Faithfull is about finding solace in the bustling city when you feel lonely and troubled. The lyrics suggest that you can forget all your worries and cares by immersing yourself in the sights and sounds of downtown. The song's protagonist recommends checking out the neon signs, listening to the traffic, and soaking in the gentle bossa nova rhythm. Moreover, the song suggests that there is someone out there waiting for you, someone who understands what you are going through, and needs a helping hand.
The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a vibrant cityscape that is full of life and energy. Marianne Faithfull's voice is soothing and mellifluous and brings out the serenity and peace that can be found in the noise and chaos of the city. She exudes a sense of reassurance and comfort, encouraging the listener to explore the city and find happiness and contentment.
In conclusion, "Down Town" is an uplifting and optimistic song that encourages the listener to be brave and face the world head-on. It suggests that there is always hope, joy, and companionship to be found, even in the most unlikely places.
Line by Line Meaning
When you're alone
When you are by yourself
And life is making you lonely
And you feel isolated because of life
You can always go
You can always visit
Down town
The city center
When you've got worries
When you have things on your mind
All the noise and the hurry
All the commotion and the rush
Seems to hurt, I know
Feels overwhelming, I understand
Down town
The city center
Just listen to the music of the traffic in the city
Just listen to the sounds of the city traffic
Linger on the sidewalks where the neon signs are pretty
Spend your time on the pavements where the neon lights look nice
How can you lose?
There's no way you can fail
The lights are much brighter there
The illumination is significantly higher there
You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares
You can ignore all your problems and the things that concern you
And go down town
And visit the city center
Things will be great when you're
You will feel fantastic when you are
Down town
The city center
No finer place for sure
There is no better place
Down town
The city center
Everything's waiting for you
Everything is anticipating your arrival
Don't hang around
Don't linger
And let your problems surround you
And let your problems become overwhelming
There are movie shows
There are films being shown
Down town
The city center
Maybe you know
Perhaps you are aware of
Some little places to go
Some small places to visit
To where they never close
Where they never shut down
Down town
The city center
Just listen to the rhythm of the gentle bossa-nova
Just listen to the gentle bossa-nova beats
You'll be dancing with them, too, before the night is over
You'll be dancing with the rhythm before the night comes to an end
Happy again
Feeling joyful once more
The lights are much brighter there
The illumination is significantly higher there
You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares
You can ignore all your problems and the things that concern you
And go down town
And visit the city center
Where all the lights are bright
Where all the illumination is radiant
Down town
The city center
Waiting for you tonight
Awaiting your arrival tonight
You're gonna be all right now
Now everything will be alright
And you may find
And you might discover
Somebody kind
Someone compassionate
To help and understand you
To assist and comprehend you
Someone who is just like you
Someone who is similar to you
And needs a gentle hand
And requires a considerate touch
To guide him along
To support him throughout his journey
So maybe I'll see you there
So I might see you there
We can forget all our troubles, forget all our cares
We can ignore all our problems and the things that concern us
And go down town
And visit the city center
Things will be great when you're
You will feel fantastic when you are
Down town
The city center
Don't wait a minute more
Don't delay any longer
Down town
The city center
Everything's waiting for you
Everything is anticipating your arrival
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Tony Hatch
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
harvey1954
This very good. Of course, Petula owns it, but Marianne does an excellent cover. You go girl!
Humberto Madrid Arredondo
Que hermosa versión de esta canción. Interpretada por la más linda y la mejor voz de Inglaterra.
clarkewi
I love her voice.
Ju Borah
Love this cover by Marianne. Delightful!
hebneh
I'm kind of surprised to see negative comments on this - she doesn't have Petula's power, but she does a perfectly good and enjoyable job here.
Neil Mansfield
Hi buddy
I think she doses a lot better Job than Petula Clark.
I wish she would sing this now
sean bryant-smith
Always fans who think covers are never as good..... Most artists since forever enjoyed the highest form of flattery !! Greatest compliment to have.....!
Neil Mansfield
Marianne Faithfulls version is used in a lot of pop culture films and romance films
Mary Olive
@protamine4 unm
protamine4
This is a worthy effort, IMHO. I always think of her as not having great talent but being strikingly beautiful with her flaxen hair and lovely face. I can't take my eyes off of her.