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.
Flandyke Shore
Marianne Faithfull Lyrics
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(Trad; arr;Gil Goldstein-Traditional, arranged by Peter Webster)
I went unto my own love's chamber window,
Where I had often been before,
Just to let her know love unto flandyke shore,
Unto Flandyke shore,
Never to return to England no more.
I went unto my love's chamber door,
Where I never been before.
There I saw a light springing from her clothes,
Springing from her clothes,
Just as the morning sun when first arose,
Just as the morning sun when first arose.
As I was walking on the Flandyke shore
Her own dear father I did need
"My daughter she is dead," he cried.
"She is dead," he cried.
"And she's broken her heart all for the love of thee."
So I hove a bullet onto fair England's shore,
Onto fair England's shore,
Just where I thought my own true love did lay.
CD/ LP EASY COME EASY GO=2008
The song "Flandyke Shore" tells the tale of a lover's tragic fate. The singer goes to his lover's window and door to bid her farewell before sailing off "unto Flandyke Shore" and never returning to England. Later, while walking along the Flandyke shore, he encounters his lover's father who informs him that his daughter has died from a broken heart due to their separation. The heartbroken speaker then declares that he has sent a bullet to England, where he believes his true love's body resides.
The lyrics portray the pain and sorrow of a love that is just out of reach. The farewell scene at the window and door suggests that the lovers have been separated before, perhaps due to the singer's travels. The tragic news of his lover's death further emphasizes the depth of their love and the impact the separation has had on both of them. The singer's vow to send a bullet to England indicates his desire for revenge or atonement for his lover's death, as well as his own feelings of guilt and remorse.
Line by Line Meaning
I went unto my own love's chamber window,
I visited the window of my lover's room that I had visited many times before
Where I had often been before,
It was a common occurrence for me to visit my lover's window
Just to let her know love unto flandyke shore,
I wanted my lover to know that my love had taken me to Flandyke shore
Unto Flandyke shore,
I had gone to Flandyke shore because of my love
Never to return to England no more,
I didn't plan to come back to England again
Never to return to England no more.
I had no intention of returning to England anymore
I went unto my love's chamber door,
I approached my lover's door for the first time
Where I never been before.
I had never been to her door before that moment
There I saw a light springing from her clothes,
I noticed a light shining from her clothes
Springing from her clothes,
The light was coming from her clothes
Just as the morning sun when first arose,
The light was like the first rays of the morning sun
Just as the morning sun when first arose.
The light was similar to the sunrise
As I was walking on the Flandyke shore
While I was walking on the shore of Flandyke
Her own dear father I did need
I met her father
"My daughter she is dead," he cried.
He informed me that his daughter had passed away
"She is dead," he cried.
He repeated that his daughter had died
"And she's broken her heart all for the love of thee."
He blamed me for causing his daughter's broken heart and subsequent death
So I hove a bullet onto fair England's shore,
I shot a bullet towards England's coast
Onto fair England's shore,
I aimed the bullet towards England's shore
Just where I thought my own true love did lay.
I aimed the bullet towards the spot where I believed my true love was resting
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
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