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.
Full Fathom Five
Marianne Faithfull Lyrics
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My father lies
Of his bones all coral made
Those are pearls that were his eyes
Nothing of him but the fade
That doth suffer a sea change
Into something rich and strange
Sea nymphs hourly ring his bellHark! I hear them
Ding, dong
Ding, dong, bells
The lyrics to Marianne Faithfull's song Full Fathom Five are an adaptation of a famous verse from William Shakespeare's play The Tempest. The song is about a dead father, whose body has been transformed by the sea into something beautiful, as his bones become coral and his eyes become pearls. The lyrics suggest that even though the father is gone, he has left something behind that is valuable and worth remembering. The sea nymphs also play a role in the song, ringing bells every hour, signaling his continued presence.
The song is rich in metaphors and symbolisms that convey the idea of transformation and change. The phrase "nothing of him but the fade" suggests that everything physical about the father has disappeared, but something more enduring remains. The sea change refers to a profound transformation, which is brought about by the power of nature. It suggests that even in death, there can be an opportunity for renewal and regeneration.
Line by Line Meaning
Full fathom five
My father has drowned and now lies at the bottom of the sea
My father lies
My father's physical body now rests on the ocean floor
Of his bones all coral made
Over time, my father's bones have transformed into coral
Those are pearls that were his eyes
The eyes of my father have transformed into pearls
Nothing of him but the fade
All that remains of my father is a vague memory
That doth suffer a sea change
The transformation that has taken place due to the sea is significant
Into something rich and strange
The changes that took place after his death are unusual, but beautiful
Sea nymphs hourly ring his bell
The mythical creatures of the sea sing to his bones on a regular basis
Hark! I hear them
I can hear the sea nymphs calling to my father
Ding, dong
The sound of the sea nymphs can be heard
Ding, dong, bells
The sound of the sea nymphs calling to him echoes through the sea
Lyrics © IMAGEM U.S. LLC
Written by: MICHAEL NYMAN, WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind