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.
He'll Come Back To Me
Marianne Faithfull Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What I hear,
Or can I have been deceived ?
Voices singing,
Bells are ringing,
They say
He'll come back to me.
Though he's gone,
In my sleep
As if he were here with me,
He'll be back now,
I can tell now,
You'll see,
He'll come back to me.
Once more, once more,
Tell me that he's still sure.
I know, I know
That he loves me much more
And I'll be here waiting
Until he comes back to me.
There's one thing
You should know:
Just how much I love him so.
Though he hurt me,
He won't desert me,
And now
He'll come back to me.
Once more, once more,
Tell me that he's still sure.
I know, I know
And I'll be here waiting
Until he comes back to me.
There's one thing
You should know:
Just how much I love him so.
Though he hurt me,
He won't desert me,
And now
He'll come back to me.
So you see,
Patiently
I'll be waiting here for his call.
Voices singing,
Church bells ringing
To say
He's come back to me.
In "He'll Come Back to Me," Marianne Faithfull sings about love and hope for a reunion with a lost lover. The singer hears voices and bells that signal her lover's eventual return to her. She also admits that her lover has hurt her in the past, but she remains steadfast in her love and certainty that he will come back to her. The chorus repeats the reassuring message that her lover still loves her and will return to her.
The first verse suggests that the singer feels slightly unsure of what she hears, as if she may have been "deceived." However, the voices singing and the bells ringing build up her confidence that her lover will return. The second verse reveals that the singer continues to feel her lover's presence even when he is physically absent, as she dreams of him visiting her in her sleep. She remains certain that he will come back, and she implores the listener to also believe that he will. The repetition of the phrase "once more, once more" in the chorus represents the singer's desire for constant reassurance of her lover's love and commitment to her. In the final verse, the singer reiterates her unwavering loyalty to her lover, even though he has hurt her before. She maintains faith that he will return to her, and the song ends with the joyous sounds of voices and church bells that signal his arrival.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you hear
Is it possible that you can hear the same voices singing and bells ringing that I hear?
What I hear,
Is it possible that I'm only imagining these voices singing and bells ringing?
Or can I have been deceived ?
Is it possible that I'm just hallucinating or dreaming? Or is it something real?
Voices singing,
I hear a choir of angels singing in my mind's ear.
Bells are ringing,
The church bells toll, marking the time and calling to me in anticipation of His return.
They say
The sounds of the bells and the singing voices are telling me that He is coming back to me.
He'll come back to me.
The voices and the bells are certain and promising me that my love will return to me.
Though he's gone,
Even though he has left me behind,
In my sleep
In my dreams at night,
As if he were here with me,
I can feel his presence close to me as if he's standing beside me.
He'll be back now,
I feel that his return is close at hand.
I can tell now,
I have a feeling that he's coming back, and it's more than just wishful thinking.
You'll see,
You will believe me too when he comes back to me.
Once more, once more,
Please reassure me one more time,
Tell me that he's still sure.
Confirm that he still loves me and will come back to me, no matter what.
I know, I know
I am certain and confident that he loves me,
That he loves me much more
And that he loves me beyond measure,
And I'll be here waiting
And I will patiently wait here for him to return,
Until he comes back to me.
For he will return to me because of the love that we share.
There's one thing
There is one thing that you should know,
You should know:
It's important for you to know this:
Just how much I love him so.
I love him deeply and wholly, and nothing can change that.
Though he hurt me,
Even though he hurt me in the past,
He won't desert me,
I still trust that he won't abandon me,
And now
Right now in this moment,
He'll come back to me.
He will come back to me, because our love is stronger than our challenges and struggles.
So you see,
As you can see,
Patiently
Waiting calmly and steadily,
I'll be waiting here for his call.
I will wait here until he returns to me, no matter how long it takes.
To say
And finally,
He's come back to me.
He will return to me, and the bells will peal and the voices will sing to celebrate our reunion.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CLAUDE HENRI VUC, MIKE LEANDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@davidcarter8874
Merci!
@a45rpm33
TY, I've actually reworked all 4 songs on the mono only EP.
@a45rpm33
Added the link to get the MP3's in description above. Both mono EP & my remixes.
@a45rpm33
link has been replaced. enjoy
@fisherdisco
France Gall sung this song at the time as well.
@DiamanteDea
didn't know she knew French!
@MSYNGWIE12
Could you please post the link again- the corona virus and a sick very ancient mama. Honest. Plus I am not sure how to up/download! Do I put the songs on a stick, a phone, a tablet or the lap top. Don't laugh. I am not 15, sorry for any inconvenience. Honestly I DO want the songs and you were so gracious. As I've said I adore this lady and try to collect everything she puts out. PLEASE, this time I will ask hubby for assistance. Namaste, thanks a45rpm33. Zoe
@a45rpm33
https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=1RzB9bnh_hPJzjLPvdOeG2nRjL_Qx4kmZ
All my stereo creations can be listened to and mp3's downloaded here. Enjoy.
@maggiefaithfull
Would you be able to upload the EP again? The link is dead. :( Thank you so much.
@MSYNGWIE12
Could you put the link back up May 2020- yes I know, I don't read dates often when listening and gazing at Lady Faithfull- I wish I could find a copy of this LP. But if the link is posted I can try to upload (at that I am a total wipe out) Namaste, Z