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.
If I Never Get To Love You
Marianne Faithfull Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It won't be that I didn't try
I'll be trying to possess you
'Till the day I die
If I never get to love you
It won't be that I ran away
For as long as you will have me
What I wouldn't give to hold you tight
Never, never let you out of sight
Be the one you give your first kiss every morning
The last one you kiss goodnight
If I never get to love you
It won't be that I didn't care
There is nothing that I want more
Or I need more
And my heart would surely break in two
If I never get to love you
What I wouldn't give to hold you tight
Never, never let you out of sight
Be the one you give your first kiss every morning
The last one you kiss goodnight
If I never get to love you
It won't be that I didn't care
There is nothing that I want more
Or I need more
And my heart could surely break in two
If I never get to love you
The lyrics of Marianne Faithfull's song "If I Never Get To Love You" express a deep longing for love and the fear of never experiencing it. The first stanza describes the effort that the singer is willing to put into trying to capture the person's love, even until death. The second stanza speaks to the desire for closeness and intimacy with the object of her affection. The singer imagines what it would be like to hold the person tight, never letting them out of sight, and being the first and last kiss of every day.
The final stanza reinforces the singer's commitment, expressing that if they never get to love, it won't be for a lack of caring or wanting. The singer emphasizes that there is nothing they want or need more than love, and that not being able to experience it would break their heart in two.
The song speaks to the universal human longing for connection and love, and the fear of never experiencing it. It highlights the vulnerability that comes with opening oneself up to another person and the emotional weight of not being able to capture the love one desires. The lyrics are relatable and poignant, invoking a deep sense of empathy from the listener.
Line by Line Meaning
If I never get to love you
Even if I don't get to love you, I will try my best to.
It won't be that I didn't try
I will put in all my effort to win your love.
I'll be trying to possess you
I am hoping to make you mine and keep you close always.
'Til the day I die
I will never give up on loving you, even until the end of my life.
It won't be that I ran away
I will not run away from my feelings for you.
For as long as you will have me
As long as you allow me to stay, I will be by your side.
Close to you, I'll stay
I want to be close to you always, never to be parted.
What I wouldn't give to hold you tight
I would give anything to tightly embrace and hold you.
Never, never let you out of sight
I want you to always be with me, never to lose you.
Be the one you give your first kiss every morning
I want to be the one you wake up next to and share your first kiss of the day with.
The last one you kiss goodnight
I want to be the last person you see and kiss before you go off to sleep at night.
If I never get to love you
Even if I am unable to love you, know that I still care for you deeply.
There is nothing that I want more
My heart desires nothing more than to love you and be with you forever.
Or I need more
You are essential to my happiness and I need you in my life.
And my heart would surely break in two
If I am unable to love you or be with you, my heart will be shattered.
If I never get to love you
Even if I am unable to love you, please know that you mean everything to me.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: HAL DAVID, BURT BACHARACH, BURT F. BACHARACH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rex O'Steen
I bought her "As Tears Go By" album, when I was 16, and I discovered this short little gem by mistake. Her pure and tender voice overcomes parts of the unremarkable rhymes and gushy sentimentality. Back then, I was too embarassed to tell any of my peers I liked it, but now I'm 65, my audience is scattered and vanishing, and the world seems doomed. It's one of those songs that someone had to write in order to move on to the next level of growing up.
Sharon Rogers
Well said. I've always loved this song since adolescence or so. Still do. Am 70. ❤
Dale Lottig
The most haunting and beautiful melody she ever recorded.
Robin Wilson
This is BEAUTIFUL!!
Alejandro G
Beautiful. Absolutely stunning.
Phoebe Fugate
love this song ..,..if I never get to love you . ......nice words ..for someone special
grimble
My favorite of her early stuff. One of them.
Deirdre ODonnell
Sung with ease and straightforward credibility. Not an outstanding song in itself but likeable.
Phoebe Fugate
if I never get to love you......to that special someone .I do so love you ..wish we could ..
Knickers Brown
Ahh, the pre-Mick Jagger Marianne Faithfull.