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.
In My Time of Sorrow
Marianne Faithfull Lyrics
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In my time of feeling bad
Oh what I'd give
Just to relive
All of the good times that I've had.
In my time of sorrow
In my time of feeling alone
I could ease my mind
With thoughts of just being on my own.
Changes of life
I'm going through
Keep me from doing
What I know I should do.
In my time of sorrow
In my time where teardrops fall
I can't tell you why
I don't want to try,
But the time has come
For me to say fare well.
In my time of sorrow
In my time of sorrow
In my time of sorrow
Marianne Faithfull's song "In My Time of Sorrow" is a lament about the difficulties of facing and coping with grief. She expresses her longing to relive the happy memories she's had before the loss, and her difficulty in finding solace in being alone now that she feels so low. The lyrics are poignant and very emotional, with Faithfull's vocal range adding to the depth of the song.
The line "Changes of life, I'm going through keep me from doing what I know I should do" suggests that Faithfull is struggling to move on and find the right path forward. She may be caught in a cycle of grief, unable to break free from the pain and sadness she feels. Her repetition of "In my time of sorrow" throughout the song emphasizes the weight of this sorrow and how all-consuming it can be. Despite the fact that she has made the decision to say goodbye, she is unable to explain why she is unable to move forward.
Overall, "In My Time of Sorrow" is a heartfelt and moving song about the experience of grief that will resonate with anyone who has experienced loss.
Line by Line Meaning
In my time of sorrow,
During my difficult moments or times of sadness,
In my time of feeling bad
At a time where I am experiencing negative emotions,
Oh what I'd give
I would do anything or give anything just to change the current situation or go back in the past,
Just to relive
To experience once again,
All of the good times that I've had.
All of the positive experiences I had in my past that I wish to relive at this moment.
In my time of feeling alone
During the moments of feeling isolated or without companionship,
There was a time
In the past,
I could ease my mind
I was able to calm down and soothe my mind,
With thoughts of just being on my own.
By contemplating and embracing the idea of being by myself.
Changes of life
Adjustments or alterations in the circumstances of my existence,
I'm going through
That I am currently experiencing or facing,
Keep me from doing
Prevent me from taking action or doing what I know I should do,
What I know I should do.
What I am aware I need to do in order to move forward or improve my situation.
In my time where teardrops fall
During my moments of crying or shedding tears,
I can't tell you why
I am unable to explain why I feel this way,
I don't want to try,
I am not willing to make an effort to understand or express myself,
But the time has come
However, it is now the moment,
For me to say fare well.
For me to bid goodbye or depart.
In my time of sorrow
During my difficult moments or times of sadness,
In my time of sorrow
During my difficult moments or times of sadness,
In my time of sorrow
During my difficult moments or times of sadness.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JIMMY PAGE, ROBERT PLANT, JOHN PAUL JONES, JOHN BONHAM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind