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.
It's All Over Now Baby Blue
Marianne Faithfull Lyrics
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Take what you need, you think will last
But whatever you wish to keep
You'd better grab it fast
Yonder stands your orphan with his gun
Crying like a fire in the sun
Look out the saints are coming through
The highway is for gamblers
Better use your sense
Take what you have
Gathered from coincidence
The empty-handed painter from your streets
Is drawing crazy patterns on your sheets
This sky, too, is folding under you
And it's all over now, baby blue
All your seasick sailors
They are rowing home
Your empty-handed
Armies are all going home
The lover who just walked out your door
Has taken all his blankets from the floor
The carpet, too, is moving under you
And it's all over now, baby blue
Leave your stepping stones behind you
Something calls for you
Forget the dead you've left
They will not follow you
The vagabond who's rapping at your door
Is standing in the clothes that you once wore
Strike another match, go start anew
And it's all over now, baby blue
Marianne Faithfull's song It's All Over Now Baby Blue from 1965 is a farewell to a relationship that has ended badly, encouraging the recipient to leave and forget the past in order to start over. The lyrics focus on the urgency and inevitability of the situation: "take what you need, you think will last, but whatever you wish to keep, you'd better grab it fast," suggests the need for the listener to make quick decisions about what to take with them and what to leave behind, as their time is running out. The image of an orphan with a gun adds to the sense of danger and urgency, while the mention of "the saints" emphasizes a sense of judgment and finality. Overall, the song is a message of hope and freedom, encouraging the listener to move on from a difficult situation and start anew.
The second verse emphasizes the idea of chance and coincidence, suggesting that the listener should take what they have gathered and make the best of it. The image of the "empty-handed painter" drawing "crazy patterns on your sheets" suggests a sense of chaos and unpredictability, adding to the sense that the listener must be prepared for anything. The final verse suggests that the listener should not be weighed down by the past, but should leave it behind in order to find something new. The image of the "vagabond" standing in the listener's clothes suggests that the past is gone and the future is uncertain, but the listener must have the courage to strike "another match" and start over.
Line by Line Meaning
You must leave now
It's time to go away and move on.
Take what you need, you think will last
Take only what is necessary and valuable to you.
But whatever you wish to keep
You have to be careful about what you want to keep.
You'd better grab it fast
Take it quickly before it's too late.
Yonder stands your orphan with his gun
There's someone left behind with nothing to lose.
Crying like a fire in the sun
The person is crying desperately.
Look out the saints are coming through
The time is up and something new is coming.
And it's all over now, baby blue
Things have changed and cannot return to the way they were.
The highway is for gamblers
Life is a gamble and you have to be smart.
Better use your sense
Make wise decisions.
Take what you have
Take what you have learned.
Gathered from coincidence
Collect the lessons you learned through random events.
The empty-handed painter from your streets
The artist who hasn't found success.
Is drawing crazy patterns on your sheets
The artist is creating chaos in your life.
This sky, too, is folding under you
The world is turning upside down and you feel lost.
And it's all over now, baby blue
Things have changed and cannot return to the way they were.
All your seasick sailors
All those who were lost or struggling.
They are rowing home
They are finally finding their way back.
Your empty-handed armies are all going home
Those who didn't succeed are giving up.
The lover who just walked out your door
Someone you cared about has left.
Has taken all his blankets from the floor
The person has taken everything they owned.
The carpet, too, is moving under you
The ground beneath you is changing.
And it's all over now, baby blue
Things have changed and cannot return to the way they were.
Leave your stepping stones behind you
Don't look back at your mistakes or past.
Something calls for you
Your future is calling you.
Forget the dead you've left
Leave behind the things that are no longer relevant.
They will not follow you
The past is gone and cannot be changed.
The vagabond who's rapping at your door
Someone new is coming to your life.
Is standing in the clothes that you once wore
Something familiar is coming back.
Strike another match, go start anew
Light a new fire and start fresh.
And it's all over now, baby blue
Things have changed and cannot return to the way they were.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind