Marianne Evelyn Gabriel Faithfull is an English singer and actress. She ach… Read Full Bio ↴Marianne Evelyn Gabriel Faithfull is an English singer and actress. She achieved popularity in the 1960s with the release of her hit single "As Tears Go By" and became one of the lead female artists during the British Invasion in the United States.

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.

Lullabye
Marianne Faithfull Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hush now little one,
The day has lost its glow
The night falls softly round
The sandman's sleepy saws.
Sleep.

The stars will shine tonight
High up in the sky.

The breeze will sing a song
As he goes hurrying by.
Sleep.

For you the sun will rise,
For you the dawn will break.
Hush now, all is still,
Hush now till you wake.
Sleep.

Sleep.
So sleep.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Marianne Faithfull's Lullabye convey a sense of comforting stillness and peace as the day comes to a close and night falls. The singer urges a child to sleep, offering reassurance that the stars will shine, the breeze will sing, and dawn will come. The repetition of the word "sleep" creates a gentle, hypnotic effect, lulling both the child and the listener into a state of calm. The use of personification - the personification of the sandman's "sleepy saws" and the breeze that "goes hurrying by" - creates an atmosphere in which nature is actively involved in lulling the child to sleep.

The song is a beautiful tribute to the enduring tradition of lullabies, which are songs intended to soothe and calm children as they drift off to sleep. Lullabies have been sung throughout history, and they have been found in every culture around the world. The song also speaks to the universal human desire for peace and stillness, which we often seek at the end of a busy day. With its gentle melody and comforting lyrics, Lullabye invites the listener to rest and let go, and perhaps even to reconnect with the boundless sense of safety and security that we all felt as children.

Line by Line Meaning

Hush now little one,
Quiet now, young child,

The day has lost its glow
The sun has set and daylight fades,

The night falls softly round
Darkness is gently surrounding us,

The sandman's sleepy saws.
The sandman's peaceful tunes are playing,

Sleep.
Go to sleep,

The stars will shine tonight
The stars will glow brilliantly in the sky,

High up in the sky.
Far above us,

The breeze will sing a song
The wind will hum a gentle melody,

As he goes hurrying by.
As he rushes past,

Sleep.
Go to sleep,

For you the sun will rise,
The sunrise is for you,