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.
Mystery of Love
Marianne Faithfull Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The world's in two, and I'm a fool
When you're not in my sight
Then everything, just fades from view
The mystery of love belongs to you
The mystery of love belongs to you
Tell me, have you changed your mind?
Am I a fool, because of you?
To make this wrong somehow be right
The mystery of love belongs to you
The mystery of love belongs to you
Show me sweetness, show me summer skies
Show me how to make this wrong seem right
Show me laughter in your pale blue eyes
Tell me, tell me have you changed your mind?
The lyrics of Marianne Faithfull's "Mystery of Love" seem to be a desperate plea to a lover who may be slipping away. The first two lines express the singer's fear and vulnerability when her lover is not with her. She feels like the world is falling apart without them and admits to feeling foolish for being so dependent on their presence. The next two lines paint a picture of how everything fades from view when her lover is not in sight. These first four lines give the listener an understanding of just how deeply the singer feels for this person and how important their love is to her.
In the chorus, the singer talks about how the mystery of love belongs to the person she's singing to. This could be seen as a way of acknowledging that her lover holds all the power in this relationship - but it's also a way of expressing her admiration and respect for them. She then goes on to ask whether her lover has changed their mind and whether there's still any hope for them. She's willing to do whatever it takes to salvage the relationship, even if it means making this wrong somehow be right.
The second verse continues the theme of the first, with the singer asking her lover to show her sweetness and summer skies. She's asking for some sort of assurance that their love is still strong and that they can work through their problems. The line "show me laughter in your pale blue eyes" is particularly poignant, as it suggests that the singer hasn't seen her lover smile in a while - and a lack of laughter is never a good sign in a relationship. Overall, "Mystery of Love" is a beautifully written song that captures the complexities of love and relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
When you're not by my side
When you're not physically present with me
The world's in two, and I'm a fool
I feel like everything is split in two and I am a fool for not being able to handle it
When you're not in my sight
When I cannot see you
Then everything, just fades from view
Everything else becomes less important and fades away
The mystery of love belongs to you
Only you possess the secrets and magic of love
The mystery of love belongs to you
Reinforcing the idea that only the person she loves possesses the mystery of love
Tell me, have you changed your mind?
Asking the person she loves if their feelings have changed
Am I a fool, because of you?
Questioning whether she is foolish for falling in love with this person
Tell me, do we still have time?
Asking if there is still a chance for them to be together
To make this wrong somehow be right
To find a way to turn their rocky relationship into a good one
The mystery of love belongs to you
Emphasizing the idea that only the person she loves holds the key to unlocking the mysteries of love
The mystery of love belongs to you
Reiterating that only the person she loves has the answers to the mystery of love
Show me sweetness, show me summer skies
Show me your love and make me feel warm like a summer day
Show me how to make this wrong seem right
Teach me how to fix our relationship and make it work
Show me laughter in your pale blue eyes
Make me happy and show me joy through your eyes
Tell me, tell me have you changed your mind?
Repeating her question about whether the person she loves still feels the same
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: POLLY JEAN HARVEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind