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.
Sister Morphine
Marianne Faithfull Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tell me, sister morphine, when are you coming round again?
Oh, I don't think I can wait that long
Oh, you see, I'm not that strong
All the other patients say they've never seen a man with such pain
Tell me, sister morphine, when are you coming round again?
Oh, I don't think I can wait that long
The scream of the ambulance is sounding in my ear
Tell me, sister morphine, how long have I been lying here?
What am I doing in this place?
Why does the doctor have no face?
Oh, I can't crawl across the floor
Can't you see, sister morphine, I'm just trying to score
Well, it just goes to show things are not what they seem
Please, sister morphine, turn my nightmare into dreams
Oh, can't you see I'm fading fast
And that this shot will be the last?
Sweet cousin cocaine, lay your cool hands on my head
Hey, sister morphine, you'd better make the lyin' bed
'Cause you know and I know in the morning I'll be dead
And you can sit around and you can watch all the clean white sheets stain red
The lyrics of Marianne Faithfull's song Sister Morphine are told from the perspective of a patient in a hospital bed, consumed by pain and desperation. The patient pleads for the arrival of sister morphine to alleviate his pain, as he believes he cannot wait any longer. The other patients in the hospital also attest to his immense agony, further highlighting his desperation. He asks sister morphine how long he has been in the hospital and the reasons for his current state. However, he is met with silence and faces a tragic ending as he ultimately succumbs to the seductive nature of drugs like cocaine and morphine.
Line by Line Meaning
Here I lie in my hospital bed
The singer is in the hospital bed and likely in a significant amount of pain or distress.
Tell me, sister morphine, when are you coming round again?
She's calling out for the drug sister morphine, wanting to know when she can take it again.
Oh, I don't think I can wait that long
She's in so much pain that waiting for the drug is unbearable.
Oh, you see, I'm not that strong
The singer feels weak and helpless.
All the other patients say they've never seen a man with such pain
The singer is in extreme pain and it's noticeable to the other patients.
The scream of the ambulance is sounding in my ear
The sound of an ambulance is noticeable to the singer.
Tell me, sister morphine, how long have I been lying here?
The singer is questioning how long she has been in the hospital.
What am I doing in this place?
The singer is questioning why they are in the hospital.
Why does the doctor have no face?
The singer is feeling detached from reality and is questioning why the doctor seems faceless.
Oh, I can't crawl across the floor
The singer is unable to move or get out of bed.
Can't you see, sister morphine, I'm just trying to score
The singer is using the drug to alleviate pain, but also to get a high.
Well, it just goes to show things are not what they seem
The singer is realizing that things are not as they appear and there is more going on beneath the surface.
Please, sister morphine, turn my nightmare into dreams
The singer is asking the drug to help her escape her pain and make things easier for her.
Oh, can't you see I'm fading fast
The singer is feeling like they are dying or close to death.
And that this shot will be the last?
The singer is questioning if this will be her last dose of morphine before she dies.
Sweet cousin cocaine, lay your cool hands on my head
The singer is referencing another drug, cocaine, and asking it to help her feel better.
Hey, sister morphine, you'd better make the lyin' bed
The singer is asking the drug to help her die, referencing the dying bed.
'Cause you know and I know in the morning I'll be dead
The singer knows that they will die soon because of their drug use.
And you can sit around and you can watch all the clean white sheets stain red
The singer is referencing the fact that they will die in the hospital bed and their blood will stain the sheets.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Abkco Music Inc.
Written by: Keith Richards, Marianne Faithfull, Michael Philip Jagger
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@LucioRozendo
Sister Morphine
Aqui eu deitada em minha cama de hospital
Conte me, Irmã Morfina, quando você vem rondar de novo
Oh, eu não acho que eu posso espera tanto
Oh, você pode ver que eu não sou forte
Os gritos da ambulância estão soando em minhas orelhas
Conte-me Irmã Morfina, como tem vivido aqui?
O que eu estou fazendo neste lugar?
Porque o médico não tem rosto?
Oh, eu não posso rastejar através do chão
Você não pode ver Irmã Morfina, eu estou somente tentando contar
Bem, somente indo para mostrar coisas que eles não veem.
Por favor, Irmã Morfina, transforme meus pesadelos em sonhos
Oh, você não pode ver eu estou desaparecendo rápido
E que esse tiro será meu último.
Doce primo Cocaína, coloque suas mãos legais em minha cabeça
Hey, Irmã Morfina, é melhor você fazer minha cama
Porque você sabe e eu sei que pela manhã eu estarei morta
E você pode sentar por aí e você pode assistir a folhas brancas limpar mancha vermelha
Sister Morphine
Here I lie in my hospital bed,
Tell me, Sister Morphine, when are you coming round again.
Oh, I don't think I can wait that long,
Oh, you see I'm not that strong.
The scream of the ambulance is sounding in my ears.
Tell me, Sister Morphine, how long have I been lying here ?
What am I doing in this place ?
Why does the doctor have no face ?
Oh, I can't crawl across the floor.
Can't you see, Sister Morphine, I'm just trying to score.
Well, it just goes to show things are not what they seem.
Please, Sister Morphine, turn my nightmare into dreams.
Oh, can't you see I'm fading fast
And that this shot will be my last.
Sweet Cousin Cocaine, lay your cool hands on my head.
Hey, Sister Morphine, you'd better make up my bed
For you know and I know in the morning I'll be dead,
And you can sit around and you can watch the clean white sheets stain red.
@eziodallago5466
Qui giaccio nel mio letto d'ospedale,
Dimmi, sorella Morphine, quando verrai di nuovo.
Oh, non credo di poter aspettare così a lungo,
Oh, vedi che non sono così forte.
L'urlo dell'ambulanza risuona nelle mie orecchie.
Dimmi, sorella Morphine, da quanto tempo sto qui sdraiata?
Cosa ci faccio in questo posto?
Perché il dottore non ha la faccia?
Oh, non posso strisciare sul pavimento.
Non vedi, sorella Morphine, sto solo cercando di segnare.
Bene, questo dimostra solo che le cose non sono come sembrano.
Per favore, sorella Morphine, trasforma il mio incubo in sogni.
Oh, non vedi che sto svanendo velocemente
E che questo scatto sarà il mio ultimo.
Dolce cugino cocaina, poni le tue mani fredde sulla mia testa.
Ehi, sorella Morphine, faresti meglio a rifare il mio letto
Perché tu lo sai e io so che domattina sarò morto,
E puoi sederti e guardare le lenzuola bianche pulite macchiate di rosso.
@clivewiddall3430
Such an under rated singer.
@sharinganchidori100
Actually grew up listening to the Rolling Stones version for most of my 25 years of life until I found this and found out she put this out 2 years before the stones did 😮. I love this version though as much and her voice is so beautiful 🖤
@Mirabella76
They recorded it in about the same time though. Stones just released it two years later. Mick produced her version anyway.
@fergusmurphy3269
The Stones recorded their own version as part of the "Beggars Banquet" sessions. I think it's floating around Youtube as "alternate" or "rare" or "1968" version. They re-recorded it for Sticky Fingers.
@desolatesurfer8651
Agreed. Mick tried to sing it exactly like this version.
@kurtkurt8938
@desolate surfer mick was a poser Marianne lived it as well
@susannebuchholz72
Yes,her voice is absolutely great!❣️👏🏻
@andymarx3836
Amazing beautiful voice a ❤😊
@marluxeduval1996
big fan love her voice in this song so real
@ruthdixon7807
it took mick jagger twenty years to admit that marianne had helped write the words and to add her name to the credits on the stones' version.