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.

The Last Song
Marianne Faithfull Lyrics

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Lost his own, taken down
All his songs
Till his all alone
And all our love was harmed
'cept for you
I'm only young, favorite son
Say you tried, take it back
To where you belong

And all the things you say

Still untrue
We saw the green fields
Turn into homes
Such lonely homes
We saw the green fields
Turn into homes
Such lovely homes
Do what you want to do!
I was digging up, sorting out,
Only to built a song alone
Till you came along
But all my love was there
Just all for you
And in the darkest time
We crossed the line
Made a song
Cause all the talk was wrong
And all you ever won

Can still be true
We saw the green fields
Turn into homes
Such lonely homes
We saw the green fields
Turn into stone
Such lonely homes
We saw the green fields
Turn into homes
Such lovely homes
We saw the green fields
Turn into stone
Such lonely stone
Now all my love is out
It's just for you

It's not a love song
It's the last song for you

Overall Meaning

Marianne Faithfull’s “Last Song” is a haunting ballad with a melancholic feel, capturing the essence of heartbreak and loss in a poetic rendition. The song appears to be written from a very personal perspective, with lyrics reflecting the singer’s emotions and thoughts as they look back on their life, love, and memories. The line in the first phrase of the song “Lost his own, taken down all his songs” appears to be a metaphor for someone who has lost everything in their life, including their identity and creativity. They believe that all the things they once held dear and defined them have been stripped away and that they are now “all alone.”

The singer confesses that they have loved and lost, and it has left a scar on their heart. They suggest that the only person who cares about them is the one they are addressing in the song, saying “‘cept for you, I'm only young, favorite son.” The singer acknowledges that they have made mistakes, but they want to go back, saying, “Say you tried, take it back to where you belong.” Meanwhile, they appear disillusioned with the world, and they feel that all the things people say are untrue. They reminisce about the past and how they saw the “green fields turn into homes, such lonely homes” as they reflect on how everything has changed, and they are now left all alone.

Overall, Marianne Faithfull’s “Last Song” is a beautiful and poignant song that speaks to the complexity of human emotions. The language is poetic, and the music complements the lyrics perfectly, creating an atmosphere that will leave the listener with a lot to ponder.

Line by Line Meaning

Lost his own, taken down
His possessions were seized and he was defeated

All his songs
Every song he ever wrote

Till his all alone
Until he is left with nothing and no one

And all our love was harmed
Our love was damaged irreparably

'cept for you
Except for you, my love remains

I'm only young, favorite son
I am young and the most beloved child

Say you tried, take it back
Admit you made a mistake and try to make amends

To where you belong
Go back to where you came from

And all the things you say
All your words

Still untrue
Are still not true

We saw the green fields
We witnessed the beautiful fields