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.
This Little Bird
Marianne Faithfull Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Down to the earth to live on the wind.
Borne on the wind and he sleeps on the wind
This little bird that somebody sends.
He's light and fragile and feathered sky blue,
So thin and graceful the sun shines through.
This little bird who lives on the wind,
He flies so high up in the sky
Out of reach of human eye.
And the only time that he touches the ground
Is when that little bird
Is when that little bird
Is when that little bird dies.
The lyrics to Marianne Faithfull’s song This Little Bird describe a bird that is sent down to Earth to live on the wind. The bird is described as light, fragile, and feathered sky blue, and so thin and graceful that the sun shines through it. The little bird is borne on the wind, sleeps on the wind, and flies so high up in the sky that it is out of reach of the human eye. The only time that the little bird touches the ground is when it dies.
From an interpretative standpoint, the lyrics of This Little Bird are quite contemplative, evoking a sense of transience and fragility. The theme of sending and receiving is present throughout the song, which might suggest a sense of interconnectedness between all living things. The bird, in particular, seems to represent a delicate balance between freedom and mortality. Although it is light and graceful, the bird is ultimately subject to the whims of the wind and the limits of its own physical existence.
In addition to its poetic resonance, This Little Bird is notable for its historical significance. Released in 1965, the song was one of Marianne Faithfull’s earliest hits, and it helped establish her as a prominent figure in the British folk scene. It was written by John D. Loudermilk, a songwriter and musician known for his collaborations with artists like Johnny Cash and Glen Campbell. Over the years, the song has been covered by a number of popular musicians, including The Byrds, Linda Ronstadt, and Alison Krauss.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a little bird that somebody sends
A bird is sent to Earth by someone
Down to the earth to live on the wind.
The bird lives by flying in the wind
Borne on the wind and he sleeps on the wind
The bird travels and rests on the wind
This little bird that somebody sends.
The bird was sent by someone and is still flying
He's light and fragile and feathered sky blue,
The bird is small, delicate, and has blue feathers
So thin and graceful the sun shines through.
The bird is so fragile that sunlight shines through it
This little bird who lives on the wind,
The bird's life revolves around flying with the wind
This little bird that somebody sends.
The bird was sent from someone to Earth
He flies so high up in the sky
The bird flies to great heights in the sky
Out of reach of human eye.
The bird flies so high that people cannot see it
And the only time that he touches the ground
The bird rarely lands on the ground
Is when that little bird
The bird only lands
Is when that little bird
The bird only lands
Is when that little bird dies.
The bird lands on the ground only when it dies
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN LOUDERMILK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
adela2015 Adela
Există o pasăre pe care cineva o trimite
There's a little bird that somebody sends
Până la pământ să trăiesc din vânt.
Down to the earth to live on the wind.
Născut pe vânt și el doarme pe vânt
Borne on the wind and he sleeps on the wind
Această pasăre pe care o trimite cineva.
This little bird that somebody sends.
El este ușor și fragil și cu pene albastru de cer,
He's light and fragile and feathered sky blue,
Atât de subțire și grațios în care soarele strălucește.
So thin and graceful the sun shines through.
Această pasăre mică care trăiește în vânt,
This little bird who lives on the wind,
Această pasăre pe care o trimite cineva.
This little bird that somebody sends.
Zboară atât de sus pe cer
He flies so high up in the sky
Nu la îndemâna ochiului uman.
Out of reach of human eye.
Și singura dată când atinge pământul
And the only time that he touches the ground
Este atunci când acea pasăre mică
Is when that little bird
Este atunci când acea pasăre mică
Is when that little bird
Este momentul în care acea pasăre moare.
Is when that little bird dies
onehotgossip
Marianne Faithfull - This Little Bird
There's a little bird that somebody sends
Down to the earth to live on the wind.
Borne on the wind and he sleeps on the wind
This little bird that somebody sends.
He's light and fragile and feathered sky blue,
So thin and graceful the sun shines through.
This little bird who lives on the wind,
This little bird that somebody sends.
He flies so high up in the sky
Out of reach of human eye.
And the only time that he touches the ground
Is when that little bird
Is when that little bird
Is when that little bird dies.
Life with Hanz
The movie “The last letter from your lovers “ made me to listen to this for the first time and now it has become a kind of addiction and can’t get out my mind from this sound and words ♥️ I love this
KrystalroxX7
I’ve watched the film like 7 times and I never get tired of it. Beautiful song 🎵 💕💜
twooneup
How can anyone dislike this song, sung so beautifully by a beautiful woman.
mm 1961
Those that mistakenly think rap is music.
Daithi o beag
@theo pilot blockhead
Corrr van Mokum
@MaryGrazeTita Better bad taste than no taste...hehe
MaryGrazeTita
Lol some may have bad taste
thebaddog410
@theo pilot Fuck twist music this is the bomb right here
Chike Nwoke
“The Last Letter From Your Lover” brought me here. Was drawn to this awesome song 🎶
Raayshree Kaulesar Sukul
Same here.❤