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.
Working Class Hero
Marianne Faithfull Lyrics
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By giving you no time instead of it all
Till the pain is so big you feel nothing at all
A working class hero is something to be,
A working class hero is something to be
They hurt you at home and they hit you at school,
They hate you if you're clever and they despise a fool
A working class hero is something to be,
A working class hero is something to be
When they've tortured and scared you for twenty odd years
And then they expect you to pick a career,
But you really can't function, you're so full of fear, fear
A working class hero is something to be,
A working class hero is something to be
Keep you doped with religion and sex and TV, TV
And you think you're so clever and classless and free,
But you're still fucking peasants as far as I can see
A working class hero is something to be,
A working class hero is something to be
There's room at the top they are telling you still,
But first you must learn how to smile as you kill
If you want to live like the folks on the hill
A working class hero is something to be,
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be,
A working class hero is something to be
The lyrics of Marianne Faithfull’s song Working Class Hero explores the struggles of the working class trying to navigate the oppressive systems and societal norms. The first verse, “As soon as you're born they make you feel small, By giving you no time instead of it all, Till the pain is so big you feel nothing at all” speaks to the idea that society defines our roles, place, and value from birth. The working class is conditioned to believe that they are not enough, leading them to experience pain and a diminished sense of self-worth.
The second verse describes how the working class is mistreated, abused, and oppressed by those in authority, “They hurt you at home and they hit you at school, They hate you if you're clever and they despise a fool, Till you're so fucking crazy you can't follow their rules”. The working class is expected to conform to the rules and expectations of the system, eventually leading to feelings of craziness and disillusion.
The third verse, “When they've tortured and scared you for twenty odd years, And then they expect you to pick a career, But you really can't function, you're so full of fear, fear” speaks to how the working class is exploited for years and then, without support or resources, is expected to succeed in a corporate society. The lyrics communicate the idea that the working class is oppressed, manipulated, and dehumanized, emphasizing the importance of class identity and social justice in modern society.
Line by Line Meaning
As soon as you're born they make you feel small
From the moment you're born, the powers that be make you feel insignificant
By giving you no time instead of it all
They rob you of the time you need to grow and thrive
Till the pain is so big you feel nothing at all
They inflict so much pain that eventually you become numb to it all
They hurt you at home and they hit you at school
They abuse you at home and bully you at school
They hate you if you're clever and they despise a fool
They resent intelligence and look down on those who are not as smart
Till you're so fucking crazy you can't follow their rules
Their expectations are so arbitrary and illogical that it drives you insane
When they've tortured and scared you for twenty odd years
The torment and intimidation lasts for decades
And then they expect you to pick a career
After all that abuse, they still have the audacity to demand you choose a career
But you really can't function, you're so full of fear, fear
But you're so damaged by their cruelty that you cannot function properly
Keep you doped with religion and sex and TV, TV
Distract you with religion, sex, and television to keep you complacent and unaware
And you think you're so clever and classless and free
You may believe you're intelligent, without social class, and have freedom, but in reality, you're trapped
But you're still fucking peasants as far as I can see
Despite your dreams of upward mobility, society still considers you as just a common worker
There's room at the top they are telling you still,
They lure you with the promise of upward social mobility
But first you must learn how to smile as you kill
But to achieve that success, you must learn to hide your true nature and be willing to hurt others
If you want to live like the folks on the hill
If you want to live a privileged life like the elites
A working class hero is something to be
Yet, despite all the struggles and pain, being a working class hero is still an admirable thing
A working class hero is something to be
Being a working class hero should be celebrated and valued
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Winston Lennon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ezio dallago
Appena nasci ti fanno sentire piccolo
Non dandoti tempo invece di tutto
Finché il dolore non è così grande che non senti proprio niente
Un eroe della classe operaia è qualcosa da essere
Un eroe della classe operaia è qualcosa da essere
Ti hanno ferito a casa e ti hanno picchiato a scuola,
Ti odiano se sei intelligente e disprezzano uno sciocco
Finché non sei così fottutamente pazzo che non puoi seguire le loro regole
Un eroe della classe operaia è qualcosa da essere
Un eroe della classe operaia è qualcosa da essere
Quando ti hanno torturato e spaventato per vent'anni dispari
Poi si aspettano che tu scelga una carriera,
Ma non puoi davvero funzionare, sei così pieno di paura
Un eroe della classe operaia è qualcosa da essere
Un eroe della classe operaia è qualcosa da essere
Tieniti drogato con la religione, il sesso e la TV
E pensi di essere così intelligente, senza classi e libero
Ma per quanto posso vedere siete ancora dei fottuti contadini
Un eroe della classe operaia è qualcosa da essere
Un eroe della classe operaia è qualcosa da essere
C'è ancora spazio in cima che ci dicono ancora
Ma prima dobbiamo imparare a sorridere mentre uccidiamo
Se vogliamo vivere come la gente sulla collina
Un eroe della classe operaia è qualcosa da essere
Un eroe della classe operaia è qualcosa da essere
Un eroe della classe operaia è qualcosa da essere
Un eroe della classe operaia è qualcosa da essere
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#MarianneFaithfull #WorkingClassHero #Live
Konrad Blades
A true Icon backed by a set of amazing musicians.
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Love the entire Broken English album. It came with a rare parental advisory on the cover.
TheJamesOPhillips
the last track is an uplifting, spiritual track ;-) It's hard to believe it was originally conceived as a potential number for Tina turner.
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@dave powell They are listed on the Broken English album. Just do a search for it to find out who they are Dave. Btw, I agree with you.
dave powell
LOVE TO KNOW WHO THE MUSCAINS ARE THEY ARE AMAZING
MannyScoots (CONSPIRANOID)
Man what a wonderful sound !
Jens Østergaard
BEST VERSION EVER ! ❤ ❤ ❤
Enzo Galli
GRANDE Marianne, voce stupenda, pezzo bellissimo!!!!
Chris Smith
The best version of Working Class Hero and only 40,876 views. @Marianne Faithful you are a incredible hero.
Mary Catherine
Marianne Faithfull and Leonard Cohen a Working Class Hero is something to be....2021 a working class hero is something to be!