Marie Magdelene Dietrich von Losch (aka Marlene) was born in Schöneberg bei… Read Full Bio ↴Marie Magdelene Dietrich von Losch (aka Marlene) was born in Schöneberg bei Berlin, Germany on December 27, 1901. Her father was an army officer who had served in the Franco-Prussian War. Because of his constant absences due to his army duties, Marlene and the family had to rely on themselves. After he died, while she was 11, Marlene's mother married Eduard von Losch and he adopted the Dietrich children.

Marlene was known in school for her "bedroom eyes" and her first affairs were at this stage in her life - a professor at the school was terminated.

Marlene enjoyed music and attended concerts. She was adept at playing the violin and piano. By the time she was in her mid-teens, Marlene had discovered the stage. Acting was to be her vocation. In 1921, Marlene applied for an acting school run by Max Reinhardt. She was accepted. She appeared in several stage productions, but never had more than a couple of spoken lines. In short, she wasn't setting the stage world on fire.

She attempted films for the first time in 1922 Her first film was So sind die Männer (The Little Napoleon) (1923) which was followed by Tragödie der Liebe (Love Tragedy) (1923). On this last project, she met Rudolf Sieber and married him in 1924. The union lasted until his death in 1976 although they didn't live together the whole time.

The remainder of her early film career was generally filled with bit roles. After being seen in the German production of Der blaue Engel (The Blue Angel) (1930) in 1930, Marlene was given a crack at Hollywood. Her first US film was Morocco (1930) with Gary Cooper, which was followed by Dishonored (1931). This latter movie had her cast as a street walker who is appointed a spy. The film was rather boring but was a success because of Marlene's presence. In 1932, Marlene filmed Shanghai Express (1932) which proved to be immensely popular, grossing $3 million. Once again, she was cast as a prostitute. The next film was Blonde Venus (1932) which turned out to be a horrible production. Her co-star was Cary Grant and once again she was cast as a prostitute.

During this period Dietrich had been typecast as a woman of low morals and she wanted different parts. Her chance came in 1939 in Destry Rides Again (1939) when she was cast as "Frenchy", a Western saloon hostess. This began a new direction for Marlene since it shed the previous typecasting. All through the 1940s, she appeared in well-produced, well-directed films such as Manpower (1942), The Spoilers (1942), The Lady Is Willing (1942) and Pittsburgh (1942).

Afterwards the roles came less frequently, perhaps one to two films every year. In 1945, Marlene didn't appear in any. She only made seven productions in the 1950's. Her last role of any substance was Judgment at Nuremberg (1961). Despite the lack of theatrical roles, Marlene still made appearances on the stage. However, by 1979, she was a shell of her former self. After breaking her leg in one performance, she never made a go of it in show business again.

Spending the last 12 years of her life bed-ridden, Marlene died on May 6, 1992 in Paris, France of kidney failure at the age of 90.

I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face
Marlene Dietrich Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I've grown accustomed to her face
She almost makes the day begin
I've grown accustomed to the tune she whistles night and noon
Her smiles, her frowns, her ups and downs
Are second nature to me now
Like breathing out and breathing in
I was serenely independent and content before we met
Surely I could always be that way again and yet

I've grown accustomed to her looks, accustomed to her voice
Accustomed to her face

She's second nature to me now
Like breathing out and breathing in
I'm very grateful she's a woman and so easy to forget
Rather like a habit one can always break and yet

I've grown accustomed to the trace of something in the air
Accustomed to her face

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" by Marlene Dietrich express the idea of falling in love and getting used to the presence of another person. The singer explains that she has grown so accustomed to the woman's face that it almost makes the day begin. She's also used to the tune the woman whistles, including her ups, downs and different expressions. The person has become a part of her daily routine, and their voice and looks are second nature to her now, like breathing. Dietrich discloses that before meeting this woman, she was content and independent, and even now she could revert to that state, yet she has grown familiar with her presence, which has become a habit that she cannot easily break.

In essence, the song is about how people can become accustomed to others. At the start of the song, the singer is recognizing that she has grown used to this particular woman, and the woman helps her start the day because now she's part of her routine. As the lyrics continue, it's clear that this woman is essentially interwoven into the singer's life, because she's not just used to her physical presence but also her personality, expressions and habits.

Line by Line Meaning

I've grown accustomed to her face
I have become used to seeing her regularly

She almost makes the day begin
Her presence brings positivity to my life

I've grown accustomed to the tune she whistles night and noon
Her behavior and habits have become a regular part of my life

Her smiles, her frowns, her ups and downs
I have become familiar with her every emotion and mood

Are second nature to me now
Her behavior has become automatic and natural for me to understand

Like breathing out and breathing in
I don't have to think about it, it just happens

I was serenely independent and content before we met
I was happy and fulfilled without needing anyone else in my life

Surely I could always be that way again and yet
Even though I could be independent again, it wouldn't be the same

I've grown accustomed to her looks, accustomed to her voice
I am familiar and comfortable with her physical appearance and the sound of her voice

Accustomed to her face
Overall, I am comfortable and familiar with her presence in my life

She's second nature to me now
I understand her so well that it feels natural to be around her

I'm very grateful she's a woman and so easy to forget
Although I appreciate her, I know it wouldn't be difficult to move on from her if necessary

Rather like a habit one can always break and yet
Like a habit, my familiarity with her can be changed or ended if necessary, but it wouldn't be easy

I've grown accustomed to the trace of something in the air
Even her scent has become familiar to me, indicating how much of a regular part of my life she has become

Accustomed to her face
Overall, her presence in my life has become a regular and comfortable part of my everyday routine

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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