Aftermath

Iconic cover photograph is the work of Dennis Morris

The album's title track Broken English, took inspiration from terrorist figures of the time, particularly Ulrike Meinhof of the Baader-Meinhof group.  Guilt was informed by the Catholic upbringing of the singer and her composer Barry Reynolds.  The Ballad of Lucy Jordan, originally performed by Dr Hook, was a melancholy tale of middle class housewife's disillusionment; Marianne's version became something of an anthem and was used on the soundtracks to the films Montenegro (1981) and Thelma & Louise (1991).  What’s the Hurry? was described by Marianne as reflecting the everyday desperation of the habitual drug user.  Her cover of John Lennon’s Working Class Hero, recorded as a tribute to her own heroes such as Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, David Bowie, Iggy Pop, and Lennon himself, was widely praised. The last track, the six-and-a-half-minute Why'd Ya Do It?, was a caustic, graphic rant of a woman reacting to her lover's infidelity.  The lyrics began with the man's point of view, relating the bitter tirade of his cheated-on lover.  It was set to a grinding tune inspired by Jimi Hendrix’s recording of Bob Dylan’s All Along the Watchtower.  Poet and writer Heathcote Williams had originally conceived the lyrics as a piece for Tina Turner to record, but Marianne succeeded in convincing him that Turner would never record such a number.  Its plethora of four-letter words and explicit references to oral sex caused controversy and led to a ban in Australia.

Marianne began living in New York after the release of the follow-up to Broken English, Dangerous Acquaintances, in 1981. Despite her comeback, she was still battling with addiction in the mid-1980s, at one point breaking her jaw tripping on a flight of stairs while under the influence.  In another incident her heart stopped.  A disastrous appearance on Saturday Night Live was blamed on too many rehearsals, but it was suspected that drugs had caused her vocal cords to seize up. In 1987, Marianne again reinvented herself, this time as a jazz and blues singer, on Strange Weather.  The album became her most critically lauded album of the decade.  Coming full circle, the renewed Marianne cut another recording of As Tears Go By for Strange Weather, this time in a tighter, more gravelly voice.  Marianne confessed to a lingering irritation with her first hit.  I always childishly thought that was where my problems started, with that damn song, she told Jay Cocks in Time magazine, but she came to terms with it as well as with her past.  In a 1987 interview with Rory O'Connor of Vogue, Faithfull declared, forty is the age to sing it, not seventeen.

Marianne's musical career rebounded for the third time during the early 1990s with the live album Blazing Away, which featured Marianne revisiting songs she had performed over the course of her career.  Blazing Away was recorded at St. Ann's Cathedral in Brooklyn.  Alanna Nash of Stereo Review commended the musicians whom Marianne had chosen to back her—longtime guitarist Reynolds was joined by former Band member Garth Hudson and pianist Dr. John.  Nash was also impressed with the album's autobiographical tone, noting Faithfull's gritty alto is a cracked and halting rasp, the voice of a woman who's been to hell and back on the excursion fare which, of course, she has. A Collection of Her Best Recordings was released in 1994 by Island Records to coincide with the release of her autobiography - Faithfull.  It contained Marianne's updated version of As Tears Go By from Strange Weather, several cuts from Broken English and A Child's Adventure and a song written by Patti Smith scheduled for inclusion on an Irish AIDS benefit album.  This track, Ghost Dance, was made with a trio of old acquaintances: Stones' drummer Charlie Watts and guitarist Ron Wood backed vocals on the song, while Keith Richards coproduced it. Marianne closed out the 90's with the release of Vagabond Ways in 1999 with the title track, Vagabond Ways, Tower of Song and Incarceration of a Flower Child represented here.  Her renaissance continued with Kissin Time, released in 2002 with Sex With Strangers and I'm on Fire featured on Aftermath.  In 2005, she released Before the Poison with mixed reviews.  2008's release Easy Come Easy Go with the title track, Black Coffee and Sing Me Back Home, with Keith Richards rasping vocal, represented here.  Horses and High Heels released in 2011 features That's Why Every Empire Falls.  Marianne's latest album Give My Love To London is scheduled to be released in September, 2014.

My favorite lyric is Witches' Song written by Marianne Faithfull, Joe Mavety, Stephen York, Barry Reynolds and Terence Stannard.  It is the second track from her 1979 album Broken English.

Shall I see tonight sister, bathed in magic greet Shall we meet on the hilltop where the two roads meet We will form the circle, hold our hands and chant Let the great one know what it is we want Danger is great joy, dark is bright as fire Happy is our family, lonely is the ward Sister, we are waiting on the rock and chain Fly fast through the airwaves, meet with pride and truth Danger is great joy, dark is bright as fire Happy is our family, lonely is the ward Father, we are waiting for you to appear Do you feel the panic, can you see the fear? Mother, we are waiting for you to give consent If there's to be a marriage, we need contempt Danger is great joy, dark is bright as fire Happy is our family, lonely is the ward Remember death is far away and life is sweet

Wanderin' Spirit
June, 2014
"Aftermath"

This page has been made for viewing in Internet Explorer.  In order for all audio to play in Chrome or Firefox you will need to install the IE Tab extension and add https://www.angelfire.com/* to the Auto URL list, thank you.