The rough edges of Faithfull's voice is a deep emotional delivery of a political message that in the early 1980's was prescient of the current decline of the democratic societies of the Western world.  So sad that few acted to resist the forces of decline. This music is much appreciated by those of us who saw this coming back then like a freight train. 

If I was in a hotel room, everyone would love this song. Instead it's just me. Great song.

 bam23 wrote: 
The brutal, sharp edges quality of this song is what makes it great IMHO. Sort like a shambling, stumbling Frankenstein shaking a fist triumphantly, it has power and awe (and I mean that in a good way).

Ahh, reminds me of the time I was with mates from Melbourne in fall of 2000 as we visited and partied hard (is there any other way in Oz?!) with mates of theirs at their incredible place on Wye River down by the beach town of Lorne and this LP was put on and more bottles of exquisite wine were opened and things got wild as the night full of lorikeets, cockatoos, wallabies and 'roos outside...I was about to go through a divorce and they all wanted to cheer me up, and their stories of Marianne Faithful made me think maybe I COULD survive it all...

Just think of her in (or out of) the leather outfit from Girl on a Motorcycle. 

Oh! Ooooh! Marianne! I played this album (yes, vinyl) over and over and over when it came out. Rough and edgy. The cigarettes...that voice! While I am not that same person anymore (thankfully)...I still LOVE this album and her voice and this song. And the album cover is classic. Wow. Having not heard this in YEARS it immediately made me reach to turn it UP! Oh, RP, you've done it again!

 planet_lizard wrote: 

Nope.  Marianne was co-writer of this song, which came out in late '79 (not sure why it says 1987 here??).  Anyway, I remember it getting a big push at that time, and she sang it on Saturday Night Live in early 1980. 

Only ever knew the Sunscream version (early 90s) - had no idea it was a cover! Is this the original? Or is there another beofre this?

I bought a LP player the other day, just for fun. bought this marianne faithful - LP with it, just for a euro. And have been listening to that record for at least 10 times so far. Just great music....

BTW, has anyone seen "Irina Palm"?

 bam23 wrote: 
You are right on, bam23. Even on RP, (many) listeners seem to dump on anything that's not safe and predictable. Sigh.

OK, this is not "pretty" music. However, the criticisms seem misdirected. I missed this when it was new, but there is an undeniable power that seems to pass lots of listeners by. Sure, you need not like it, but why assume that your displeasure should be universal? 

nice transition from Stones / Sister Morphine (written by (i think) and also performed by Marianne Faithfull).

Update 7 Google-wiki seconds later: "Sister Morphine" is a song originally released by British singer Marianne Faithfull as a single in 1969. It was later popularised by the rock and roll band The Rolling Stones, who included it on their 1971 album release Sticky Fingers. It was originally credited to Jagger/Richards, but after a legal battle, Faithfull has been credited as co-writer.

All I can say is Wow.

 ScottN wrote: 
She was very worn-down-by-the-world by then, however, twenty years before that:

 bluedot wrote: 
Yep. Got this when it came out- it was a huge surprise. Great album.

I can think of a lot of songs from that era I'd rather hear - but hearing this from time-to-time is okay by me. I give it a 5, with a +1 for kitsch. 

Repetitive and extraordinarily boring!

Uuggghhh....this is horrible!

Nice lead in from her earlier signature song, "Sister Morphine".

 shakitten wrote: 
And what will we say about you when you find the courage to pick yourself off the pavement and launch your own comeback, warts'n all as she did with this album?

I saw her when she was touring this album (@The Diamond, Toronto) and she absolutely KILLED that night. The thing about that night was that many people were uneasy about what kind of performance we"d be in for from a washed-up has-been shopping a new album.
That was definitely NOT the case. She had such a strong presence on stage, we were putty in her imperfect hands.

Yes, '80's, that's when it was. And this is Eclectic Radio!

Raw and real...sadly dated, but still glowing.

Brutal.

This song is almost 25 years old and she had a weary, worn-down-by-the-world sound then. 

love it

OKAY

enough.

 bluedot wrote: 
If she's too hip for me I'm glad to be unhip.
Whining with backbeat.  No thanks 

 Alpine wrote: 

I'm perplexed by all sides - why is it such a surprise when there is disagreement. This is all opinion, not observable, measurable fact. As it happens, I side with those who love this song (I'd rank it an 8.5, if that was possible) but I'm hardly surprised that someone might find it highly unappealing.

Definitely a 9 in my book.

Check out her cover of "Love Is Teasin' " with The Chieftains on 'Long Black Veil'...

Live video

Sincerely, Neil

 bluedot wrote: 

This is the only song of her's I have ever heard, so I don't have much to go by.  And to be brutally honest, it's not that great.  So I dunno.