Marianne Faithfull Album

Midway, this way of life we're bound upon
I woke to find myself in a dark wood,
Where the right road was wholly lost, and gone.

Aye me, how hard to speak of it,
That rude and rough and stubborn forest,
The mere breath of memory stirs the old fear in the blood.

But when, at last, I stood beneath a steep hillside,

Which closed that valley's wandering maze,
Whose dread had pierced me to the heart root deep.

Then I looked up, and saw the morning rays
Mantle its shoulder from that planet bright,
Which guides men's feet aright,
On all their ways

Family

Will she now?... will our Anna pull herself together?
(lazy bones are for the devil's stockpot?)
For she was always quite a one for an armchair;
(lazy bones are for the devil's stockpot?)
Unless you came and hauled her off the mattress
(lazy bones are for the devil's stockpot?)
The lazy slug would lie in bed all morning.
(lazy bones are for the devil's stockpot?)

Otherwise, Anna Is, we must admit, a most respectful child.
(lazy bones are for the devil's stockpot?)
Did what she was told and showed affection for her parents.

(lazy bones are for the devil's stockpot?)
This is what we told her when she left home:
(lazy bones are for the devil's stockpot?)
"think of us, and mind you keep your nose down to the grindstone."
(lazy bones are for the devil's stockpot?)

O lord, look down upon our daughter,
Show her the way that leads the good to thy reward,
In all her doings preserve her and comfort her,
Incline her heart to observe all thy commandments
That her works on earth may prosper

Anna I

So we saved up, bought ourselves an outfit,
Nighties, nylons, beautiful dresses.
Soon we found a job that was going,
A job as dancer in a cabaret,
A job in memphis, the second big town we came to.

Oh how hard it was for Anna!
Beautiful clothes can make a good girl particular?
When the drinking tigress meets herself in the pool,
She's apt to become a menace.

She began talking about art (of all things),
About the art (if you please) of cabaret.
In memphis, the second big town we came to,
It wasn't art that sort of people came for.
That sort of people came for something else;

And when a man has paid for his evening
He expects a good show in return.

So if you cover up your bosom and thighs like you had a rash,
Don't be surprised to see them yawning.

So I told my art-loving sister Anna:
"leave your pride to those who can well afford it.
Do what you are asked to do and not what you want,
For that isn't what is wanted."

Oh but I had trouble, I can tell you,
With her fancy pig-head notions.
Night by night I sat by her bedside,
Holding her hand and saying this:
"think of our little house in Louisiana!"

Family

O lord, look down upon our daughter,
Show her the way that leads the good to thy reward.
Who fights the good fight and all self subdues,
Wins the palm, gains the crown

Family

We're at a stand-still! what she's been sending,
It's not any money a man can build a house with.
She's as giddy as a cyclone!
All the profits go for her pleasure!
And we're at a stand-still, for what she's been sending
Is not any money a man can build a house with.
Won't she settle down to business?
Won't she ever learn to save something?
For what the feather-brain is sending is not any kind of money
A man can build a little house with.

Anna I

We're making progress.
We have come to los angeles
And every door is open here to welcome extras.
We only need a bit of practice
Avoiding possible faux pas
And what can stop us going straight to the top then?

Family

O lord, look down upon our daughter,

Show her the way that leads the good to thy reward.

Anna I

If you take offense at injustice,
Mister big will show he's offended;
If a curse or a blow can enrage you so
Your usefulness here is ended.
Then mind what the good book tells us
When it says: "resist not evil."
Unforgiving anger is from the devil.

It took time to teach my sister that wrath would not do
In los angeles, the third big town we came to.
Where her open disapproval of injustice
Was so widely disapproved.
I forever told her: "practice self-control, Anna,
For you know how much it costs you if you don't."
And she understood and answered:

Anna II

Yes, I know, Anna

Family

We've gotten word from philadelphia
Anna's doing well, she's making lots of money.
Her contract has been signed to do a solo turn,
It forbids her ever eating when or what she likes to eat,
She likes to eat, she likes to eat.

Those are hard terms for little Anna,
Who has always been very greedy.
Oh if she does not break her contract!
There's no market for hippos in philadelphia!

Every single day they weigh her,
Gaining half an ounce means trouble,
They have principles to stand by:
It's a hundred-and-eighteen that were signed for?
Only for the weight agreed we pay!

Gaining half an ounce means trouble,
More than that would mean disaster!

But our Anna Is not all that stupid
And she knows a contract is a contract
So she'll reason: after all
You still can eat like little Anna
In Louisiana? crabmeat! porkchops!
Sweet-corn! chicken!
And those golden biscuits spread with honey!

Think of our house in Louisiana!
Look? it's growing! more and more it needs you!
Therefore curb your craving! gluttons will be punished!
Curb your craving, Anna! gluttons never go to heaven!

Anna I

Then we met a wealthy man in boston
And he paid her a lot because he loved her,
But I had to keep a watch on Anna
Who was too loving, but she loved another,
And she paid him a lot because she loved him.

So I said: "cheat the man who protects you
And you've lost half your value then:
He may pay once although he suspects you,
But he won't pay time and time again.
Girls can have their fun with money
When they've no provider they must face;
But for girls like us, it's not funny
If we ever even once forget our place."

"don't try to sit between two stools,"
I told her, then I went to see her young friend,
And said: "if you're kind, you won't hold her,
For this love will be your sweetheart's bitter end."
Girls can have their fun with money
When their money is their own to give,
But for girls like us, it's not funny
If we even once forget the way we live.

So I sent him a lone one-way ticket
Which had broke his heart to use, naturally.


And when Anna found out my trick,
He'd look like broken bones for me.

Family

Oh lord, look down upon our daughter,
Show her the way
That leads the good to thy reward,
Incline her heart to observe all thy commandments
That her works on earth may prosper.

Anna I

Now she show off her little round white bottom
Worth twice a little texas motel,
And for nothing the poolroom can stare at Anna
As though she had nothing to sell.
That's why most girls don't get rich
For they go bad when they forget their place:
You're not free to buy what you itch for
When you've got a good provider you must face.

Family

Who fights the good fight and all self subdues
Wins the palm, gains the crowns.

Anna I

It wasn't easy putting that in order
Saying good-bye to young fernando
Then back to edward to apologize,
Then the endless nights I heard my sister
Sobbing bitterly and repeating:

Anna II

It's right like this, Anna, but so hard!

Family

Anna, so the papers say,
Is now set up in baltimore:
Lots of folk seem to be shooting themselves for her.

She must be near to the top and raking it in,
To get in the news like that!
Well, so far, so good; to be talked about
Helps a young girl up the ladder.

Let her beware of overdoing it!
Some people might think she was mean;
Folks shy away from a girl who's said to be mean;

Folks give a wide wide berth

To those who grab all they can get,
Point unfriendly fingers at
Those whose greed goes beyond all bounds.
In the measure you give
You will surely be given,
And as you do, so will you be done by:
Fair is fair.
All must keep this law.

We sincerely hope our smart little Anna
Also has common sense
And will let them keep a shirt or two
When she lets them go for good.
Shameless boarders earn themselves a bad name

Anna I

And the last big town we came to was san francisco.
Life, there, was fine, only Anna felt so tired
And grew envious of others:
Of those who pass the time at their ease and in comfort;
Those too proud to be bought,
Of those whose wrath is kindled by injustice,
Those who act upon their impulses happily,
Lovers true to their loved ones,
And those who take what they need without shame;
Whereupon I told my poor tired sister,
When I saw how much she envied them:

"sister, from birth we may write our own story,
And anything we choose we are permitted to do,
But the proud and insolent who strut in their glory?
Little they guess, little they guess,
Little they guess the fate they're swaggering to.

Sister, be strong! you must learn to say no to

The joys of this world, for this world is a snare;
Only the fools of this world will let you go,
Who don't care a damn, don't care a damn,
Don't care a damn, will be made to care.

Don't let the flesh and its longings get you.
Remember the price that a lover must pay,
And say to yourself when temptations beset you?
What is the use? what is the use?
Beauty will perish and youth pass away.

Sister, you know, when our life here is over,
Those who were good to go to bliss unalloyed,
Those who were bad are rejected forever,
Gnashing their teeth, gnashing their teeth,
Gnashing their teeth in a gibbering void."

Family

Who fights the good fight and all self subdues
Wins the palm, gains the crown

Our revels now our ended,
These are actors, as I foretold you,
Were all spirits, and are melted into air,
Into thin air.

And like the baseless fabric of this vision,
The cloud capp'd towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples, the great globe itself.

Yea, all which it inherit shall dissolve,
And like this insubstantial pageant faded,
Leave not a rack behind.

We are such stuff as dreams are made of
And our little life is rounded
With a sleep

Oh, show me the way to the next whisky bar,
Oh, don't ask why, oh, don't ask why!
For we must find the next whisky bar
For if we don't find the whisky bar
I tell you we must die
I tell you we must die
I tell you
I tell you
I tell you we must die!

Oh, moon of Alabama,
We now must say good-bye.
We've lost our good old mamma
And must have whisky, oh you know why!

Oh, moon of Alabama,
We now must say good-bye.
We've lost our good old mamma
And must have whisky, oh you know why!

Oh, show me the way to the next pretty boy,
Oh, don't ask why, oh, don't ask why!

For we must find the next pretty boy,
For if we don't find the next pretty boy
I tell you we must die
I tell you we must die
I tell you
I tell you
I tell you we must die!

Oh, moon of Alabama
We now must say good-bye.
We've lost our good old mamma
And must have boys, oh you know why!

Oh, moon of Alabama
We now must say good-bye.
We've lost our good old mamma
And must have boys, oh you know why!

Oh, show me the way to the next little dollar,
Oh, don't ask why, oh, don't ask why!
For we must find the next little dollar,
For if we don't find the next little dollar
I tell you we must die
I tell you we must die
I tell you
I tell you
I tell you we must die!

Oh, moon of Alabama
We now must say good-bye.
We've lost our good old mamma
And must have dollars, oh you know why!

Oh, moon of Alabama
We now must say good-bye.
We've lost our good old mamma
And must have dollars, oh you know why!

Thank you, thank you very much. welcome to the new morning

Now there's a man, the living tool of satan
He charges forth while others are debating
Conniving, cocky knave with all the trimmings
I know one thing will trim him down? women.
In women he meets deep authority,
In them he feels his old dependency.

He sniggers at the good book, mocks the priss and prim,
Does anything for pay if it will pay
And since he knows what ladies do to him
He thrusts them well out of his way.
All through the day he swears
He's self denying, then dusk descends
And once again he's lying.

They're all the same in meeting love's confusion

Poor noble souls get blotted in illusion
The one who swore he could escape the clinches
Who is it that entangles him, wenches
It fain resists their lush authority
Before him stands his old dependency.

He harked the ten commandments
Trod the tried and true, would godly be and golden rule obey.
For lunch ate frugally, a grape a two,
Survived on one pure thought a day.
He screamed, "I've mastered it without half trying"
Appears the moon and once again he's lying.
Idiots? all of them

Bill's beer hall in Bilbao, Bilbao, Bilbao,
Was the most fantastic place I've ever known.
For just a dollar you'd get all you wanted,
All you wanted, all you wanted
Of whatever kind of joy you called your own.
But if you had been around to see the fun
Well I don't know you might not like what you'd've seen;
The stools at the bar were damp with rye,
On the dancefloor the grass grew high,
Through the roof the moon was shining green
And the music really gave you some return on what you paid.
Hey joe, play that old song they always played.

That ol' Bilbao
Down where we used to go
Who remembers the words...
It's so long ago.
I don't know if it would have brought you joy or grief but
It was fantastic
It was fantastic
It was fantastic
Beyond belief.

Bill's beer hall in Bilbao, Bilbao, Bilbao,
Came a day the end of may in 1908
Four guys from bristol came with sacks of coal dust,
Sacks of coal dust, sacks of coal dust
And the time they showed us all was really great.
But if you had been around to see the fun,
Well I don't know you might not like what you'd've seen;
The brandy bottles smashing through the air
And the chairs flying everywhere,
Through the roof the moon's still shining green
And those fog eyes all going crazy with their pistols blazing high,
"think you can stop 'em? go ahead and try!"

That ol' Bilbao
Down where we used to go
Da da da da da da...
Who remembers the words?
That ol' Bilbao
Casting its golden glow,
That ol' Bilbao
Love never laid me low
That ol' Bilbao
Why does it haunt me so?
I don't know if it would have brought you joy or grief but
It was fantastic
It was fantastic
It was fantastic
Beyond belief.

Bill's beer hall in Bilbao, Bilbao, Bilbao,
Now they've cleaned it up and made it middle class
With potted palms and aspree
Very bourgeois, very bourgeois
Just another place to put your ass,
But if you could come around to see the fun
Well, I don't know, you might not find it such a strain,
Ha, they've cleaned up all the booze and broken glass,
On parquet floors you can't grow grass,
They've shut the green moon out because of rain
And the music makes you cringe now when you think of what you paid.
Hey joe, play that ol' song they always played;

That ol' Bilbao
Down where we used to go
That ol' Bilbao
Casting its golden glow
That ol' Bilbao moon
Love never laid me low
That ol' Bilbao
Why does it haunt me so?
I don't know if it would have brought you joy or grief but
It was fantastic
It was fantastic
It was fantastic
Beyond belief.
So long ago

You lads see me wash the glasses, wipe the floors,
Make the beds, I'm the best of servants.
You can kindly throw me pennies and I'll thank you very much.
When you see me ragged and tattered in this dirty shit hotel,
You don't know in hell who's talking,
You still don't know in hell who's talking.
Yet one fine day there will be roars from the harbour
And you'll ask, "what is all that screeching for?"
And you'll see me smiling as I dunk the glasses
And you'll say, "what's she got to smile at for?"
And the ship, eight sails shining,
Fifty-five cannons wide, sir,
Waits there at the quay.

You say, "work on, wipe the glasses, my girl."
And just slip me a dirty six-pence.
And your pennies will be taken, and your beds will be made,
(but I doubt if forty winks will come anybody's way)
And you still don't know in hell who's talking,
You still don't know in hell who's talking.
Still one fine day there'll be a loud bang from the harbour,
And you'll ask, "jesus christ, what was that bang?"
And you'll see me standing right behind the window,
And you'll say, "why has she got the evil eye?"
And the ship, eight sails shining,
Fifty-five cannons wide, sir,
Will be aimed at this town.

So then lads, it's time for tears, no more laughs at the bar,

For the walls will be at your ankles.
And look out, lads, the town will be flat as the ground,
This dirty shit hotel will be spared wrack and ruin
And you'll say, "who is the fancy bitch lives there?"
You'll say, "who is the fancy bitch lives there?"
There'll be rows of people running round the hotel
And you'll ask, "why should they have spared this hovel?"
And you'll see me in the morning leaving lightly
And you'll say, "that one, her , she lived there?"
The same ship, eight sails shining,
Fifty-five cannons wide, sir,
Flies crossbones and skull.

In the midday sun a hundred men will step ashore
All tramping where shadows crawled.
They'll lay their hands on men, hiding shit-scared behind doors
Lead them in chains here before this silent woman,
And they'll say, "well, which ones shall we kill?"
They'll say, "which ones shall we kill?"
Come the dot of twelve, it will be still in the harbour,
When they ask me, "well, who is going to die?"
And you'll hear me whispering, oh, so sweetly, "all of them!"
And as the soft heads fall, I'll say, "hop-l?quot;
That same ship, eight sails shining,
Fifty-five cannons wide, sir,
Disappears with me.

The Salomon Song