Disco Sunday #29: Marianne Faithfull and The Perfect Bassline
Marianne Faithful is a living legend. Born to a Jewish Baroness, and a great-great-neice of Sacher-Masoch (from whom we have the term “masochism”) she was a ballerina under Brecht and Weill before moving to London in the early 60’s to become a singer. She was spotted at a Rolling Stones party by Andrew Loog Oldham, their manager, who convinced Mick and Keith to write a song for Marianne. “As Tears Go By” was actually the first original composition by the Stones (who had started as a cover band), and it was a massive hit for Faithfull years before the Stones recorded their version.
Faithfull became an overnight superstar and left her heroin-addicted husband to become Jagger’s paramour and muse for the rest of the decade. “Sympathy for the Devil” was said to have been inspired by a book Faithfull lent Mick, and her growing heroin and cocaine addictions inspired both “Wild Horses” and “Sister Morphine” (which she co-wrote). Faithfull’s life became darker and increasingly drug-addled during the 70’s, which began with her breaking up with Jagger and ended with her career in tatters (shadoobee).
But then came 1979’s Broken English. The music created by a crack team of session musicians led by producer Mark Miller Mundy sounds at times like a cynical stab at a commerically viable comeback. But coupled with Faithfull’s voice, which had become deeper and more gravelly, and her lyrics covering sunny topics like cold war terrorism and un-Faithfull lovers, the overall effect is apocalyptic post-punk/new wave of the highest order.
The album’s centerpiece is the title track, featuring a mesmerizing, neverending loop of a bassline by Steve Winwood. I have tried and failed many times to compose an equally flawless series of notes which, like Winwood’s line, move about anxiously yet somehow stay rooted in place. Along with the bare-bones disco beat, the overall effect is of a perpetual motion machine with a gorgeously sinister melodic underpinning. It sounds like David Bowie trapped in east Berlin (as he was at the time), circling around the wall in a coke-fueled paranoid haze (as he was at the time) looking for a means of escape. It is one of my all time favorite songs, and a stealth disco classic.
MP3: “Broken English” – Marianne Faithfull
The original version is a bit too light on the drums and bass for DJing purposes (I almost always play it out), so I remixed it to include a new rhythm track, an extended intro and outro, and a few little synthy things here and there. I’ve also made a second version that’s a bit faster (129BPM instead of 121). The song is such a classic I tried not to mess with it too much, but it’s slightly more involved than a typical re-edit – hence the name “Baron von Luxxury Light Touch Remix.” Enjoy!
MP3: “Broken English (Baron von Luxxury Slow Touch Remix – 121BPM)” – Marianne Faithfull
MP3: “Broken English (Baron von Luxxury Light Touch Remix – 129BPM)” – Marianne Faithfull
Video: “Broken English” – Marianne Faithfull (directed by Derek Jarman)
Faithfull’s life and career have been on the upswing since the 90’s. Musically she has worked with Beck, Jarvis Cocker, and, um, Metallica. And just this past year was nominated for best actress for her acting performance in a film about a woman who finds her calling giving glory hole hand jobs (no joke!).
xx,
Baron von Luxxury is My Fake Name
Buy Marianne Faithfull Music
Official Faithfull Website
Faithfull Fan site
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Like how you lift up the bass, but the 129 is not really necessary. The original still remains crazy cool.
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@ Pjotr: I actually did a slower version too, I’ll add that to the post so’s you can take your pick.
“Born to a Jewish Baroness” .. well, likely why she has the funk.
I was not hip to this story, thanks for sharing, and the remix (129) is tight.
fONk
Love the Slow Touch remix – adds just enough oomph to a great song.