Audio CD review:
Marianne Faithfull - Faithfull: A Collection of Her Best Recordings

Marianne Faithfull - Faithfull: A Collection of Her Best Recordings

Band: Marianne Faithfull Title: Faithfull: A Collection of Her Best Recordings Rating: Release Date: 12 September, 2006 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Broken English 2: The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan 3: Working Class Hero 4: Guilt 5: Why D'Ya Do It 6: Ghost Dance 7: Trouble In Mind (The Return) 8: Times Square (Live) 9: Strange Weather 10: She 11: As Tears Go By

Customer Reviews Should be called "Some of her best". It's only 11 tracks, about 49 minutes, and doesn't really include any of her earliest or latest work. Like others have said, a good yet odd collection. Over half of her "Broken English" album is on here, then just one track each, if that, from her following albums. It really does seem like the best of "Broken English" with bonus tracks in a way. But the bigger point is that this is all really good stuff, and maybe the best single-disc collection from this era. It ends with her version of "As Tears Go By", which I like alot, though it's an early song for her, since her voice isn't as rough as it is today. Some people might want one of her other "Greatest Hits" collections, or just the "Broken English" album, but this should be enough for many casual fans. . Interesting collection The album also includes the atmospheric ballad Trouble In Mind, a stunning live version of Times Square (the studio version appears on her Child's Adventure album), the bluesy Strange Weather, the early (1964) version of as Tears Go By, the atmospheric Angelo Badalamenti-produced She and a splendid interpretation of Patti Smith's Ghost Dance. This compilation leans heavily on the Broken English album, containing its title track, the hit The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan, her version of Lennon's Working Class Hero, Guilt and the controversial Why D'ya Do It. I am in two minds about the album: it does not offer the best value for money but nevertheless contains some special tracks worth owning. I don't understand why none of the great tracks from Dangerous Acquaintances has been included and only a live version of Times Square. A song like The Blue Millionaire from A Child's Adventure would have fitted perfectly here. I recommend this album for devoted fans/completists only. For those who want her best post-sixties work, I recommend the 2-disc album Perfect Stranger: The Island Anthology. Digs deep... Everything about it was perfect. I first heard one of Marianne Faithfull's songs in the movie Thelma & Louise. Once I learned who it was I sought out the artist and started with a Greatest Hits album. This was it. I haven't followed her career so I can't say how representative it is. All I know is I absolutely loved this album. I've since read her autobiography and was fascinated. I find this album represents her potency well. It digs deep into anger, angst, love, longing and despair in ways few artists have. It's incredible to hear the angelic voice in As Tears Go By when compared with the vitriol of Why'd Ya Do It. While she is singing other people's songs (e. g. John Lennon, Tom Waits, Patti Smith), she takes them to new levels. This album carried me through many a difficult period. While I am not there, 'Times Square' always takes me back and gives me courage to continue. Powerful, powerful stuff. . You can see a complete list of all Marianne Faithfull discography, or go back to the Marianne Faithfull tabs