Broken English

Wouldn't listen again... Poor Lucy!

Speak to me in broken englishbhh 3/5

Un treball que expressa la música des d'una forma molt personal d'entrendre-la. I la persona que l'expressa demostra ser una artista en el seu sentit més punyent, rebosant -en aquell moment al menys, de coses a dir i de maneres com dir-les. Un disc molt personal, i a la vegada molt obert i fàcil d'entrar en ell. El cènit de Faithfull com a artista i una altra joia a conservar d'uns anys màgics de creativitat

A completely new album for me a really depressing album featuring Marianne's various struggles this really is a work of art and a revolutionary album for its time

acceptable new wave

I know the name Marianne Faithfull but haven't knowingly heard her before. I know that she sang backup vocals on Neil Young's Harvest record. And I think she's more "of that era" but then I start listening to this record... This is so dang rad! Such synthy goodness. I'm really into it. Another record that BUT - Her voice sounds weak and strange. Again, haven't heard other things from her, so I don't know if that's an anomaly here, or that's what she sounds like. I think it works well for this style of music (which isn't necessarily known for great vocals). Just not what I expected for a person that *I think" is known for a great voice. [Note: After writing this, I looked the record up on Wikipedia and saw this, which may explain the voice: "The album marked a major comeback for Faithfull after years of drug abuse, homelessness, and suffering from anorexia."] I need to see what other great female songwriters were up to in the mid-late 70s. Between this record and Joni Mitchell's output, it seems like the ladies of the 60s were much more interesting after their careers peaked. I mean, does anyone want to hear what CSNY were doing in 1979? Didn't think so... This is a great record and I'll definitely listen again. Man, so many 4's in the new year. Need so shitty records to break this trend.

Overall, this album is okay. Her voice kinda got to me after a while. But- I really dug a couple of the tracks, especially Why'd Ya Do it?. It's cool that she did a Lennon cover and that she used poets' lyrics (including Shel Silverstein), and that Steve Winwood played keyboards. (and that she dated Mick Jagger) Solid album.

Marianne Faithfull nailed this late 70's album. It's a synth-pop masterpiece. Steve Winwood's handy work on the synths and keys pairs well with Faithfulls' vocals, there are lots of interesting sounds and textures going on in this album. Winwood's parts were added as an after thought by the producer to make the album sound more modern and electronic. My first suggested album to listen to from this generator, and a great album to begin with.

Interessante la voce quasi roca, pungente. Non mi dispiace, ma non trovo niente che mi colpisca particolarmente. Bella la cover di 'Working Class Hero'

Good overall album. I loved the instruments and vocals were good as well. I’d dig this on a road trip especially on long stretches of open highway.

Tough rating. I’ve never heard Marianne F, but I knew that voice had to be iconic then and now. Several songs really got me feeling things—especially the proto girl rock/Liz Phair stuff, but then (especially on the first listen) some of it felt just a little too country. I’d listen to some songs but not the whole album again.

Enjoyed this. Never thought of Faithfull as musician. Shame on me. The synths are clearly bolt on, but they do succeed in modernizing it. I'm sure I've heard a cover of the title song somewhere too.

Somewhat offensive English!

Not really a fan of this one, some songs were okay.

1.5

Weird. Did not enjoy, but didn't hate outright

Mumble pop. Nothing special with this album.

Not for me

Well, it's a listen. Not sure if I'd go for the whole album again, but it does grow quite considerably between the first and last tracks. I can definitely see how this has influenced later work. I was thinking Grace Jones, and it turns out that Barry Reynolds worked with Jones following the release of Broken English.

Just kinda meh.

Nasal folk rock with interesting lyrics

Rock peculiar. Versión de Working class hero.

Her voice is unique and strange. The songs are intense. I appreciate it. The Working Class Hero cover was ambitious, but I think she pulled it off.

This is one that comes down to the vocals for me. I simply don't like her voice. I know that's supposed to be part of the story with what she went through and everything but it just doesn't work for me. I do like the arrangements and atmosphere though. My favorite track is probably her cover of "Working Class Hero" - she makes it so sinister. And I must say "Why'd You Do It" is an hell of a way to close an album. Wow. Gotta respect that honesty. God damn.

I see what she's going for here, but also am not a huge fan of the vocal delivery.

Одна очень классная песня и очень приятный звук.

I know of Marianne Faithfull, but never heard anything. Ahhh well, even if it sucks it's only 37min lol. It's new wave, wasn't expecting that. Figured it'd be country. Not too bad, not too good. Dragged on a bit even at its short length. 2.5/5.

Nothing wrong with it, I just don't like it

Uno de los mejores discos de la historia.

Me gusta mucho este disco, aunque no lo escucho tanto. Quizá debería hacerlo más, pero bueno, un sólido 9/10. "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan" y "Working Class Hero" me encantan.

IDGI

Surprisingly enjoyable. Voice not what I expected. Musically and stylistically diverse in parts but quite conservative blue rock soundings across quite a few tracks. Top tracks: Why’d ya do it, Broken English

I am digging this vibe, but what are we talking about here in Broken English

One of a very few woman that I enjoyed listening to. And you can understant what she is singing, too.

6.5/10

Nope

There is definitely something catchy about this record, still one spin aint enough to figure it out

meh

Wat rauwe new-wave met R&B/pop-achtig kantje. Niet onmiddellijk mijn smaak

Broken English is considered the best album of Marianne Faithfull. If the songs are not written by the artist itself most of the time the artist has great qualities in performance (vocals, instrumentation, deliverance). I cannot find these on this record. It's ok and the songs don't stand out either.

Nothing too special here. Couldn’t find a way to get really into it. The singing is fine, but the songs aren’t really poppy and they’re too dull to be interesting. 4.4/10

Bekende naam, maar nooit gedraaid! Stem vond ik wat moeilijk te verteren, maar het was niet slecht.

Begrijp niet wat mensen hieraan kunnen vinden. Die stem is echt niet om aan te horen.

Verrassend goed album zeg!

Quirky. Klinkt niet alsof het uit 1979 komt. Veel covers.

I feel like this would have worked much better as an instrumental album. Great music, ruined by Marianne's vocals.

Interesting album. I did not know any of the songs.

I'm still surprised a few days later by how much I enjoyed this album, especially listening to it immediately after British Steel. The final song is dirty. I approve.

Not a singer…..

This is a forgotten favorite from my youth. Favorite might be too strong an adjective as I liked it never loved it. Marianne's voice is an acquired taste; all tobacco stained and whisky soaked. But the songs are tough and uncompromising, (check out Why'd ya do It) for about as raw a lover scorned song as you will ever hear), and her take on Working Class Hero, the Lennon classic, is absolutely definitive. I do love the arrangements and listening to this for this first time in many years was a nostalgic and rewarding experience. 4.5🌟

Impressive album which helps her stand out from her peers.

Go bored

Mismatch between raw vocals and synthheavy production. I enjoyed the John Lennon cover

21. Tenho pressa. Sou uma gazela que já só quer chegar à mesa. Corro, subo às árvores, apanho as amoras. Vou dizer ao teu pai que aqui não moras. MotA: "What's The Hurry?" "Could have come through anytime"

Really didn't enjoy it, managed 4 tracks

Sounds like she chain smokes 1 billion cigarettes a day.

Not my cup of tea really.

Lots of spoken word albums in this list. I really didn't like this album very much. I though the music and the backing band were good, but couldn't get into the vocals at all.

3/5 it’s not bad but nothing stands out as great.

Singing isn't my speed but some of the guitar work is good esp on guilt. Why'd ya do it has some intense lyrics

Lush instrumentation with some brilliantly written songs. However, quite a few of the deeper cuts fell flat for me.

Knew of Marianne Faithful, but had never heard her sing before. Dubious at the first few notes, I quickly found myself enjoying her voice and tone. The songs weren’t all awesome, but I’d definitely listen to another album.

Not a fan

3.5, nice and moody

Just some weirdo solo stuff

Not keen, not like proper rock

nice album art. music is exactly what I'm into but I'm not digging her voice/delivery. not into the lyrics either. her voice reminds me a bit of miley cyrus, or the other way around i suppose, especially during 'the ballad of lucy jordan'.

3.5/5

First time listener of Marianne Faithful and I loved it. Will definately give it another listen. And she is the original angry girl!!!! 4 stars

some interesting parts but i hated her voice

Not for me, though I did really like the tracks Guilt and Why'd ya do it

Some interesting stuff in there. Not what I was expecting.

i don’t know why but i’ve never liked marianne’s voice but after years again i’ve decided to give it a shot and see how it’s going and i kinda liked it lol

Who picks this garbage?

Poignant lyrics with buckets of emotion. Songs feel like they are longer than they are.

Funny that guilt is on this album as it was also one of the closing songs in mindhunter which I've just finished watching. Guilt into ballad of Lucy John (which sounds like it had Leonard's fingers all over it) into a Blondie sounding What's The Hurry? is a very strong clutch.

Bizarre lyrics. Well produced.

Enjoyed this far more than I expected to

Wow, this is stunning. I don't know if it's my own blinkers or those of the music world, but I feel I would have heard this album, and a lot more praise for it, if it was by a male artist. Anyhow, love the bluesy rock sound, which sounds fresh and edgy as well as being "proper rock". I love her voice, which has power and grit, but also a kind of fragility to it. Pretty fucking perfect. 5/5 and added to my personal collage. :)

Booooooring. The songwriting seems really shallow and most of the instrumentation overly simple and repetitive. The last song is an exception - but I didn't enjoy that one either.

Not very exciting but bearable

Surprisingly different to what I imagined. Fantastic voice and some great songs, even managing to pull off a cover of Working Class Hero. Will def revisit

A really good surprise - album builds after a slow start - enjoyed the music and lyrics - would revisit

Damn fine music.

Wasn't quite sure at first listen, but it grew on me throughout the album. She's quite the storyteller, and the vibe is kind of cool and chill. Listened during a nap, and it was nice! 3/5.

The song about spitting on snatches and sucking cock just comes out of nowhere.

Tooka second listen to appreciate this. Her voice is really cool and lyrics are really interesting too. Wasn't particularly taken by the music at first, but it grew on me and does goes through a few different waves throughout the album. Highlight is definitely Guilty. Working Class Hero is so suspenseful and intense too.

After a lengthy absence, Faithfull resurfaced on this 1979 album, which took the edgy and brittle sound of punk rock and gave it a shot of studio-smooth dance rock. Faithfull's whiskey-worn vocals perfectly match the bitter and biting "Why'd Ya Do It" and revitalize John Lennon's "Working Class Hero."

Her voice really grates on me

ugh her bio on facebook that she posted herself - 'beautiful and articulate individual' along with the 20+ up close pics of her. not a fan of her vibe or her music

achingly cool

Never heard of it. Not bad

“Broken English” by Marianne Faithfull (1979) Banger alert. It’s hard to believe this album was released in 1979. If it had been produced today, the closing (banned in 1979) track “Why’d Ya Do It?” would be placed first, and perhaps have become the title track. This track alone is Exhibit A for the case that women belong in rock & roll (and hip hop, while we’re at it). The Go-Go’s should be shot. You’ve got to listen to this album as if you’d never heard Cyndi Lauper, who copied Faithfull in many ways. But Faithfull’s destroyed voice came honestly. Smoking, alcohol, and heroin will do that. Faithfull’s version of “Working Class Hero” is better than John Lennon’s. Seriously. Her voice is better suited than Lennon’s to express anger, angst, and ambivalence. And the instrumental production is a vast improvement over Lennon’s solo guitar. Jeez. The title and lead track here, “Broken English”, is best heard in the 1979 context of western perplexity over the young woman Ulrike Meinhof of Baader-Meinhof terrorist gang (“Red Army Faction”) taking up the cause of Marxism. Boomers with boom (demonstrating that women have a place in terrorism, too), they killed more than thirty people over course of their career. These kids made today’s Antifa look like a bunch of kittens. “Guilt” reflects on the formal distinction in theological anthropology between objective guilt and subjective guilt feelings. Take a moral dive into this song, and you’ll come to the surface with enhanced self awareness, maturity, and contentment. “The Ballad of Lucy Jordan” echoes “A Streetcar Named Desire” and anticipates “Thelma and Louise”. Nuff said. God, this music makes you think. 5/5

Després de caure al pou de la heroïna, viure al carrer i perdre la custódia del seu fill amb Mick Jagger, Marianne Faithful va ressucitar d'entre els morts amb un àlbum amb que trencava el seu estil anterior basat més en el folk, i es va llençar a la piscina de la new wave, aconseguint el seu àlbum més rodó i reconegut.

Pleasantly surprised by this delightfully odd album!

8 canciones. 37 minutos. Año 1979. Hay una canción interesante que precisamente es la más famosa de ella: The ballad of Lucy Jordan. Un disco normal a día de hoy.

I like the dark ambience throughout, you can tell her life truly seeps into her vocal delivery. However, no song is really bringing something new.

Bon album mais ressemble trop a d’autrs chose. Il en a des millions d’albums comme cleui la. Des fois ca se demarque plus qune ´autre. 3

Rock, folk. Pasable.

Can’t stand the nasally tone of her voice. The music adds no depth. Not good. Not completely awful, but definitely not at all good. 1.5

No es mi estilo

The first half of the album is a 2. The second half of the album is a 4.5 Maybe split the difference here?

This album is a trip! I spend the bulk of it thinking, “She has such a gnarly voice. Why are these songs so bland and tame? When is she going to be let off the leash?” Then the last track rolls around and suddenly she turns into Andrew Dice Clay screaming, “WHY DID YOU SPIT ON MY SNATCH?” Lol! Who saw that coming?? Excellent Lennon cover and snatch spitting aside, I really wish the whole record could have matched the driving urgency of the title track. I think I would have liked that quite a bit.

Such a distinctive voice and style! Fave track - "Guilt"

Nah. 4/10

About what you’d expect from Mick Jagger’s ex wife

Underrated. Under discussed. Probably because the artist is a woman. It’s a great album. As good as anything her male UK peers were making at the time.

She's not singing very hard.

Good album. Great voice. Like a David Gilmour solo album with Marianne on vocals.

Annoying voice and terrible songs

I'm listening to Broken English by Marianne Faithfull. I've never listened to this album before, and only have tangentially heard of Marianne as part of the 60s London swinging rock scene. And she dated Mick Jagger famously. First impressions are positive. This is why I'm doing this funny generated album web site for a chance to find something new. I would have liked this album if I had explored and given her a chance. It connects with Television Marquee Moon, it feels of that time and place when punk was exploding. It's been a revelation to hear this on this morning when Trump leaves the White House. Marianne had quite a tough and colorful life leading up to this album, and I feel it all wash over me. I would like to spend some more time with this album. The title track and the one about Lucy Jordan are my favorites so far.

nah - C

This blew me away in a weirdly subtle and understated way. Wasn't really paying much attention to it until I noticed the steady increase in intensity that seems permeate the entire record but which sharply climbs from The Ballad of Lucy Jordan onward. Wide ranging social commentary on a number of issues and themes contribute to a very provocative and captivating listening experience. I love how strained her voice is especially when it breaks. Brain drain is a highlight and the synth/sax outro to Guilt is amazing. Also her dad was an M15 spy - how cool. Have already listened to her other stuff which is totally different but equally as good. Feeling some big Neil Young energy from her catalogue.

Great, too short really. Blindsided by the last track! :grin:

Fav Song: Witches' Song

prettyy meh

good new wave sound but vocals are a little rough

Not for me

Some hidden classics

meh

not for me.

Just nothing that stand out or makes this album remarkable in any way

New discovery. I like it and her career arc is really interesting.

Didn‘t know this cover of „working class hero“. Quite liked it.

sounds too much of that MOR eighties sound

A chore to listen to

Interesting vocals, the last song was like O.O Kind of a trip, to be honest.

This probably didn't need to be anyone greatest albums list

I could take or leave the vocals, but I'd listen to an album of just the band grooving. Some fun, if somewhat forgettable songs here. Best track: The Ballad of Lucy Jordan

I understood most of it, not so broken after all

Don’t understand the appeal, sounds like her voice is breaking every other word

Solid

I didn't find it very interesting

Great songs, reminded me of blondie and I love that. The ballad of Lucy Jordan is my standout for sure.

I'm sure it was good but I just didn't vibe the voice

On first listen, not seeing the classic status. But her voice has a way of worming its way into your brain as it moves above the close-to-post-punk beats. Certainly could be a grower, but for now more interesting historically than musically.

4/21 Great songs, her raspy voice gives it that edge. Standout Tracks: Broken English, Guilt, The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan, Working Class Hero