Marianne Faithfull – Songs of Innocence and Experience 1965-1995 2LP

Marianne Faithfull – Songs of Innocence and Experience 1965-1995

London, July 22nd 2022. UMC announce the release of Songs of Innocence and Experience 1965-1995, the definitive overview of the first 30 years of Marianne Faithfull’s recording career on the Decca and Island labels. Out today is a previously unreleased alternate take of Donovan’s ‘Sunny Goodge Street’ recorded for Marianne’s 1966 LP North Country Maid, this track is 1 of 5 previously unreleased recordings.

Released on September 16th, the 2xLP / 2xCD collection is the first Marianne Faithfull compilation since 2001’s ‘An Introduction to…’ and the first to contain rare and unreleased material since the Island Anthology ‘A Perfect Stranger’ in 1998. 22 of the 28 tracks on the LP are making their first appearance on vinyl or first appearance since their original release, and on the 2xCD set, 9 recordings are making their cd/digital debut.

Serving as both a primer to the uninitiated and a rarities collection for those already converted, this collection features all of Marianne’s notable singles, which are often represented in collectible 12” and 7” versions. Particularly rare is the original issue of her final Decca 7” ‘Something Better’ / ‘Sister Morphine’; subsequent releases used different masters, but these original recordings have been unavailable since 1969.

Further unreleased tracks are live versions of ‘Brain Drain’ and ‘The Boulevard of Broken Dreams’ recorded during Marianne’s now legendary performance at St Anne’s in Brooklyn, highlights of which were released on the 1990 album Blazing Away. This collection also includes 2 previously unheard songs; a traditional blues ballad ‘I’m In Love Again’ cut during the Strange Weather sessions in 1987 and ‘The Calm Before the Storm’ written by Lou Reed and Rubén Blades which Marianne recorded for an abandoned studio album in 1989.

The title Songs of Innocence and Experience acknowledges Marianne’s poetic influences with its reference to the work by William Blake, whilst also reflecting the change in style from the orchestral folk-pop and high pure voice of Marianne’s ‘60s career to her new wave punk influenced comeback at the end of the 70s with Broken English which featured her now trademark fractured vocals. 

The front cover features a hand drawn pencil image by Lithuanian artist Aistė Stancikaitė, commissioned exclusively this for the project and the packaging also contains many rare and unseen images taken from the original album and single photo shoots. The collection has been remastered from the original tapes by the Grammy nominated compiler Andrew Batt, who also contributes sleeve notes.

Tracklist:
Side A
1. Come And Stay With Me
2. Come My Way [version 2] first since original release
3. This Little Bird
4. Yesterday [Live on the BBC] first time on vinyl
5. Sunny Goodge Street [alternate take] – Previously unreleased recording from North Country Maid sessions
6. Sally Free And Easy – first since original release
7. The First Time (Ever I Saw Your Face) [Faithfull Forever version] first since original release
8. Hier Ou Demain (from the film Anna) first since original release
9. Young Girl Blues – first since original release

Side B
1. Is This What I Get For Loving You? 
2. Something Better (Original 7” version) first since original release
3. Sister Morphine (Original 7” version) first since original release
4. It’s All Over Now Baby Blue
5. The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan [original mix]
6. What’s The Hurry [original mix]

Side C
All tracks first time on vinyl since original release
1. Broken English [1980 7” remix version]
2. Why D’ya Do It [12” version]
3. Over Here (No Time For Justice) [‘Sweetheart’ 7” B-side]
4. Truth Bitter Truth [7” version]
5. Falling From Grace
6. Running For Our Lives [7” version]

Side D
1. As Tears Go By (Strange Weather version) – first since original release
2. I’m In Love Again – previously unheard song from the Strange Weather sessions
3. The Calm Before the Storm – previously unheard song from abandoned 1989 album
4. When I Find My Life (Live) – first since original release
5. Brain Drain (live) – previously unreleased recording from the Blazing Away concert
6. The Boulevard Of Broken Dreams (Live) previously unreleased recording from the Blazing Away concert
7. The Stars Line Up – first since original release

Label: Universal Music
Released: 2022