Richard Bodin
Marianne Faithfull went through a great deal in life: stardom, being a muse, drug addiction, four marriages (and divorces), homelessness, and illness… yet she overcame and survived almost all of it. She was a survivor—until today.
A spokesperson shared: “Marianne passed away peacefully in London today, in the company of her loving family. She will be dearly missed.”
Rise to Fame
Faithfull was discovered in 1964 by the infamous Rolling Stones manager, Andrew Loog Oldham. He convinced Mick Jagger and Keith Richards to write her a song. As Tears Go By was released in 1964 and climbed to the top of the charts. She went on to release more successful singles and married her first husband, John Dunbar, with whom she had a son.
In 1966, she began a relationship with Mick Jagger, becoming a key figure in Swinging London. The Rolling Stones were inspired by her for several songs—Wild Horses, You Can’t Always Get What You Want, and I Got the Blues. She also co-wrote Sister Morphine, for which she had to fight in court to receive proper credit.
The Downside of Fame
Unfortunately, during this time, she became addicted to drugs. In 1968, she was famously caught wearing nothing but a fur rug during a police drug raid at Keith Richards’ home. Reflecting on the event later, she admitted:
“It destroyed me. To be a male drug addict and to act like that is always enhancing and glamorizing. A woman in that situation becomes a slut and a bad mother.”
By 1970, her life spiraled further. She left Mick Jagger, lost custody of her son, and consequently attempted suicide. She ultimately became homeless, living on the streets of London’s Soho, addicted to drugs. In 1975, she released Dreamin’ My Dreams, which was re-released as Faithless in 1978 and reached #1 in Ireland.
A Legendary Comeback: Broken English and Beyond
But it was in 1979 that she staged her true comeback with Broken English, an album influenced by the punk explosion and her second marriage to Ben Brierly of The Vibrators. However, her struggles with addiction weren’t over. She finally entered rehab in 1985. Despite another divorce, things improved from that point forward.
Over the years, she recorded numerous albums and collaborated with artists like Nick Cave, Damon Albarn, Beck, and Metallica. She even reconnected with her estranged son over the last decade and was able to develop a relationship with her grandchildren.
Marianne Faithfull was a warrior, a survivor. She will be dearly missed.
