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The extraordinary life of British singer and actress Marianne Faithfull

The Weekly looks back on the life of an icon.
British singer Marianne Faithfull

Marianne Faithfull lived a life of remarkable resilience. She experienced the unrelenting highs and thunderous lows of the music and entertainment industry. She battled addiction and health issues, while simultaneously achieving icon status in her career.

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The British singer was born in 1946 to a former major in British army intelligence father and a Baroness and ballerina with roots in the Habsburg Dynasty mother. She spent part of her childhood in a commune, as her father, Glynn Faithfull, had become involved at Braziers Park. Her parents divorced when she was six years of age.

Despite her humble beginnings, Marianne went on to be a pillar of the 1960s music scene.

Her debut song ‘As Tears Go By was an international hit. It was written by The Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham, and band members Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Over the years, her association with The Rolling Stones continued to grow, and she ingrained herself as a part of their inner circle.

British singer Marianne Faithfull
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Marianne went on to write and inspire some of The Rolling Stones’s greatest songs. Among those written by Marianne was ‘Sister Morphine. ‘Sympathy for the Devil’ was written by Mick, who was inspired by a book that Marianne had given to him.

Her first marriage to gallerist John Dunbar, with whom she shares a son Nicholas, was short-lived. After they divorced, Marianne moved in with Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones and model Anita Pallenberg. It was then that she began her love affair with leading man Mick Jagger. Their relationship was notoriously tumultuous, laced with infidelity and addiction and forever in the spotlight.

Marianne and Mick became a part of the London elite during the Swinging Sixties, and she was one of the faces of the “British Invasion”.

On her own, Marianne released music that continued to top the charts, including ‘Come and Stay with Me’ and ‘Summer Nights’. She also appeared in several successful films throughout the late 60s.

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Marianne Faithfull and her dog.

Despite the professional success Marianne was having, her personal life was marred with addiction and substance abuse. Later in her life, Marianne admitted in interviews and her biography Faithfull: An Autobiography that her substance abuse issues had affected her personal life. She lost opportunities to appear in more films and, tragically, gave birth to a stillborn daughter during this time.

Her relationship with Mick fell apart in 1970. The same year she lost custody of her son Nicholas, and her personal life went into a tailspin. She attempted suicide and developed anorexia nervosa, and a heroin addiction. However, Marianne, along with her supportive group of friends, climbed out of this dark and distressing period. She spent two years living on the streets of Soho in London, before slowly rebuilding her career.

Singer Marianne Faithfull
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In 1975, Marianne released a country-influenced album Dreamin’ My Dreams (re-released as Faithless in 1978). However, in 1979, she came back with full force. Marianne released her seventh studio album, Broken English. It was a triumphant return for the singer. It became her most critically acclaimed album, earning her a Grammy nomination in 1981 for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance.

Over the next decade, Marianne moved to New York City but still battled with addiction. She visited multiple rehabilitation facilities throughout the 80s before her career made yet another comeback in the early 1990s.

In 1994, she released the aforementioned memoir of her life, Faithfull: A Biography. In it, she detailed her rollercoaster past, her addictions, and her dalliances with famous friends and musicians. Marianne released a follow-up volume, Memories, Dreams and Reflections, in 2008. She continued to release albums of her own and collaborations with other musicians over the next two decades. Cementing her status as an icon in the music world.

But it wasn’t just music that she gained success in. Marianne was nominated for the best actress award by the European Film Academy for her performance in Sam Garbarski’s film Irina Palm. She portrayed a 60-year-old widow who worked in the sex industry.

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Marianne Faithfull

In 2006, she had to cancel a concert tour as it was revealed she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. After a successful surgery, she was back on stage in 2007. However, she revealed that year that she had also been battling with hepatitis C for over ten years. She took a career break to recover before heading back on the festival scene in the 2010s. Then, in 2020, she contracted COVID-19. Marianne spent three weeks in the hospital, her lungs were badly damaged and she fell into a coma. She came out the other side and released an almost She Walks in Beauty, in 2021.

On 30th January 2025, it was announced that Marianne had passed away peacefully in London.

Marianne Faithfull and Mick Jagger
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Marianne was surrounded by her loving family until her last moments, according to the spokesperson who announced her passing.

Marianne’s voice was as captivating as her life story. Her career spanned over six wild and wonderful decades. Above all else, she was a force, a survivor.

Mick Jagger led the touching tributes to the singer: “She was a wonderful friend, a beautiful singer and a great actress. She will always be remembered.”

Marianne is survived by her son, Nicholas.

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