Singer and actress Marianne Faithfull has passed away at the age of 78, her spokesperson confirmed. Faithfull, celebrated for her musical contributions and acting career, died peacefully in London, surrounded by her loving family. “It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of the singer, songwriter, and actress Marianne Faithfull,” the statement read. “She will be dearly missed.”
A Storied Career Spanning Music and Film
Marianne Faithfull was a beloved figure in the worlds of music and film. Known for her hit songs like As Tears Go By—a UK Top 10 hit in 1964—Faithfull also gained fame for her roles in films, notably in the 1968 classic The Girl On A Motorcycle. Her career spanned decades, evolving from 1960s pop to the edgy, synth-driven Broken English, and later collaborations with artists like Nick Cave, Warren Ellis, and Lou Reed. Faithfull earned admiration not only from fans but also from fellow musicians, and she was celebrated across the fashion and film industries.
Marianne Faithfull: Early Life and Rise to Fame
Born in 1946 in London, Faithfull’s family history had an aristocratic touch. Her mother’s side of the family was connected to Austrian nobility, with her great-great-uncle Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, known for writing the erotic novel Venus in Furs. Despite this lineage, Faithfull grew up in modest surroundings in a terraced house in Reading.
At a young age, Faithfull moved to London, where she met Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham. This encounter led to a key moment in her early career: Oldham arranged for Mick Jagger and Keith Richards to write her 1964 debut single As Tears Go By. The song’s success marked the beginning of a string of chart-topping hits, with three more Top 10 singles in 1965. These songs also performed well in the United States, reaching the Top 40.
Marianne Faithfull Had a Dual Career in Music and Acting
Faithfull didn’t limit herself to music; she also ventured into acting. She appeared on stage in several productions, including Chekhov’s Three Sisters, alongside Glenda Jackson, and Shakespeare’s Hamlet, where she played Ophelia. Faithfull, however, later admitted that she performed the climactic “madness” scene each night while high on heroin.
Her film career was just as impressive. She starred alongside renowned actors like Orson Welles, Oliver Reed, Alain Delon, and Anna Karina. Faithfull’s versatility extended to the screen, where she played herself in Jean-Luc Godard’s 1966 film Made in the USA.
Personal Life and Iconic Relationship with Mick Jagger
Faithfull’s career took a personal turn with her relationship with Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger in the 1960s. Before Jagger, she had been married to artist John Dunbar in 1965, with whom she had a son, Nicholas. However, she left Dunbar for Jagger, and their four-year relationship became one of the defining aspects of her public life.
During this period, Faithfull became an iconic figure of “swinging London,” but her personal life was often overshadowed by the tumult of her relationship with Jagger. She was frequently described as the band’s muse. Faithfull once remarked to Jagger, “wild horses couldn’t drag me away,” a line that later became the chorus of the Rolling Stones’ Wild Horses.
Faithfull acknowledged her struggles with drugs and how they influenced her relationship with the band. She said: “I know they used me as a muse for those tough drug songs. I knew I was being used, but it was for a worthy cause.”