Marianne Faithfull, ‘As Tears Go By’ Singer, Dies at 78

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On Thursday, Marianne Faithfull, the renowned British vocalist best known for chart-toppers like “As Tears Go By” and “Broken English,” passed away at the age of 78. After a high-profile romantic tie with Mick Jagger, she ascended to global stardom independently from him.

Faithfull’s death in London was announced by her family in a statement to the BBC.

Actress Faithfull had roles in movies like “I’ll Never Forget What’s’isname” (1967) and “The Girl on a Motorcycle” (1968), as well as appearing on stage in productions of “Three Sisters ” and “Hamlet“. However, her career took a turn during the 1970s due to struggles with drug addiction, alcoholism, and homelessness.

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In films such as “I’ll Never Forget What’s’isname” (1967) and “The Girl on a Motorcycle” (1968), Faithfull graced the screen, while her stage performances included roles in “Three Sisters ” and “Hamlet“. Unfortunately, her career was hindered in the 1970s by issues with drug addiction, alcoholism, and homelessness.

She made a powerful return in 1979 with the album “Broken English,” which earned her a Grammy nomination for the best female rock vocal performance. In 2011, she was bestowed the rank of Commandeur of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, one of France’s most prestigious cultural awards.

Born on the 29th of December, 1946, in Hampstead, London, Faithfull was the child of a British Army officer father and an Austro-Hungarian mother with noble ancestry. They split up when she was only 6 years old, and her childhood was marked by periods of tuberculosis illness.

1964 marked the start of Faithfull’s singing journey, as she performed folk music in coffeehouses across London. It was during this time that she attended a Rolling Stones release party and crossed paths with their manager, Andrew Loog Oldham. Her debut single, “As Tears Go By,” which she recorded at the age of 17 in 1964, was penned by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Oldham, reaching a peak position of No. 22 on the U.S. charts.

She followed with such songs as “This Little Bird,” “Summer Nights” and “Come and Stay With Me.”

In 1967, Faithful became well-known after being snapped in nothing but a fur coat during a drug raid at Richard’s mansion, resulting in his arrest.

In 1966, she wed artist John Dunbar and gave birth to their son Nicholas. However, shortly thereafter, she chose to depart from her husband and move in with Mick Jagger. Their relationship ended in May 1970 following a miscarriage, loss of custody of their son, and a subsequent suicide attempt.

She significantly contributed to the creation of “The Rolling Stones” iconic song “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”, along with other tracks like “Wild Horses” and “I Got the Blues”, which are believed to have been inspired by her. Moreover, she was granted co-writing credit for the song “Sister Morphine”. Furthermore, she made an appearance in Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s 1968 concert film of The Rolling Stones’ Rock and Roll Circus, performing “Something Better.”

She played a key role in the formation of the hit song “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” by The Rolling Stones, as well as other tracks like “Wild Horses” and “I Got the Blues”, which were rumored to be about her. She even received co-writing credit for the track “Sister Morphine”. Additionally, she showcased her talents in Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s 1968 film of The Rolling Stones’ Rock and Roll Circus, singing “Something Better.

In 1973, she wore a nun’s outfit for a live rendition of “I Got You Babe” by Sonny & Cher with David Bowie on the television show “Midnight Special” on NBC.

The album “Broken English” by Marianne Faithfull, released in 1979, was significantly impacted by the punk genre and her marriage to Ben Brierly from The Vibrators. This record featured “Why D’Ya Do It,” a song that combined punk and reggae rhythms, and was ahead of its time, serving as an early precursor to rap music. The lyrics of this track were derived from a poem about infidelity, penned by Heathcote Williams.

Following the launch of “Dangerous Acquaintances” in 1981, Faithfull relocated to New York, where she was grappling with addiction. Unfortunately, this struggle led to a calamitous performance on “Saturday Night Live,” during which her vocal cords malfunctioned.

Back in 1984, she released a two-album set titled “Rich Kid Blues” which consisted of previously unreleased tracks and fresh recordings. A year later, in 1985, she sang “Ballad of the Soldier’s Wife” on Hal Willner’s tribute album dedicated to Kurt Weill, called “Lost in the Stars: The Music of Kurt Weill“.

In 1987, Faithfull transformed into a jazz and blues vocalist for the album “Strange Weather,” produced by Willner. This critically acclaimed record was a collection of cover songs, with her rendition of “As Tears Go By” earning particular praise. Additionally, she offered her own interpretations of Bob Dylan’s “I’ll Keep It With Mine” and tracks previously recorded by Billie Holiday and Bessie Smith.

In July 1990, Faithfull portrayed Pink’s overprotective mother in the live production of Roger Waters’ rock opera, The Wall, which was held in Berlin. Her subsequent live album, titled Blazing Away, was recorded at St. Ann’s Cathedral in Brooklyn and featured standout renditions of “Sister Morphine,” “Why D’Ya Do It?”, and Edith Piaf’s “Les Prisons du Roy”. This album also included musical contributions from Dr. John and Garth Hudson, who were members of The Band.

Or, in a more conversational style:

Faithfull played the overprotective mother role for Pink in Roger Waters’ live version of The Wall, which took place in Berlin during July 1990. Later on, she released a live album called Blazing Away. This record was made at St. Ann’s Cathedral in Brooklyn and contained excellent versions of “Sister Morphine,” “Why D’Ya Do It?”, and Edith Piaf’s “Les Prisons du Roy”. Dr. John and Garth Hudson, members of The Band, also contributed to this album.

1994 saw the publication of Patti Smith’s first memoir, titled “Faithful: An Autobiography,” along with a compilation of her finest recordings. This collection contained a rendition of “Ghost Dance” by Patti Smith, which featured Charlie Watts and Ron Wood, and was co-produced by Mick Jagger himself.

Back in 1997, I had the incredible opportunity to lend my voice to the captivating track “The Memory Remains” by Metallica, which was part of their amazing album “ReLoad”. Not only did I get to be a part of this iconic song, but I also made an appearance in its mesmerizing music video.

In 2002, Faithfull’s album “Kissin’ Time” was released, which included a tribute to Nico and songs co-written with Blur, Beck, Billy Corgan, Jarvis Cocker, Dave Stewart, and French pop singer Etienne Daho. A collaboration between PJ Harvey and Nick Cave called “Before the Poison” was released in 2005.

At approximately the same period, she made an appearance in Sofia Coppola’s film “Marie Antoinette” (2004) and Gus Van Sant’s film “Paris, Je T’aime” (2006). In the year 2007, she resumed touring with the album titled “Songs of Innocence and Experience”.

Some of the latest albums are “Easy Come, Easy Go” from 2008, “Horses and High Heels” in 2011, “Give My Love to London” in 2014, and most recently, “She Walks in Beauty” in 2021.

Survivors include her son.

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2025-01-30 22:57