Marianne Faithfull

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Lore & Background

Faithfull's narrative is defined by a dramatic arc from stardom to survival. After marrying John Dunbar in May 1965 and giving birth to their son Nicholas, she left him for Mick Jagger in 1966. Her involvement with Jagger inspired key Rolling Stones tracks: "Sympathy for the Devil" was influenced by Mikhail Bulgakov's book she introduced to him; "You Can't Always Get What You Want," "Wild Horses," and "I Got the Blues" were allegedly written about or by her. She co-wrote "Sister Morphine," though a legal battle initially listed only Jagger and Richards as authors until she was credited as co-author. The song was first released in 1969 on a French single credited only to Jagger and Richards, while Faithfull was homeless and addicted to heroin at the time. Her life unraveled in the 1970s due to anorexia, homelessness, and heroin addiction. She lost custody of her son in 1970 and experienced periods of homelessness, including time spent on London's Soho streets, though not continuously for two years. A pivotal moment occurred during a drug bust at Keith Richards' house, Redlands, where she was found wearing only a fur rug. Faithfull later admitted this incident ravaged her personal life, stating it "destroyed" her reputation as a woman in that situation. Despite attempting suicide with 150 sleeping pills in Australia and facing a stillborn birth in 1968, she eventually stabilized through an NHS treatment program.

In Their Own Story

In 1979, Faithfull made a monumental musical comeback with the album Broken English. Released after a long absence, it was her seventh studio album and earned critical acclaim as her "definitive recording." The record blended punk-pop and reggae rhythms, featuring tracks like the title song dedicated to Ulrike Meinhof and "Why D'Ya Do It?" which adapted a poem by Heathcote Williams with a complex structure including a tango in 4/4 time. Her voice had permanently changed from its earlier high register due to severe laryngitis, smoking, and drug abuse, resulting in a "whisky soaked," raspy, lower-pitched sound that critics praised for capturing raw emotion. Broken English was a commercial success and earned her a Grammy nomination for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. She followed this resurgence with albums such as Dangerous Acquaintances (1981), A Child's Adventure (1983), and Strange Weather (1987). Beyond music, she authored three books: Faithfull: An Autobiography (1994), Memories, Dreams & Reflections (2007), and Marianne Faithfull: A Life on Record (2014). Her resilience was recognized globally when she received the World Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2009 Women's World Awards and was made a Commandeur of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by France in 2011.

Reader's Guide

Marianne Faithfull's relationship with The Rolling Stones is central to her legacy. She was discovered by their manager, Andrew Loog Oldham, at a launch party in early 1964. Her first single, "As Tears Go By," was written by Jagger, Richards, and Oldham; the Stones recorded their version one year later. During her relationship with Mick Jagger (1966–1970), she influenced the band's creative output significantly. She introduced the novel The Master and Margarita to Jagger, inspiring "Sympathy for the Devil." Songs like "Wild Horses" and "I Got the Blues" on Sticky Fingers were allegedly influenced by her. Most notably, she co-wrote "Sister Morphine," a track whose writing credit was secured only after a protracted legal battle against Jagger and Richards. Her vocal style evolved from the melodic high-register of the 1960s to a cracked, lower-pitched tone in later years, shaped by severe laryngitis and substance abuse. This transformation allowed her to deliver the emotional depth found in Broken English. Key biographical facts include her birth in Hampstead, London, on 29 December 1946; her marriage to John Dunbar on 6 May 1965; and the loss of custody of her son Nicholas in 1970. Her half-brother is artist Simon Faithfull, born from her father's second marriage.

Did You Know?

• Faithfull co-wrote 'Sister Morphine,' but Jagger and Richards initially released it in their own names while she was homeless.
• She attempted suicide in Australia in 1969 by taking 150 sleeping pills while accompanying Jagger during the filming of Ned Kelly.
• Her voice permanently changed to a raspy, lower register due to severe laryngitis, smoking, and drug abuse after her 1970s hiatus.
• She was found wearing only a fur rug by police during a drug search at Keith Richards' house, Redlands.
• Faithfull's maternal great-great-uncle was Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, whose novel Venus in Furs spawned the word 'masochism'.