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RIP Marianne Faithful. She was 78.

Marianne Faithful became an icon in the 1960s during the rise of the Rolling Stones. A one-time girlfriend of Mick Jagger, she became infamous not only for her hit with the Jagger-Richards song “As Tears Go By” but also for being caught up in a ridiculous drug raid on Keith Richards’ house in February 1967. The reports of Redlands Raid included stories of her wrapped in nothing but a carpet and the allegedly (and false) alternative use of a Mars Bar.

Marianne hung out with The Beatles (she’s singing backup on “Yellow Submarine.” The Stones “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” was written about her. She performed with Rogers Waters, duetted with Metallica, and collaborated with Nick Cave.

She later had a comeback in 1979 with an exceptionally powerful and emotional album called Broken English. If you’ve never heard it, put some time aside today and stream it. It’s excellent. All of it.

Faithfull had been in poor health for a while: Heroin addiction, a back injury, a broken hip (complete with a post-op infection), emphysema, and a nasty bout of COVID-19 that required three weeks in the hospital that left her with weakened lungs, memory loss, and inability to sing. While the cause of her death hasn’t been announced, we can make some assumptions that it had something to do with these many problems, especially the COVID-related ones.

Mick and Keef posted their condolences.

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

Alan Cross has 39610 posts and counting. See all posts by Alan Cross

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