Another Original Rock Girl - Marianne Faithful - born 12-29-46

Marianne Faithful began singing in London coffee houses, she attended a Rolling Stones record party in 1964 and met manager Andrew Loog Oldham. Her first hit was the Stones cover "As Tears Go By", she followed with "This Little Bird" "Summer Nights" and "Come and Stay With Me". She married artist John Dunbar with Peter Asher as the best man. After having a child she left her husband & ran off with Mick Jagger. She said 'My first move was to get a Rolling Stone as a boyfriend. I slept with three and decided the lead singer was the best bet".
She was soon part of the Swinging London scene in a highly publicised relationship with Mick. They hung out with Brian Jones & his girlfriend (who soon jumped over to Kieth's bed) Anita Pallenberg & began using drugs and got addicted. During the famous drug bust at Kieth Richards home in Redlands, she was found naked wrapped in a rug. The publicity gave her the rep as a wild, outspoken, avant garde rock n roll girl.

She appeared in the Stones movie Rock n Roll Circus singing her hit "Something Better". She was an inspiration for many Stones classics, "You Cant Always Get What You Want", "Wild Horses", "I Got the Blues". A book she gave Mick inspired 'Sympathy for the Devil" and she sang back up vocals on the "woo woo" parts. She even penned the song "Sister Morphine" on the "Sticky Fingers" album.

By 1970 her life went down the tubes, she lost custody of her son, she split with Mick, got addicted to heroin, became anorexic, & lived on the streets homeless for two years. Friends got her into rehab but she would continue to battle her addictions. Her once beautiful voice was now weathered, cracking & deeper. It was praised by some giving off a new sensuality and a new image.

In 1979 she released her highly acclaimed album "Broken English" a combo of pop, punk & New Wave. The title track was an FM hit dealing with Terrorism in Europe. The album featured the song "Why'd Ya Do It" which contained very sexual lyrics with very obscene language, especially for 1979. She got remarried & moved to New York, appeared on Saturday Night Live but had an awful performance. After more rehab she had an affair with a mentally challenged drug addict who then committed suicide.

She reinvented her career a few more times, as a jazz singer, blues & cabaret singer.. She started earning respect as the warrior she had become by her forties. Roger Waters chose her to be Mother, at "the Wall Concerts" in Berlin in 1990. She then did a record with old pals Kieth Richards, Charlie Watts & Ron Wood.

She released her autobiography which did well and got married a couple of more times. In the 2000s she has released successful albums, really worth checking out on I-tunes, working with artist like Roger Waters, Emylou Harris, Joe Jackson, Beck, Dave Stewart, and others.

In the past year she has won a quick bout with breast cancer, & been diagnosed with Hepatitis C. She just released a new album in November called Easy Come Easy Go & plans to tour then possibly retire.