Marianne Faithfull Alternative singer Date of Birth: 15.10.1947 Country: Great Britain

Biography of Marianne Faithfull

Marianne Faithfull, an alternative singer, was born into the von Sacher-Masoch family, an Austrian noble family, known for their association with the term "masochism." Her father taught aesthetics of the Renaissance period at the University of London. As a schoolgirl, she attended a party organized by The Rolling Stones' manager, Andrew Oldham, who suggested that with her striking appearance, she could become a pop star. Faithfull, who had some amateur singing experience, agreed to audition for Oldham. Her performance impressed him, and she became the first to perform the song "As Tears Go By" by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, which became a hit in both the UK (9th place) and the US (22nd place) in 1964. It is believed that the Rolling Stones wrote the song specifically for Faithfull, but it is often forgotten that "As Tears Go By" was the first independent composition by The Rolling Stones and one of the first in the history of pop/rock music to be created by the performers themselves, as they typically hired professional songwriters.

In 1965, Marianne Faithfull released three more songs that became hits and charted simultaneously with "Yesterday" by The Beatles and "Blowin' In The Wind" by Bob Dylan. These songs were "Come And Stay With Me" (26th place in the US, 4th place in the UK), "This Little Bird" (32nd place in the US, 6th place in the UK), and "Summer Nights" (24th place in the US, 10th place in the UK). That same year, she released two albums, "Marianne Faithfull" (12th place in the US, 15th place in the UK) and "Come My Way" (which did not chart). In 1965, Faithfull married London artist John Dunbar and gave birth to a son.

In the following year, Faithfull gradually moved away from music and began exploring acting in Shakespearean and Chekhovian plays. In 1968, she starred in two films, "Girl On A Motorcycle" with Alain Delon and "I'll Never Forget Whatshisname." In 1970, Faithfull divorced her husband amidst a scandal when it was revealed that she was pregnant with Mick Jagger's child. She became close with The Rolling Stones and actively participated in the group's drug-fueled activities. She co-wrote the song "Sister Morphine" with The Rolling Stones.

In 1974, after completing a rehabilitation program, Faithfull appeared on a television program with David Bowie, where they performed several of his songs as a duet. She also recorded a single produced by Oldham, but it did not achieve success. In 1977, she released another album, "Faithless," which showcased improved singing skills and voice quality. However, the public now saw her only as Mick Jagger's former girlfriend and denied her success. Undeterred, Faithfull released the album "Broken English" in 1979, which featured the successful single "The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan," her first hit in twelve years. "Broken English" exceeded expectations and became platinum-certified. Faithfull received favorable reviews for her two following albums as well.

After a six-year hiatus, Faithfull re-emerged in 1989 when she sang a song for a tribute album dedicated to Kurt Weill and participated in the soundtrack recording for the film "Trouble In Mind." In 1990, she released the acclaimed live album "Blazing Away," recorded at the New York Cathedral.