Marianne Faithfull, British pop star and actress, passed away at age 78 on January 30, 2025. Her death was confirmed by her spokesperson, who stated that she died peacefully at her home in London, surrounded by her family.
"It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of the singer, songwriter and actress Marianne Faithfull," her spokesperson said.
She ruled the 1960s with her hits including the track, As Tears Go By, written by her soon-to-be boyfriend Mick Jagger and his songwriter partner Keith Richards.
According to Hollywood Life, Jagger was in a relationship with Faithfull from 1966 to 1970. According to Faithfull, the infamous Redlands bust in 1967 was one of the main reasons for the end of her and Mick’s relationship.
Following the incident, their relationship deteriorated, and she eventually became a drug addict, as reports indicated. During this time, she became homeless and lived on the streets of Soho, relying on charity to survive while battling her addiction.
Marianne went through emotional pain and trauma after her split with Mick Jagger in 1970. Following her death, let us reflect on her past struggles, including her relationship with the famous singer.
How was the relationship between Marianne Faithfull and Mick Jagger?
The relationship between Marianne Faithfull and Mick Jagger illustrates the complexities of love amid the pressure of fame and personal struggles.
Born in December 1946 in Hampstead, London. Marianne Faithfull was into folk singing until she was discovered by The Rolling Stones’ manager Andrew Loog Oldham in 1964.
During this time, she recorded As Tears Go By, by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, in 1964, which reached the UK Top 10 in 1964, as the BBC reported. This was the time when she first met Jagger. She became famous after she landed roles in several films, including Girl on a Motorcycle in 1968 and Hamlet in 1969.
According to CheatSheet, Jagger and Faithfull began dating when she was 20 in 1966. They created a stir with their on-again-off-again relationship. She was married to John Dunbar before her relationship began with Jagger but left him for the singer, per the Telegraph as reported by Distractify.
Another report in CheatSheet indicated that Jagger cheated on Faithfull with Marsha Hunt, who is also the mother of his daughter Karis. He also dated Faithfull’s best friend, Anita Pallenberg, Keith Richards’ then-girlfriend. In retaliation, she cheated on Jagger with Richards, which she called “the best night of my life.”
In addition to this, they were both charged with cannabis possession following a police raid at Keith Richards' home, known as Redlands, in February 1967. The bust damaged her reputation, as reported by BBC. "It destroyed me," she later said.
“I could’ve stayed with Mick, and he did love me, but I couldn’t bear it, that world. I just felt not good enough. Low self-esteem. All the things a drug addict feels. But I don’t think I would’ve felt like that if the bust hadn’t happened. I think we would’ve been fine. Would we have been together today? I don’t know. Why not?” Marianne told Contact Music, as reported by Medium.
In 1968, she faced another traumatic event when she suffered a miscarriage when she was reportedly seven months pregnant. This was another factor that played a major role in her breakup with Jagger.
She later lost custody of her son Nicholas, whom she had with her first husband, John Dunbar. In 1970, Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithfull reportedly broke up. The split deeply affected her mental health and contributed to a period of severe emotional pain and instability in her life.
On Faithfull’s passing, The founder of the legendary rock band, the Rolling Stones, Jagger paid her tribute in an emotional post on Instagram and wrote,
“I am so saddened to hear of the death of Marianne Faithfull.”
Trending
“She was so much part of my life for so long. She was a wonderful friend, a beautiful singer and a great actress. She will always be remembered.”
Marianne Faithfull married and divorced three times. First to John Dunbar in 1965, then for the second time to Ben Brierly of punk band the Vibrators in 1979, and then to the actor Giorgio Della Terza in 1988.
Your perspective matters!
Start the conversation
