Marianne Faithfull dies aged 78 - relationship with huge rock star to life-threatening health battle

Marianne Faithfull
-Credit:Reach Publishing Services Limited


Legendary singer Marianne Faithfull, best known for the song As Tears Go By, has died at the age of 78. The sad news was confirmed on Thursday evening (January 30) by a spokesperson for the artist.

They shared: "It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of the singer, songwriter and actress Marianne Faithfull. Marianne passed away peacefully in London today, in the company of her loving family. She will be dearly missed."

Marianne achieved popularity in the 1960s with the release of her hit single As Tears Go By. She shot to fame after being discovered at a party for the Rolling Stones. She went on to date Mick Jagger for four years but ended their on-off relationship in May 1970 after she started an affair with Anglo-Irish nobleman "Paddy" Rossmore.

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Her debut album Marianne Faithfull (1965, released simultaneously with her album Come My Way), was a commercial success followed by a number of albums on Decca Records. She will also be remembered for a number of film roles, including I'll Never Forget What's'isname (1967), The Girl on a Motorcycle (1968) and Hamlet (1969).

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Marianne experienced a number of personal problems. In the 1970s she was anorexic, homeless and addicted to heroin. After a long commercial absence, Faithfull made a comeback with the 1979 release of her critically acclaimed album Broken English, which earned her a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance.

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Faithfull received the World Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2009 Women's World Awards. She had a number of health scares throughout her life. In September 2006, she cancelled a concert tour after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

The following month, she underwent surgery in France and no further treatment was necessary owing to the tumour having been caught at a very early stage. In October 2007, Faithfull said that she suffered from hepatitis C on the UK television programme This Morning and that she had first been diagnosed with the life-threatening liver condition 12 years earlier.

She said: "I have hepatitis C and the worst thing for that is alcohol. I found out about 12 years ago. I was incredibly lucky. I shouldn't be alive - I know that.

"Life has become much more precious to me and my health has become much more precious to me. I do not miss the drugs. I suppose it would be nice to have a glass of wine or something but it really would not be good for my health."

In April 2020, it was announced that Faithfull was in hospital in London receiving treatment for pneumonia after having tested positive for COVID-19. She was in hospital for three weeks and had shared fears that the effects on her lungs would stop her from singing again.