Mick Jagger pays tribute to Marianne Faithfull: “A beautiful singer and a great actress”
Following the announcement of Marianne Faithfull’s death, The Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger has come forward with a touching tribute about their time together.
Jagger had been romantically involved with Faithfull throughout the late 1960s as the band were working on records such as Beggars Banquet. He also worked with Keith Richards to write some of her hits, including the iconic, ‘As Tears Go By.’
In a post on X, Jagger expressed his grief at hearing of Faithfull’s death, saying, “I am so saddened to hear of the death of Marianne Faithfull. 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.”
Jagger and Faithfull first met through the late singer’s first husband, John Dunbar, in 1964. Despite marrying Dunbar in 1965, she and Jagger officially became romantically involved in 1966, becoming a magnet for tabloids trying to capture their every move.
Aside from their history together, Faithfull was responsible for giving Jagger the inspiration for much of his material. Despite the band’s various love songs, the actor also loaned the frontman a copy of the book, The Master and the Margarita, which would become the basis for their classic track, ‘Sympathy for the Devil’, which tells a similar story of the devil living amongst mortals as a high-class member of society.
However, their relationship also saw some intense low points for Faithfull. During a drug bust at Keith Richards’ house, the tabloids had run a story saying that she was found by authorities in the house wearing nothing but a fur rug. While she was not brought up on charges, she would go on to say that her reputation was severely damaged by the scandal, which made her a figure for ridicule, while many of her male counterparts were glamourised for their actions.
Despite their long-term relationship, Faithfull eventually called it off with Jagger in 1970. Faithfull was 78 years old upon her passing.
Announcing her death, Faithfull’s spokesperson said: “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.”
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