The Rolling Stones song about Marianne Faithfull that “almost wrote itself”
The world of music, film, and pop culture was rocked on January 30th when it was announced that Marianne Faithfull had passed away. An icon in the 1960s, Faithfull was a musician, actor, and someone who was at the heart of a number of important movements throughout the decade. Her impact cannot be understated, as she was both the creator and the inspiration of pieces of art that are still celebrated today.
“It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of the singer, songwriter and actress Marianne Faithfull,” read a statement released on the day of her death, “Marianne passed away peacefully in London today, in the company of her loving family […] She will be dearly missed.”
A range of different tributes poured in for Faithfull, both from people who had met her and those who were merely impacted by her work. One of the biggest names to mourn was the lead singer of The Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger. He and Faithfull were in a relationship throughout the ‘60s, and Faithfull was one of the driving forces behind some of the band’s most notable hits.
“I am so saddened to hear of the death of Marianne Faithfull,” said Mick Jagger in a statement he shared on social media, “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.”
The Rolling Stones classic ‘Wild Horses’ is one of their most emotional and heartfelt tracks. It was initially put together by Keith Richards, who wrote the song for his son, whom he had to leave to go on tour. As a fan of the track, Jagger decided to run with it but changed the lyrics to be about his relationship with Marianne Faithfull instead.
There are a number of theories surrounding the song. Marianne Faithfull always said the chorus line, “Wild horses couldn’t drag me away,” for the track was hers, as it was the first thing she said to Jagger when she came out of a coma in 1969.
Regardless of where the lines for the song came from and who inspired what, it was Richards who put the original chord structure and melody together. He admits that while it might be considered one of Rolling Stones’ greatest numbers, it was also a track that came together relatively easily. As soon as he had the idea for the track down, it went from there quite easily.
“‘Wild Horses’ almost wrote itself. It was really a lot to do with, once again, fucking around with the tunings. I found these chords, especially doing it on a twelve-string to start with, which gave the song this character and sound,” said Richards in his book Life when discussing the song, “There’s a certain forlornness that can come out of a twelve-string. I started off, I think, on a regular six-string open E, and it sounded very nice, but sometimes you just get these ideas. What if I open tuned a twelve-string?”
