Marianne Faithfull turns 75

Marianne Faithfull's unique voice was first heard at pubs across London as she grew into her teenage years. In 1964, Faithfull celebrated her first major success with "As Tears Go By," penned by Rolling Stones' band members Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Other hits followed, including "This Little Bird" and "Summer Nights."

In 1965, Faithfull married artist John Dunbar, and became a permanent fixture in London's booming counterculture scene. By the end of that year she gave birth to her only son, Nicholas. But two years later the marriage collapsed, and Faithfull went on to start a relationship with one of the greatest names in rock history.

Marianne Faithfull's romantic involvement with Mick Jagger ended up playing a major role in the rock band's overall direction. Songs like "Sympathy for the Devil," "Wild Horses" and "Sister Morphine" were all heavily influenced by their passionate relationship. The latter song, which Faithfull also recorded in her own right, speaks of her issues with drug addiction, which worsened over time.

By 1970, Jagger and Faithfull had separated, leading her further into drug abuse. When Jim Morrison overdosed on heroin in Paris in 1971, the press tried to link Faithfull to the death of The Doors' lead singer, saying she was present when it happened. Years later, Faithfull explained in her autobiography that the only connection was the fact that both musicians used the same drug dealer.

Faithfull withdrew completely from performing for almost a decade, unable to overcome her addiction. Some of that time she spent living on the streets of London's entertainment district, Soho. In 1979, she celebrated a comeback with a radical album, "Broken English." She dedicated the namesake title track to Ulrike Meinhof, a founding member of the Red Army Faction (RAF) terror group in Germany.

Marianne Faithfull has always looked for artistic fulfillment beyond music as well. Since 1966, she has featured in more than 20 movies, for instance co-starring with Alain Delon in the 1968 film "The Girl on a Motorcycle" or "Shopping," alongside Sadie Frost and Jude Law in 1994. She even played Empress Maria Theresa of Austria in Sofia Coppola's 2006 biopic, "Marie Antoinette."

The highlight in Faithfull's acting career was her leading role in the 2007 drama "Irina Palm," which garnered her a nomination for a Golden Bear award at that year's Berlinale. Critics and cinemagoers alike fell in love with the film, in which Faithfull plays a 50-year-old woman trying to master her way through some pitfalls of life by taking on an unlikely occupation involving her palm.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Marianne Faithfull's career continued to flourish, as the singer took on more mature tones. Her musical collaborations also contributed to her massive success. Faithfull hit the recording studio with great performers, including Pink Floyd's Roger Waters, Metallica, Nick Cave and P.J. Harvey. She is pictured here alongside Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys in 1997.

In 2021, Faithfull was infected with COVID-19 while recording her new album "She Walks In Beauty." She spent three weeks in intensive care, and both her lungs and her voice remain badly affected. Whether she will ever be able to sing properly again is questionable. But she remains confident; after all, she has bounced back from the brink of death more than once.