Marianne Faithfull, icon of Swinging London and English rock, has died

Marianne Faithfull è morta all’età di 78 anni. Lo scrive la Bbc, citando il portavoce della cantante e attrice inglese. “È con profonda tristezza che annunciamo la scomparsa della cantante, cantautrice e attrice Marianne Faithfull”, si legge in una nota. “Marianne si è spenta serenamente oggi a Londra, in compagnia della sua amata famiglia. Ci mancherà moltissimo”.

Marianne Faithfull era nata a Londra il 29 dicembre 1946 ed era arrivata nel mondo della musica a metà degli the '60s, quando aveva appena 17 anni. Emerse con la forza di una personalità fragile e fiera al contempo. Con una carriera che si estende per oltre cinque decenni, Faithfull ha saputo reinventarsi continuamente, passando da icona della Swinging London assieme a Mick Jagger, con cui ebbe una tormentata relazione tra il 1966 e il 1970, e coautrice di successi dei Rolling Stones come “Sister Morphine”, a interprete e autrice tra le più apprezzate della musica britannica.

Her music career began in 1964, when she was discovered by Andrew Loog Oldham, manager of the Rolling Stones. Her first single, "As Tears Go By", written by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Oldham himself, was an immediate hit, launching her into the pantheon of British pop. The song, with its melancholy melody and Faithfull's crystalline voice, marked the beginning of a period of great fame.

In the 1960s, Faithfull became a central figure of Swinging London, both for her music and for her relationship with Mick Jagger. During this period she released a string of successful singles, including "This Little Bird" and "Come And Stay With Me". However, her album "Love In A Mist" (1967) marked a point of artistic transition, with folk and orchestral influences.

The 1970s were marked by a turbulent personal life and a darker period for her career. Drug addiction and health problems took Marianne Faithfull away from the music scene. However, in 1979 she made a triumphant return with the album "Broken English", regarded as a milestone of new wave and rock. With songs like "The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan" and "Why D'Ya Do It?", Faithfull showed off a raw, intense voice capable of conveying crude, authentic emotions.

In the Eighties and Nineties, Marianne Faithfull continued to explore new musical territory with albums such as "Strange Weather" (1987) and "A Secret Life" (1995), collaborating with artists of the calibre of Angelo Badalamenti and Metallica. At the same time, she also established herself as an actress, appearing in films such as "Intimacy" (2001), "Marie Antoinette" (2006) and "Irina Palm" (2007), as well as in several stage adaptations.

In the 2000s, Faithfull cemented her status as an artistic icon with albums like "Before The Poison" (2005), made in collaboration with Nick Cave and PJ Harvey, and "Negative Capability" (2018), which grapples with reflections on themes such as loss and resilience.

La sua voce unica, le sue interpretazioni profonde e il suo spirito indomito hanno contribuito a renderla un modello di riferimento per generazioni di artiste. Con brani immortali come “As Tears Go By”, “Broken English” e “The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan”, annoverati ormai tra gli evergreen della popular music.

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