Marianne Faithfull is an English singer-songwriter who began her artistic career in the mid-1960s by singing in bars. And it is thanks to the providential meeting she will have with the Rolling Stones that her artistic destiny will suddenly change.
Indeed, in 1964 Jagger and Richards composed the title “As tears go by” for her and thus offered her on a set not only a first success, but also and above all a first international success. A success which propelled her in a sensational way to the front of the stage.
In the process, the albums "Marianne Faithfull" and "Come my way" were released, two albums which will benefit from the suction effect generated by the success of the single and which will, in turn, also become popular with the public.
The year 1965 saw her get married on the one hand, and release four other singles on the other, four titles which in turn reached the top of the Charts. A marriage quickly consummated because she will end the year in the arms of another, a certain… Mick Jagger.
Things were already getting worse from 1966 onwards because dating the Stones did not only have positive effects on his personality. Indeed, the singer begins to abuse various drugs, begins to drink and becomes anorexic. With the direct consequence of artistic productivity in free fall. It's going to take him over 10 years to get out of this.
She returned from 1976 with the album "Dreamin 'my dreams", an album of very modest success but which at least has the merit of putting her back on the front of the stage. Her voice has changed considerably, has become significantly deeper, a change which, paradoxical as it may sound, will rather bring her luck.
Three years later, in 1979, the album “Broken English” was released, an enormous album which will remain as the biggest success of all his discography, in particular thanks to the sumptuous single “The ballad of Lucy Jordan”, which will be a real planetary success and revive the artist's career in a dazzling way.
The beginning of the 1980s allows her to confirm that she is indeed back. In particular thanks to the album “Dangerous acquaintances” which was released in 1981. The album also made a hit and produced mainly the hit “Sweetheart” which was released in 1982. A return of success which did not prevent the artist to continue to fight against old demons, among which are always alcohol and drugs ...
The year 1983 saw the release of the album "A child’s adventure" with less success but success nonetheless. Album which will produce his last notorious hit namely “Running for our lives”. The album "Rich kid blues", which was released two years later in 1985, went largely unnoticed.
From 1987, she will try her hand at jazz with the album "Strange weather", album with rather laudatory reviews but which did not produce any major hits.
The following years will see the release of other albums but unfortunately none will allow the singer to catch up with the leading pack. But several will still make a nice run in the Charts, especially during the 2010 decade...
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
As tears go by 1964
Come and stay with me 1965
This little bird 1965
Summer nights 1965
Is this what I get for loving you ? 1967
Dreamin’ my dreams 1975
All I wanna do in life 1976
The ballad of Lucy Jordan 1979
Broken English 1980
Intrigue 1981
Sweetheart 1982
Running for our lives 1983
Yesterdays 1987
Sleep 1995
She 1995
Bored by dreams 1995
Hang it on your heart 1997
Lust 1997
Vagabond ways 1999
For wanting you 1999
The pleasure song 2002
I'm on fire 2002
Wherever I go 2002
There is a ghost 2004
Desperanto 2004
Hold on hold on 2008
Children of stone 2008
Stations 2011
Love song 2011
Sparrows will sing 2014
Late Victorian holocaust 2014
The gypsy faerie queen 2018
Born to live 2018
She walks in beauty 2021
The Lady of Shallot 2021
Drifting 2022
Clips :
1964 ... the beginnings of a young girl with more than certain talent and who, in just a few songs, will become one of the biggest stars of this decade
1965 ... planetary mega hits will follow one another in an impressive way during this decade, a decade which propels her into the highest spheres of fame and glory
1965 ... the mega hits will follow one another, of course, but only over a few years. For now, she's walking on water. The end of the decade will be much less favorable ...
1965 ... all the titles she released in 1965 immediately turned into gold. A shattering success to say the least !
1967 ... after 2 totally euphoric years, the young singer experienced her first air gap during 1966 with a level of success at a complete standstill. She comes back in force in this year 1967 thanks to this title with certain inspiration. Not sure that this is enough to keep her in the leading pack ...
1975 ... there, it's downright an enormous 8 years air hole that will follow. She only returns in this year 1975 and again, in a form that we will describe as minimalist ...
1976 ...she returns, certainly, but does not manage to regain the pace of a decade which did not wait for her to evolve. She must react and quickly !
1979 ... then THIS title comes ! She delivers here quite simply one of the most emblematic titles of the decade but also signs the biggest success of her career. An incredible renaissance to say the least ! MAS-TER-FUL !
1980 ... suddenly, the dynamic which carries her from now on allows her to follow on a second top hit. A strong comeback to say the least amazing and which shows that in the song, nothing is ever finished ...
1981 ... the beginning of the 1980s which was particularly successful for her, it was obvious. As much as she will not have known, or been able, to take the measure of the 1970s, she will not have made the same mistake again during the following decade
1982 ... it's only one title per year on average during the 1980s, but quality is better than quantity, that's clear. A bias that pays in any case !
1983...unfortunately, the upturn was short-lived. She signs here a title of more than certain quality but which will already be her last classified of the decade. So, to be continued or end of the adventure ? The future will tell us...
1987...we find her again afterwards but in a style totally out of time and from the musical standards of the moment. Bet damn daring to take back this title from 1933...
1995...it will take her 8 years to find a level of inspiration worthy of the name. Here she has arrived in this new decade of the 90s with an obvious desire to do well...
1995... the album, like most of the titles it contains, will go unnoticed to say the least. Frankly a shame because there was much to talk about...
1995...a 90s decade that is not going to really benefit her, that's clear. She will do more some figuration there than anything else it is clear...
1997 ... and yet, she does not deserve, far from it. But how to fight against competition from young girls who are 30 years younger than her...
1998...and here she is squarely in Opera mode at the very end of the decade. An exercise in style out of the ordinary reserved for an audience for the less initiated...
1999 ... she will have gone through the 1960s, then the 1970s, then the 1980s, then the 1990s. And she will even come back the following decade. A career certainly particularly choppy but which will have produced several very big hits including one of exception. Nice prize list !
1999...when we thought she would never come back in the race, she will start to rise slowly but surely to the surface at the very end of the decade. We didn't believe in it anymore, but she might surprise us a lot in the years to come...
2002... here she begins her 5th decade of career, and yes, already. And she could suddenly become much more trendy than she was during the previous decade...
2002...you still have to remember that she started her career in 1964 and here she is back on the front of the stage as if she had started her career yesterday. Who would've believed that...?
2002...a rise in power that will go crescendo during this decade. She knew perfectly how to question herself and above all adapt to her time and of course you can hear it...
2004... each new album that comes out is more successful than its predecessor, something extremely rare for a singer from the 60s. Usually it's rather the opposite...
2004...it is extremely rare that a singer who started so long ago manages to bounce back in such a spectacular way. A real feat that few will have succeeded, that's for sure...
2008...the more the decade advances, the more her albums are successful. A decade 2000 which will have seen her reborn from its ashes in an incredible way to say the least. A rebirth that she owes to one thing only, her enormous talent !
2008... some titles do not correspond to the standards of the moment but that does not prevent her from imbuing her mark again in the international musical landscape. A truly outstanding artist...
2011...already almost 60 years of career ! Only the most talented artists will have managed to achieve such longevity, that's for sure...
2011...yet with each album one wonders if we will see her again later. And each time not only does she come back but she also has a success during this decade that is quite impressive...
2014...we feel that the voice is starting to get a bit tired after 50 years, but that doesn't stop the singer from continuing her adventure. An adventure that will last a few more years, that's for sure...
2014...another timeless title of which she has the secret. Who would dare to venture into this kind of musical path especially during this decade 2010 ? She of course...
2018...a 2010 decade that will have seen her return to her best form, at least in terms of inspiration. Because on the voice side, we feel that it is becoming more and more complicated for the singer to sing in tune...
2018...it's an impressive succession of 'emotional' titles and which shows that the singer wants to send messages. Personal messages, more global messages, there will be something for everyone...
2021... the singing voice has died out and given way to the narrative voice. We suspected that at some point it could not be otherwise...
2021...in the meantime, she has still entered her 7th career decade. How many singers who started at the same time as her are still there ? Few, very few, very very few...
2022...you have to know that with her nothing is ever over. Here she is again and we suspect that it will surely not be the last. Truly exceptional longevity !
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