Today is Marianne Faithfull’s birthday, and it is an occasion for looking back on her career that started almost 60 years ago in 1966. From there it was a bumpy road for her for several years. But after a dark period in the 70’s, she came back with the album Broken English, and we have seen a strong artist with a distinguished voice and live performance.
I can still remember her debut as a recording artist with As Tears Go By. Not necessarily from when it was released in 1966, but probably a bit after. I liked the song, of course, first of all the original version wth the Rolling Stones, but Marianne Faithfull had something special, almost vulnerable, in her version. After that I didn’t notice too much of her recordings the rest of the 60’s, being more interested in the bands from the end of that decennium.
The next time I noticed Marianne Faithfull as a singer, was with her comeback album Broken English in 1979. Her voice had changed from substance abuse and living hard in the 70’s, but she managed to use it in a way that made her special. The big hit from the album was The Ballad of Lucy Jordan, originally recorded by Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show five years earlier.
After Broken English and the success of Lucy Jordan followed several albums that were good, but didn’t get up to the popularity of Broken English. The album, Rich Kid Blues is interesting in that it was recorded in 1971, but wasn’t released until 1985. The album consiste of covers of Dylan, James Taylor and other artists, and you hear that her voice is so much clearer than what she recorded from Broken English and on.
I have seen Marianne Faithfull live on four occasions. The first was at the Ole Blues festival in 2001, where the top photo here is from. Then I saw her again in Bergen, at the Bergen Blues Festival in 2007, and at the Molde Jazz Festival in 2009. The last time was at Sentrum Scene in Oslo when she was doing promo concerts for her 2014 album Give My Love To London.
Marianne Faithfull got very sick from Covid in April 2020 and stated later that the hospital staff saved her life. It was uncertain that she could sing after this, but she has trained her voice and breathing, and her so far latest album is She Walks In Beaty from 2021, where she recites romantic British poetry over Warren Ellis’ music. Let’s hope this isn’t the last we hear from her, and I wish her a Happy Birthday today and many more to come.
All photos are © Per Ole Hagen and must not be used or shared without written permission.
