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Mick and Marianne: A Swinging London Love Story
The one that Mick loved most
She was an ethereal pop princess. He was the powerhouse frontman for a wildly popular band. Together, they were the charismatic “It” couple of the 1960s British music scene. Young, beautiful, and talented, Marianne Faithfull and Mick Jagger personified Carnaby St.-style counterculture, which was heavier on the haute, and lighter on the hippie. Always impeccably turned out, Mick and Marianne turned heads wherever they went.
Mick and Marianne’s four-year relationship ended in 1970 as Marianne’s epic substance abuse caught up with her, as it did for many others in the Rolling Stones’ inner sanctum. But at least Marianne survived, albeit barely, in the immediate aftermath of her breakup with Mick. Marianne Faithfull is made of tough stuff.
Marianne’s mark on Jagger’s psyche proved indelible. In fact, Jerry Hall, Mick’s partner of over two decades and mother to four of his eight children, maintains that of all the girls, Marianne was the one that Mick loved most. Unfortunately for the women who came after Marianne, it seems Mick never put himself out there emotionally like that ever again.
Mick and Marianne met in early 1964 at a Rolling Stones launch party. Mick tried chatting Marianne up and in the process spilled wine all over her dress. Not the best first impression.
But it didn’t matter. Marianne was with artist John Dunbar, her soon-to-be husband, who was not an uncouth oaf like that Jagger clown. Marianne also met Andrew Loog Oldham that evening, who told her he was gonna make her a star. He really was just that cheesy.
So, for Marianne, that was a pretty fateful meeting. The next thing she knew, she was living the life of a pop star, caught in a loop of recording sessions and personal appearances.
Marianne’s first single, 1964’s “As Tears Go By,” was written by her soon-to-be boyfriend Mick and his songwriting partner Keith. The Stones would release their own version in 1966, the year Mick and Marianne became a couple.
Let’s contrast and compare, shall we?
Marianne’s version:
