Damon Albarn from Blur on Getting “Rather Lauried” with Marianna Falefull

Damon Albarn Remembers Marianne Faithfull

Damon Albarn of Blur recalled his time with the late Marianne Faithfull and mentioned that they received “rather rags.”

Tributes From Fellow Artists

The passing of the cult singer and actress was confirmed yesterday (January 30) by her representatives, who stated that she “peacefully died in London” at the age of 78, “in the company of her loving family.”

Mick Jagger shared a heartfelt message to his former partner, while Metallica called her “fearless,” and Morrissey remarked that she “connected us all closer.” Sir Paul McCartney also paid tribute, describing her as “beautiful and sweet.” Many other artists and fans have shared their tributes to Faithfull, which can be found here.

Albarn recently reflected on his relationship with Faithfull in a conversation with The Guardian. He reminisced about their first meeting in the early 2000s, when Blur’s bassist Alex James frequently socialized with her and invited Albarn to the studio for Goldhok -Road.

“I think we were all in a great party mood at the time. I sat down and immediately clicked well with her,” he told The Outlet.

He continued: “We connected really well. I said, ‘I can sit down and write the perfect song.’ She responded, ‘Okay, then do it.’ I sat down and wrote what became ‘Green Fields’ at that time. I don’t remember much more about that evening, but that’s how I met her.”

“We used to hang out whenever I was in Paris. She would chat with everyone at Nick’s cave. I haven’t seen much of her since she returned to London, and in recent years, I haven’t seen her at all.”

Albarn noted how his mother was obsessed with Faithfull’s 1979 LP “Broken English,” often dancing around their living room while singing “Why d’Ya Do This?” He described Faithfull as “cute, beautiful, wonderful.”

Reflecting on their time together, the hitmaker of “Song 2” stated: “We always laughed. She had an endless supply of incredible, somewhat scandalous stories about people who became much more restrained with age. She was always a bit cynical about how people transformed into institutional pillars. Yet, she remained true to her beliefs.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HC7S-D9LT4

In 2002, Blur collaborated with Faithfull on the title track of her album “Kissin Time.” He recalled, “I only vaguely remember it. We were just one of her backing bands.”

In a 2002 interview with Concert Live Wire, Faithfull said: “This is like Damon (Albarn) and me. I’ve been close to Blur for a long time, especially Alex James, who really brought me to Damon and the rest. My relationship with Damon is very special; we understand each other very well.”

Graham Coxon from Blur also paid his respects to the late singer and actress. On X/Twitter, Coxon shared a black-and-white photo of Faithfull and wrote: “You were the only person who said what I really needed to hear at a time when I needed to hear it. You gave me confidence to ‘fly’ and shed my self-consciousness/doubt; you told me I was beautiful when I felt ugly—forever in your debt.”

You are the only person who said that I really needed to hear at a time when I really needed to hear https://t.co/o0g2cfa70f gave me confidence/permission to “fly” and get rid pic.twitter.com/qviunwktks

– Graham Coxon (@grahamcoxon) January 30, 2025

Faithfull was a pivotal figure in the “shaved London” scene of art and music during the 60s, emerging as one of the prominent women in the British invasion era. She is celebrated for hits such as “As Tears Go By” and for her roles on stage and film.

However, it was her association with the Rolling Stones that significantly elevated her public profile. She married artist John Dunbar in 1965, with whom she had a son, Nicholas, but left her husband the following year for Jagger, with whom she had a four-year relationship.

She is often regarded as a “muse” for the band, and it is believed she inspired songs like “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” and “Wild Horses.” She also penned her own song “Sister Morphine,” although it took her many years to secure a co-writing credit.

In 2021, she spoke about her near-fatal battle with Covid-19, which nearly robbed her of her singing ability. She was hospitalized in March 2020 for 22 days, and a year later, she reported still facing lingering effects.

A biographical film about her life titled Loyal has been in production since 2020 but remains incomplete.

Fans have also shared footage from Faithfull’s final concert, which took place at Le Bataclan in Paris in 2016 and featured her performing several of her most famous songs, along with covers of Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan.