This story was originally published in the April 17, 1980,issue ofRolling Stone.
God, I was beautiful.
Faithful stares at her younger image with a hint of wistful pride.
Marianne Faithfull in 1980David Corio/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
But for American audiences shes been virtually invisible since she and Jagger split up in 1969.
This afternoon, its just about gone altogether.
Faithfull lost her voice three days ago from rehearsing too strenuously for her spot onSaturday Night Live.
Theres no good going on about old troupers and all that, Faithfull says with a tired gesture.
Thats all very well, but its a load of shit.
And lo and behold, I couldnt.
People have no clue.
It hardly jibes, I say, with her old vulnerable-waif image.
Oh I know, they all think Im a victim or a survivor.
Ihatethat, I hate the word.
A survivor of what?
Its not just that Im not a survivor, she says breathily, Imsomuchmorethan that.
The publication last year ofUp and Downwiththe Rolling Stoneshas helped accent the Sixties-survivor element of Faithfulls comeback.
She is restrainedly bemused about the book.
It wasriveting, of course allthose books are riveting, she drawls, one hand over her eyes.
And its nice to have those stories told by the pusher…
Her voice trails off into a cough.
If she hadnt left that milieu, she admits, I might have become just a hopeless junkie.
She supported herself mainly with royalties from Sister Morphine a wages-of-sin irony shes quick to point out.
Once or twice, she adds, I met a nice boyfriend who happened to have some money.
The album is something very special, says Faithfull quietly.
She shoots me a sidelong grin.
Yes it did, actually.
She pauses a moment and laughs.
We mustnt, you see, she adds quickly.
I can see what he means.
