Marianne Faithfull Bids Adieu On Posthumous EP

When Marianne Faithfull died on January 30 at the age of 78, she left behind more than seven decades’ worth of music. Indeed, Faithfull released 22 studio albums and countless singles—but perhaps more importantly, she left behind a template for reinvention. Faithfull began her career in the ‘60s as an “It Girl” and poster child […]

Jun 6, 2025 - 17:50

Marianne Faithfull Bids Adieu On Posthumous EP

Marianne Faithfull (Credit: James Robjant)

When Marianne Faithfull died on January 30 at the age of 78, she left behind more than seven decades’ worth of music. Indeed, Faithfull released 22 studio albums and countless singles—but perhaps more importantly, she left behind a template for reinvention.

Faithfull began her career in the ‘60s as an “It Girl” and poster child of the British Invasion, dabbling in both song and film. Her romantic partnership with Mick Jagger threatened to eclipse her own artistic achievements. Following a dissolute period in the ’70s, during which she struggled with heroin addiction and an eating disorder, Faithfull re-emerged with Broken English (1979), a critical and commercial success that reinvigorated her career.

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Initially known for her melodic voice, drugs and overuse transformed Faithfull’s voice into the distinctive rasp heard on her later output. Over the years, her collaborators ranged from Daniel Lanois and Damon Albarn to PJ Harvey and Nick Cave. Her final album, She Walks in Beauty (2021), featured her reciting Romantic poetry over music by Warren Ellis, with accompaniment from Cave, Brian Eno, and others.

While record companies and estates often raid the vaults when a significant artist dies, Burning Moonlight—the first release following Faithfull’s passing—is a tasteful four-song EP that feels like a fitting capstone to a storied career. Initially released on vinyl for Record Store Day, the EP is now available digitally as of June 6. According to a statement by her son, Nicholas Dunbar, Faithfull had been working on these songs in the year before her death, singing right up until the end despite struggling with emphysema and long COVID.

The EP begins with the title track, an elegiac ballad inspired by her debut single, “As Tears Go By.” She intones, “Burning moonlight to survive, walking in fire is my life,” over muted acoustic guitar—a line that feels like Faithfull’s raison d’être. But while youthful naiveté bristles throughout “As Tears Go By,” this track feels lived-in and weathered.

Next comes the upbeat “Love Is,” written by Faithfull’s grandson, Oscar Dunbar. It also features ghostly interview excerpts of the young singer talking about parties and the Rolling Stones. While not as haunting as the title track, “Love Is” features the line: “And I have been so lucky… most of the time.” If there’s a better epitaph for a life, it would be hard to find.

The EP closes with two folk standards. Though “Three Kinsmen Bold” feels somewhat slight, Faithfull’s a cappella reading of “She Moved Thru’ the Fair” induces goosebumps. It feels fitting that this spectral ballad of longing and regret should end such a multifarious career. You can hear it in every crack of her voice—every bead of silence between the breaths.

To see our running list of the top 100 greatest rock stars of all time, click here.