Marianne Faithfull Said Cheating on Mick Jagger With Keith Richards Was 'The Best Night of My Life'

Marianne Faithfull dated Mick Jagger for four years. They had a stormy relationship peppered with unfaithfulness. However, one night with Jagger’s Rolling Stones bandmate Keith Richards differed from other affairs. Faithfull called it “the best night of my life.”

Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithfull met when she was just 17

Marianne Faithfull and Mick Jagger first met at a party when Faithfull was only 17. Jagger and his bandmate Keith Richards wrote a song for Faithfull, “As Tears Go By,” which she recorded in 1964. The tune would hit number six on the Billboard charts. The Rolling Stones would record their version of the song one year later.

But it wasn’t until 1966, when she was 20, that she and Jagger began dating. They were the epitome of swinging sixties London and, together, created a stir for their on-again-off-again relationship.

Jagger famously cheated on Faithfull with Marsha Hunt, the mother of his daughter Karis. He also dated Faithfull’s best friend, Anita Pallenberg, his co-star in the 1970 film Performance. However, he and Faithfull would remain together, on and off, for four years until 1970.

Marianne Faithfull said cheating on Mick Jagger with Keith Richards was ‘the best night of my life’

“Keith and I have always had a lot of respect for each other. He used to play little folk songs for me when I was quite young, and I don’t think he even liked folk music.” – Marianne Faithfull

Happy Birthday Keith Richards. ?? @officialKeef pic.twitter.com/R03aVWfNb6

In retaliation for Mick Jagger cheating with her best friend, Anita Pallenberg, Keith Richard’s then-girlfriend. Marianne Faithfull returned the favor. She had a memorable one-night-stand with Keith Richards, which she called “the best night of my life.”

In 2014, Faithfull told AZ Central she had no regrets about the evening. Keith Richards also documented the love affair in his 2010 book, Life.

‘The night I spent with Keith. Even now, it stands out. I think it was so great and memorable because it was just one night. That was it. And we’re still great friends,” Faithfull mused.

Richards later admitted he wanted to spend a night with Faithfull to avenge Pallenberg’s relationship with Jagger. Reportedly, Jagger almost caught Richards and Faithfull in bed together. However, Richards managed to get out just in time but left his socks behind.

Marianne Faithfull claims one fateful night in 1967 spelled the end of her and Jagger’s relationship

One fateful night in 1967 spelled the end of Marianne Faithfull and Mick Jagger’s relationship. She and the Stones lead singer were caught up in a notorious drug bust at Redlands, the country home of Keith Richards.

Jagger and Richards were arrested, and both received stiff jail sentences. Public outcry over their arrests and the belief they were being made examples led to Jagger and Richards’ release. However, the following event damaged Faithfull, who was also in the home that night.

At the time of the bust, Faithfull was undressed. She infamously wrapped a rug around her when police arrived and later became known as the girl in the fur rug. Her reputation never recovered.

“That drugs raid really damaged me,” Faithfull told Q magazine, as reported by Contact Music. ‘It damaged our relationship, and [four years later] I was living on the street as a drug addict. Do I blame anyone or anything for that? I do blame the Redlands thing, yes.”

She continued, “I could’ve stayed with Mick, and he did love me, but I couldn’t bear it, that world. I just felt not good enough. Low self-esteem. All the things a drug addict feels. But I don’t think I would’ve felt like that if the bust hadn’t happened. I think we would’ve been fine. Would we have been together today? I don’t know. Why not?”

Marianne Faithfull released an album titled She Walks in Beauty in April 2021. It is a spoken-word tribute to the romantic poets who sparked her imagination as a teenager.

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