Marianne Faithfull's Greatest Hits encompasses the Londoner's '60s singles, songs that range from lush psych-pop to West End theatrical throwaways. For instance, definitely seek "With You in Mind," a pensive, melismatic ballad; "As Tears Go By," her very first single, penned by future beau Mick Jagger and Keith Richards; and "In My Time of Sorrow," definitely the most unjustly ignored of her recordings, its Byrdsian flair both provincial and stirring. Her bigger-name covers miss the mark in big ways, including a shrill "Monday Monday" and a trite "Yesterday." Faithfull did not posses the voice to get out from under such big songs.

The difficult part of appreciating Faithfull today is that so much of her popularity and fame — and her fame was enormous — was tied up in the cult of her personality — specifically, her legal turmoil and very public relationship with Jagger. Certainly "Sister Morphine," a song she wrote that the Stones covered on Sticky Fingers (a nice reversal for Faithfull), carries the most contemporary weight, the romanticism of drug addiction long ensconced in rock legend. "Sister Morphine" also boasts her best vocal performance of the era, the ubiquitous quivering of her voice given added emotional heft,… read more »