The pop icon and celebrated torch singer Marianne Faithfull has died. The blonde, voluptuous Faithfull was an international celebrity before age 20 when she covered one of the first songs written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards,

Marianne Faithfull's first hit, "As Tears Go By," was recorded when she was just 17 years old after she met with the manager of the Rolling Stones at a party.

Singer and actress Marianne Faithfull has died at the age of 78, her spokesperson has said. Born in Hampstead in December 1946, she was known for hits like As Tears Go By, which reached the UK top 10 in 1964, and for starring roles in films including 1968's The Girl On A Motorcycle.