Marianne Faithfull

Of course I have regrets; I'm not stupid.

My happiness is very fragile.

When you lose your reputation at 19, you lose everything.

For some people, marriage may be very groovy. For me, it really isn't. I don't think it really is for most people anyway. Most people are not very happy.

I've got to where I've always wanted to be. I just feel more myself, and I've learned not to care what other people think. It's happened slowly, very slowly. But I did it.

When I found out my mother wanted me to marry a rich man, I instantly didn't want any rich man.

I was told that I had very likely been clinically depressed for a long, long time, probably since I was 15, or even 14. It explained, to me at least, a lot of my behaviour over the years.

I've learnt to accept what has happened to my voice, I suppose, but I do wish it didn't sound quite so rough.

The only time I ever really consider retiring is when I get fed up with the press. Which is often.

I'm alive today, I'm well, I'm working, I'm still creative. What more can I say, really?

Life has changed. People have changed. They are more forgiving, less inclined to rush to judgment. And I have changed.

I want to see my grandchildren grow up. I want to be there for my friends. I want to be able to love the person in my life. I want to work. I want to do something I've never done, which is save money. I've never bought anything. I have nothing.

My story is really an affirmation of my strength and my luck. To live with a great artist like Ted Hughes or Mick Jagger is a very, very destructive role for a woman trying to be herself. In fact, it can't be done.

I'm a Capricorn, and they flower late.

I'm glad to say my father never felt ashamed of me, but my mother probably did.

The food that's never let me down in life is porridge, especially with milk and maple syrup, which is delicious. Paris isn't a porridge place, but I can buy it in London when I'm there and bring it back with me.

I serve black tea, which I call Froggy tea. And I have green teas and all sorts of nice teas. I'm serving tea all the time.

All I can say is I've been lucky with my body. Well done, little body. I praise it and say, 'You're very good.'

I'm not sure yet what my higher mission is, but I have a feeling it might be great. Before, I thought my mission was death, but now my mission is life.

I'm having a great life, and I want to go on having one.