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#607 THE BALLAD OF LUCY JORDAN Marianne Faithfull
Marianne Faithfull's delivery of "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan" is etched in your memory upon hearing it. The protagonist in its title realizes that her mundane life is as good as it will ever be. Her husband is working, her children at school and she is left with nothing but the reality that life has passed her by. The 37 year-old attempts suicide by the song's conclusion. 
The song was written by Shel Silverstein and first recorded by Dr. Hook for their 1973 LP 'Belly Up!'. Faithfull's cover version was included on 'Broken English', an album she released in 1979. Production was handled by Mark Miller Mundy, who had previously worked with Steve Winwood. In the UK, the single peaked at #38.
Marianne Faithfull was born in London in 1946. Along with years of substance abuse, Faithfull gained notoriety for her romantic involvement with Mick Jagger. She co-wrote "Sister Morphine" with Jagger and Keith Richards. The Stones recorded it after she had released her own version.