Birkin was born in London, United Kingdom to David Birkin and Judy Campbell, an actress in Noel Coward musicals. Her great aunt was Freda Dudley Ward, a mistress of Edward VIII while he was Prince of Wales.
Birkin emerged in the swinging '60s in London, starring as one of the models in the controversial film Blowup in 1966.
In 1968, Birkin went to France to audition for the lead female role in Slogan. Though she did not speak French, she got the role. Read Full BioJane Mallory Birkin (born 14 December 1946) is a British actress and singer.
Birkin was born in London, United Kingdom to David Birkin and Judy Campbell, an actress in Noel Coward musicals. Her great aunt was Freda Dudley Ward, a mistress of Edward VIII while he was Prince of Wales.
Birkin emerged in the swinging '60s in London, starring as one of the models in the controversial film Blowup in 1966.
In 1968, Birkin went to France to audition for the lead female role in Slogan. Though she did not speak French, she got the role.
In 1969, she and Serge Gainsbourg released the song "Je t'aime... moi non plus" ("I love you... me neither"), written by Gainsbourg and featuring both of them singing, which caused a scandal for its sexual explicitness. Arguably due in part to the publicity it got from being banned by radio stations in Italy, Sweden, Spain, and the UK, it was a commercial success all over Europe. The song's fame is a result of its salacious lyrics (sung in French) against a background of female moaning and groaning, culminating in an orgasm at the song's conclusion (which some claim to be the result of Jane and Serge actually engaging in sex during the recording of the song).
Birkin took a short break from her acting career in 1971-72, but returned as Brigitte Bardot's lover in Don Juan (or if Don Juan were a woman) in 1973.
In 1975, she appeared in Gainsbourg's first film, also titled Je t'aime... moi non plus, which created quite a stir for its frank examination of sexual ambiguity. For this performance she was nominated for a Best Actress César Award.
Birkin has starred in the Agatha Christie films Death on the Nile and Evil Under the Sun, and recorded several albums, including Baby Alone in Babylone, Amours des Feintes, Lolita Go Home and Rendez-vous. She has obtained in the category Female Artist of the year in France the Victoires de la Musique award in 1992 .
She starred in two films by Jacques Doillon — as Anne in La fille prodigue (1981) and as Alma in La pirate (1984, nominated for a César Award). This work led to an invitation from Patrice Chéreau to star on stage in La Fausse suivante by Marivaux at Nanterre. After this, she also began to appear frequently on stage in plays and concerts (in France, Japan, the UK and then the US).
Jacques Rivette collaborated with her for Love on the Ground (1983) and La belle noiseuse (1991, Nominated Césars best supporting actress). Additionally, she appeared in Merchant Ivory's A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries (1998, also used her song "Di Doo Dah") and Merci Docteur Rey (2002), while Le Divorce's end title song featured her singing "L'Anamour", composed by Serge Gainsbourg.
In 2006, she played Elektra, directed by Philippe Calvario in France.
Jane Birkin's humanitarian interests led her to work with Amnesty International, on immigrant welfare and AIDS issues. Birkin has also visited Bosnia, Rwanda. and Palestinian Territories, often working with children. She has been awarded an OBE for her services to acting, as well as the Ordre National du Mérite in France.
She has made musical collaborations and duets with artists such as Feist, Beth Gibbons from Portishead, Bryan Ferry, Brian Molko from Placebo, Franz Ferdinand, Manu Chao, Brett Anderson from Suede, Mickey (3d), Françoise Hardy, Cali, The Divine Comedy, The Magic Numbers, Paolo Conte, Beck, Rufus Wainwright, Yann Tiersen, Alain Souchon, Les Negresses Vertes, Johnny Marr from The Smiths, Zazie, MC Solaar, Yosui Inoue, Étienne Daho, Alain Chamfort, Jimmy Rowles, Goran Bregović, Sonny Landreth, The Soundtrack of Our Lives and many others.
Birkin recorded the song "Beauty" on French producer Hector Zazou's 2003 album Strong Currents.
She is noted as being the inspiration for fashion house Hermès' popular Birkin Bag after the actress was seen struggling with several bags while boarding an aeroplane.
Her image features on the cover art of Have You Fed the Fish? by singer-songwriter Badly Drawn Boy (which features her daughter Charlotte Gainsbourg on backing vocals).
Despite decades of residence in France and the ability to speak French fluently, Birkin still retains a strong English accent and makes grammatical mistakes when speaking French.
Personal Life :
She was married from 1965 until 1968 to John Barry, an English composer who wrote the musical score to the James Bond movies. Their daughter, the photographer Kate Barry, was born in 1968.
Muse of Gainsbourg :
She had a very passionate and creative relationship with her mentor Serge Gainsbourg — they met on the set of Slogan and married in 1968. They separated in 1980. Their daughter is actress Charlotte Gainsbourg.
In 1982 she gave birth to her third daughter, Lou Doillon, from her relationship with the director Jacques Doillon.
Harvest moon
Jane Birkin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning | Line by Line Meaning
She talked in three dimensional
She held my lazy head when evening light was gone
She called the breaks
I ploughed the lower forty when
She called me plough boy
Say what paddock were you on
Chorus ~
Summer sun when my day is done
God help me just to shade my eyes
Harvest moon she'll be rising soon
God willing and the creek don't rise
She knows I'm right
She knows I'm so conventional
She knows I'm cultivated furrows on my brow
The land was mortified
The land was indivisible
I tell you someday we will reap what we might sow
Chorus
Don't rise x 3
She calls me Captain
She knows I'm so industrious
She fills my tea - cup when the window shades are down
We load the pick - up
We're making individual
We're making all that hay while driving into town
Chorus
Don't rise
Harvest moon she'll be rising soon
God willing and the creek don't rise
Don't rise ~ x 4
(fade)
The song encompasses the love between two farmers, ploughing and harvesting their crops together. The opening line "She talked in riddles, she talked in three-dimensional" hints that the woman is wise and enigmatic. She is not easily understood, yet the narrator seems captivated by her words. In this relationship, both the individuals are unique; the woman talks in puzzles and the man is known as 'Captain ' who is diligent and hard-working. Despite their differences, both share a passion for farming and express that they will "reap what they might sow". The lyrics express the intimate moments shared by the couple during their farming routines where the woman is seen with "evening light" holding his head, and the man calling her "pluck boy" while ploughing the field.
The chorus mentions the 'Harvest Moon' that will rise soon. In ancient times, people referred to the full moon that falls closest to the autumnal equinox in the northern hemisphere as the Harvest Moon. During this period, farmers would plough and harvest their crops late into the night under the moon's bright light. The song's chorus reflects the farming life's uncertainty as the farmer waits for the moon's position, prays that the weather remains favorable, and the creek doesn't over-flood.
Line by Line Meaning
She talked in riddles
She spoke in a confusing and mysterious way
She talked in three dimensional
Her speech contained a depth of meaning and complexity
She held my lazy head when evening light was gone
She comforted and cared for me when I was tired and alone in the darkness
She called the breaks
She signaled when it was time to take a pause or rest
I ploughed the lower forty when
I worked hard in the fields to cultivate a large area of land
She called me plough boy
She affectionately gave me a nickname related to my work
Say what paddock were you on
Asking where I had been working, possibly to keep track or assist me
Summer sun when my day is done
Referring to the end of a long day of work under the hot sun
God help me just to shade my eyes
Asking for divine assistance to help cope with the intense sunlight
Harvest moon she'll be rising soon
Referring to the upcoming appearance of the moon during harvest season
God willing and the creek don't rise
Expressing hope that obstacles like flooding won't interfere with the harvest
She knows I'm right
She trusts my judgement
She knows I'm so conventional
She recognizes that I have a typical or traditional way of thinking
She knows I'm cultivated furrows on my brow
She observes that I have worked hard and have lines on my forehead to show for it
The land was mortified
The soil was depleted or degraded
The land was indivisible
The land was not able to be divided, either for practical or sentimental reasons
I tell you someday we will reap what we might sow
Predicting that our actions on the land will have consequences in the future
Don't rise
Don't flood, don't escalate
She calls me Captain
She affectionately gives me a nickname related to leadership
She knows I'm so industrious
She recognizes that I am a hard worker
She fills my tea - cup when the window shades are down
She takes care of me and brings me tea when I am resting in the shade
We load the pick - up
We put goods into a truck for transport
We're making individual
We are working to create something unique or special
We're making all that hay while driving into town
We are able to multitask and work while also traveling to our destination
Writer(s): Jay Joyce Copyright: Songs Of Polygram Int. Inc., Door Number One Music
Contributed by Jordyn Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
carlos regis
Lyrics
Come little bit closer
Hear what I have to say
Just like children sleepin'
We could dream this night away
But there's a full moon risin'
Let's go dancing in the light
We know where the music's playin'
Let's go out and feel the night
Because I'm still in love with you
I want to see you dance again
Because I'm still in love with you
On this harvest moon
When we were strangers
I watched you from afar
When we were lovers
I loved you with all my heart
But now it's gettin' late
And the moon is climbin' high
I want to celebrate
See it shinin' in your eye
Because I'm still in love with you
I want to see you dance again
Because I'm still in love with you
On this harvest moon
xy47402
Well, Gosh! Neil Young, eat your heart out! This arrangement nearly scintillates with elegance. Beautiful!
carlos regis
Lyrics
Come little bit closer
Hear what I have to say
Just like children sleepin'
We could dream this night away
But there's a full moon risin'
Let's go dancing in the light
We know where the music's playin'
Let's go out and feel the night
Because I'm still in love with you
I want to see you dance again
Because I'm still in love with you
On this harvest moon
When we were strangers
I watched you from afar
When we were lovers
I loved you with all my heart
But now it's gettin' late
And the moon is climbin' high
I want to celebrate
See it shinin' in your eye
Because I'm still in love with you
I want to see you dance again
Because I'm still in love with you
On this harvest moon
Mark Kerr
Wow. Awesome rendition....best one yet!!
Lemon Soda
I secretly prefer this version
M TB
Me too
El Chorox
The original song's by neil young¿?:0
carlos regis
Me too
Herbert Lüthe
I openly prefer this version.
Marta Ilyinichna
oh my god this song is so good
Dulce Quental
amo essa gravacão