Gainsbourg made her motion picture debut playing Catherine Deneuve's daughter in the film Paroles et musique (1984). In 1986, Gainsbourg won a César Award for "Most Promising Actress" for L'effrontée, and, in 2000, she won "Best Supporting Actress" for the film La Bûche.
Gainsbourg made her musical debut with her father on the song "Lemon Incest" in 1984. Two years later, she released her debut album Charlotte for Ever, which was produced by her father.
In 2007, Gainsbourg appeared alongside Gael Garcia Bernal in Michel Gondry's La Science des rêves and as Claire in the Todd Haynes directed Bob Dylan biopic I'm Not There, also contributing a cover of the Dylan song "Just Like A Woman" to the film's soundtrack.
In 2006, Gainsbourg released her second album 5:55 to critical acclaim and commercial success, reaching the top spot on the French charts and achieving platinum status in the country. In the UK, the album was moderately successful, reaching #78 (The single The Songs That We Sing only made #129).
Gainsbourg has recently released her third studio album, IRM, which was produced by Beck. One of the influential factors in the album's creative process was her time spent filming Antichrist.
Greenwich Mean Time
Charlotte Gainsbourg Lyrics
Charlotte Gainsbourg Lyrics
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Crooked backbone, crossed out smile
Crooked cat, crooked mouse
We live together in a crooked little house
We're all fine, we're all fine
We fit together like worms on a line
We're so good, we're so nice
Crooked eyes, crooked tooth
Crooked mind bending back the truth
A crooked road on a crooked town
Looking down at the crumbs on the ground
We're all fine, we're all fine
We fit together like nickles on a dime
We're so good, we're so nice
We talk the mumbo jumbo Greenwich Mean Time
We're all fine, we're all fine
We fit together like nickles on a dime
We're so good, we're so nice
We talk the mumbo jumbo Greenwich Mean Time
The song "Greenwich Mean Time" by Charlotte Gainsbourg is a commentary on society's obsession with conformity and the pressure to fit in. The crooked man and his companions all share physical and mental imperfections, which are emphasized through the repetition of the word "crooked" throughout the lyrics. Despite their flaws, they live together in a "crooked little house," and the singer reassures the listener that "we're all fine" and "we fit together" in our imperfections.
The chorus of the song further emphasizes the pressure to conform, as the group is described as speaking "mumbo jumbo Greenwich Mean Time." This could be interpreted as a metaphor for the way society values punctuality and adherence to standards and schedules, regardless of the individual needs and circumstances of people. It encourages conformity and disregards the individuality and uniqueness that the crooked characters embody.
Overall, "Greenwich Mean Time" reminds us to celebrate our differences, quirks, and flaws rather than constantly striving for perfection or conformity. It's a reminder to embrace our individuality and appreciate the diversity that makes life interesting.
Line by Line Meaning
Crooked man down a crooked mile
A man with a twisted or distorted view of the world walks down a path that is similarly twisted and distorted.
Crooked backbone, crossed out smile
This man's physical and emotional state is also twisted, imbalanced, or skewed.
Crooked cat, crooked mouse
Even the animals that live in this man's world are crooked, which implies an unhealthy or abnormal environment.
We live together in a crooked little house
This man and his world are contained in a small, cramped space, suggesting that they are isolated or confined in some way.
We're all fine, we're all fine
Despite everything seeming crooked and twisted, we are pretending that everything is okay as an attempt to maintain a facade of normalcy.
We fit together like worms on a line
We are all united in our warped perspective, moving in the same direction without question or opposition.
We're so good, we're so nice
We continue to maintain this facade of normalcy and pretend that there is nothing wrong with us or our environment.
We stick together like dirty horse flies
Our unity and cohesion is not based on anything positive or healthy, but rather on a shared degradation or uncleanliness.
Crooked eyes, crooked tooth
Other physical indicators of our twisted perspective and uncleanliness.
Crooked mind bending back the truth
Our minds are similarly twisted and distorted, making it difficult for us to see the truth of our situation.
A crooked road on a crooked town
The town itself, or the society in which these people live, is also warped and distorted, with no clear or straightforward path to follow.
Looking down at the crumbs on the ground
Despite the warped and distorted nature of their environment, our perspective is still focused on small, insignificant details instead of seeing the bigger picture.
We talk the mumbo jumbo Greenwich Mean Time
Our attempts at communication are similarly distorted and meaningless, like speaking in a language that no one understands.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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