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.
IRM /Live
Charlotte Gainsbourg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ghost image in my mind
Neural pattern like a spider
Capillary to the centre
Hold still and press the button
Looking through a glass onion
Following the X-ray eye
Analyze EKG
Can you see a memory?
Register all my fear
On a flowchart disappear
Leave my head demagnetized
Tell me where the trauma lies
In the scan of pathogen
Or the shadow of my sin
In Charlotte Gainsbourg's song IRM, the lyrics delve into the experience of undergoing a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, which is commonly used to diagnose brain or spinal cord injuries, tumors, and other conditions. The song opens with the line "Take a picture, what's inside?" which sets the tone of the song as the singer contemplates the invisible inner workings of their mind. The line "Ghost image in my mind" also speaks to the intangible nature of memories and thoughts, which can sometimes feel like a fleeting apparition.
As the song continues, the singer describes the various stages of the MRI scan, from "Neural pattern like a spider" to "Following the X-ray eye." The imagery of spiders and X-rays brings to mind the invasive and almost sci-fi nature of the procedure. The line "Analyse EKG, can you see a memory?" suggests that the singer is questioning whether memories can be traced by looking at the electrical patterns in their brain. The following line, "Register all my fear," perhaps alludes to the anxiety and vulnerability that many people experience when undergoing a medical procedure.
The final verse of the song returns to the theme of searching for the root of emotional pain or trauma: "Leave my head demagnetized, tell me where the trauma lies / In the scan of pathogen, or the shadow of my sin." The use of the word "pathogen" brings to mind diseases or infections, while "sin" introduces a spiritual or existential element. Overall, the lyrics of IRM offer a holistic view of the MRI experience, illuminating the clinical and emotional aspects of a process that can feel both invasive and illuminating.
Line by Line Meaning
Take a picture, what's inside?
Asking to capture the innermost thoughts and emotions that are hidden within.
Ghost image in my mind
A faint remembrance of past events that still lingers in the mind.
Neural pattern like a spider
The complex web of thoughts and memories that have tangled over time.
Capillary to the centre
All of these thoughts and memories lead back to a central point or experience.
Hold still and press the button
Asking to freeze the moment and capture it forever.
Looking through a glass onion
Examining all of the layers and complexities of the mind.
Following the X-ray eye
Following a deep, penetrating gaze that can see beyond what is visible.
From the cortex to medulla
Tracing thoughts and emotions from the outer layer of the mind to the innermost core.
Analyze EKG
Examining the heart's electrical activity for any signs of emotional upheaval.
Can you see a memory?
Asking if someone can see and understand the memories that are replaying in the mind.
Register all my fear
Taking note of all the anxiety and fear that is felt.
On a flowchart disappear
Seeing all the emotions come together and disperse like scattered elements on a chart.
Leave my head demagnetized
Trying to find release from the magnetic pull of negative thoughts.
Tell me where the trauma lies
Asking to locate the source of the emotional pain and hurt.
In the scan of pathogen
Questioning if the root of the problem lies in a physical illness or ailment.
Or the shadow of my sin
Exploring the possibility that the emotional pain comes from past mistakes or guilty feelings.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@olijack57
xcellent un son comme ça en live c' est du top niveau !
@nigeloneill5891
Just discovered your music and voice.. Cannot belive it took me this long... #sublime
@malzirasales2716
Extraordinária.
@narcizacarvajalcastro6195
El talento lo lleva en las venas, hija de unos grandes Jane Birkin y Serge Gainsbourg. ¡¡¡Fabulosa!!!
@danielantino2667
Si, y lo mejor: el video incestuoso que la obligó a hacer y el odio acérrimo que aún le tiene.
@regisgianasChristian888
merci de ce voyage , merveille votre voix et sublime votre prestation , toujours la meilleure , que vous soyez la fille d'un homme qui disait la vérité , admiration , merci de ce bonheur , madame !
@ticodecouro2172
Nossa ducaralho. muito bom.
@DrewRobinsonShikamaruHyuga
Beck sure did write a good album for her
@damiencheveparis
AWESOME !!!
@Agnaldo533
Legal!!!