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.
Just Like A Woman
Charlotte Gainsbourg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tonight as I stand inside the rain
Ev'rybody knows
That Baby's got new clothes
But lately I see her ribbons and her bows
Have fallen from her curls.
She takes just like a woman, yes, she does
She makes love just like a woman, yes, she does
But she breaks just like a little girl.
Queen Mary, she's my friend
Yes, I believe I'll go see her again
Nobody has to guess
That Baby can't be blessed
Till she sees finally that she's like all the rest
With her fog, her amphetamine and her pearls.
She takes just like a woman, yes, she does
She makes love just like a woman, yes, she does
And she aches just like a woman
But she breaks just like a little girl.
It was raining from the first
And I was dying there of thirst
So I came in here
And your long-time curse hurts
But what's worse
Is this pain in here
I can't stay in here
Ain't it clear that--
I just can't fit
Yes, I believe it's time for us to quit
When we meet again
Introduced as friends
Please don't let on that you knew me when
I was hungry and it was your world.
Ah, you fake just like a woman, yes, you do
You make love just like a woman, yes, you do
Then you ache just like a woman
But you break just like a little girl.
In this song, Charlotte Gainsbourg is covering Bob Dylan's classic "Just Like A Woman." The song tells the story of a woman who appears confident and put-together on the outside, with her new clothes and ribbons in her hair. But as the song progresses, we learn that she is struggling on the inside and "takes just like a woman" in her emotional vulnerability. The reference to "Queen Mary" is likely a nod to Mary, Queen of Scots, who was known for her beauty and tragic end. The singer plans to go see Queen Mary, perhaps for solace or advice.
As the rain falls, the singer reflects on their own pain and the pain they've witnessed in others. They can't stay in this place with its "long-time curse" and knows that it's time to move on. In the final verse, the singer is addressing someone directly and accusing them of "faking" their emotions, making love "just like a woman" but then breaking "like a little girl." This line has drawn criticism for seeming to play into sexist stereotypes about women being weak or overly emotional. However, it's important to note that Dylan has said the song was intended as an empathetic portrait of a woman, rather than a condemnation.
Somewhat surprisingly, "Just Like A Woman" was originally written by Bob Dylan as a tribute to the actress Edie Sedgwick. Sedgwick was one of the stars of Andy Warhol's Factory scene in the 1960s, and was known for her unconventional beauty and wild personality. Dylan and Sedgwick were briefly involved romantically, and he wrote several songs about her, including "Just Like A Woman" and "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat."
Line by Line Meaning
Nobody feels any pain
Everyone seems to be happy even though I am feeling sad
Tonight as I stand inside the rain
I am standing in the rain, maybe crying
Ev'rybody knows
Everyone seems aware of what is happening
That Baby's got new clothes
She looks different from before
But lately I see her ribbons and her bows
I noticed that her accessories are gone
Have fallen from her curls.
Her hair looks less beautiful and neat
She takes just like a woman, yes, she does
She behaves in the same way as other women do
She makes love just like a woman, yes, she does
Her way of making love is typical of most women
And she aches just like a woman
She suffers and feels pain just like any other woman
But she breaks just like a little girl.
She is fragile and vulnerable like a child
Queen Mary, she's my friend
I have a friend named Queen Mary
Yes, I believe I'll go see her again
I am considering paying her a visit
Nobody has to guess
It is evident
That Baby can't be blessed
She cannot be saved or made happy
Till she sees finally that she's like all the rest
She needs to realize that she is no different from others
With her fog, her amphetamine and her pearls.
She has a clouded mind, uses drugs, and wears expensive jewelry
It was raining from the first
It started raining when I arrived or when I started feeling this way
And I was dying there of thirst
I was desperately needing something, like a drink of water
So I came in here
I entered this place
And your long-time curse hurts
The negative energy you have is hurting me
But what's worse
The situation is not only bad, it's getting worse
Is this pain in here
I am feeling emotional pain
I can't stay in here
I cannot continue feeling this way
Ain't it clear that--
Isn't it obvious that--
I just can't fit
I don't belong here or in this particular situation
Yes, I believe it's time for us to quit
I think it's time for us to end this relationship or situation
When we meet again
If we ever see each other again
Introduced as friends
When we meet, let's pretend we are not acquainted
Please don't let on that you knew me when
Don't reveal that we have a history together
I was hungry and it was your world.
During a period of need, I was in your control
Ah, you fake just like a woman, yes, you do
You behave like a typical woman, including faking emotions
You make love just like a woman, yes, you do
Your way of making love is typical of most women
Then you ache just like a woman
Even though you pretend or fake emotions, you experience pain like other women
But you break just like a little girl.
Despite your ability to fake emotions and appear strong, you are fragile like a child
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Garabella
Nobody feels any pain
Tonight as I stand here in the rain.
Everybody knows that baby's got new clothes,
But lately I see her ribbons and her bows
Have fallen from her curls.
She takes just like a woman.
She makes love just like a woman.
And then she aches just like a woman.
But she breaks just like a little girl.
Queen Mary, she's my friend.
Yes I believe I'll go see her again.
Nobody has to guess that baby can't be blessed
'Till she finally sees that she's like all the rest
With her fog, her amphetamines, and her pearls.
She takes just like a woman.
She makes love just like a woman.
And then she aches just like a woman.
But she breaks just like a little girl.
It was raining from the first, and I was dying there of thirst,
So I came in here.
And your long-time curse hurts, but what's worse
Is this pain in here.
I can't stay in here.
Ain't it clear...
That I just can't fit.
Yes I believe it's time for us to quit.
But when we met again introduced as friends,
Please don't let on that you knew me when
I was hungry, and it was your world.
You fake just like a woman.
You make love just like a woman.
And then you ache just like a woman.
But you break just like a little girl.
@lorielsa3584
Thank you for posting, this is my favorite performance of this song.
@LuisSilva-yb3mk
Woooow!! Excelente interpretación, hermosa
@klenyaprates7720
Talento e delicadeza em uma só voz!
@bonanzagrade
Listen to the lyrics only. He is not just a poet but an unusually gifted songwriter and a master of irony. It's hard to ignore the perfect structure of the song. But what sounds like a soft, feminine, sweet lament is more like an indictment sternly intoned by a chief magistrate in a powdered wig. The fact that Dylan gets us to sing along with his tune is why he is Dylan. We only get so many artists like this in a century.
@veramartins9411
Interessante descobrir que essa excelente atriz, é filha de Serge Gainsbourg e Jane Birkin.
O talento do pai e a beleza exótica dos dois. Não sabia que ela, além, de atuar, também, cantava. Parabéns Charlotte!
@renierelizabeth677
Le charme et la classe, voilà Charlotte! Good cover. Surprised by negatives commentaries, people, were you expecting that she would sing like Dylan? She did it her own way. Charlotte in France we love you!
@RealMexFoodShouldntGiveUDrrhea
I actually haven't found (around here) people who like him around my age either! I am 24, and I fell totally in love with Bob's music! My mp3 is always on repeat with his music.
@missraqeetaylor
Amazing video, beautiful song, I love her voice! ♥
@Daudania
I love this song ^^ She really sung it good. Just simple and sweet =3
@pinkfloyd1967
this version is simply sublime....