Birkin was born 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 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.
18
Jane Birkin Lyrics
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Maintenant ne sont plus là
Ils sont morts et enterrés, tous crevés
C'est normal, c'est pas d'hier
Le temps de l'entre-deux guerres
Faut toujours se décider à crever
Le one-step, le black bottom
Tout ces tacots ont les pneus crevés
Mais c'est la vie qui veut ça
On n'peut pas être toujours là
Eh oui, tous on finira par crever
Bien sûr il en reste encore
Mais c'est comme s'ils étaient morts
Ils sont tous déjà à moitié crevés
Le toubib fait ce qu'il peut
Pour les prolonger un peu
Mais ils ne vont pas tarder à crever
Le one-step, le black bottom
Le fox, la De Dion-Bouton
Tout ces tacots ont les pneus crevés
Mais c'est la vie qui veut ça
On n'peut pas être toujours là
Eh oui, tous on finira par crever
Le one-step, le black bottom
Le fox, la De Dion-Bouton
Tout ces tacots ont les pneus crevés
Mais c'est la vie qui veut ça
On n'peut pas être toujours là
Eh oui, tous on finira par crever
Tous ceux-là qui dansaient ça
Maintenant ne sont plus là
Ils sont morts et enterrés, tous crevés
C'est normal, c'est pas d'hier
Le temps de l'entre-deux guerres
Faut toujours se décider à crever
Le one-step, le black bottom
Le fox, la De Dion-Bouton
Tout ces tacots ont les pneus crevés
Mais c'est la vie qui veut ça
On n'peut pas être toujours là
Eh oui, tous on finira par crever
The lyrics to the song "18-39" by Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsbourg reflect on the ephemeral nature of life and the inevitability of death. The song talks about people who used to dance to popular dances like the one-step, black bottom, and fox. However, now they are no longer here because they have died and been buried. The repetition of the phrase "tous crevés" emphasizes the notion that death is a natural part of life and that everyone will eventually meet their end.
The lyrics suggest that even those who are still alive are already halfway dead. The doctor tries to extend their lives, but they won't last much longer. This melancholic tone underscores the transient nature of existence and the idea that no one can escape the fate of dying. The reference to the "entre-deux guerres" (between the wars) places the song in a specific historical context, hinting at the loss and devastation caused by war and the subsequent impact on people's lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Tous ceux-là qui dansaient ça
All those who used to dance this
Maintenant ne sont plus là
Now are no longer here
Ils sont morts et enterrés, tous crevés
They are dead and buried, all gone
C'est normal, c'est pas d'hier
It's normal, it's not from yesterday
Le temps de l'entre-deux guerres
The time between the wars
Faut toujours se décider à crever
You always have to decide to die
Le one-step, le black bottom
The one-step, the black bottom
Le fox, la De Dion-Bouton
The fox, the De Dion-Bouton
Tout ces tacots ont les pneus crevés
All these old cars have flat tires
Mais c'est la vie qui veut ça
But that's how life goes
On n'peut pas être toujours là
We can't always be here
Eh oui, tous on finira par crever
Yes, everyone will eventually die
Bien sûr il en reste encore
Of course, some are still left
Mais c'est comme s'ils étaient morts
But it's like they're already dead
Ils sont tous déjà à moitié crevés
They are all already half-dead
Le toubib fait ce qu'il peut
The doctor does what he can
Pour les prolonger un peu
To prolong them a little
Mais ils ne vont pas tarder à crever
But they won't be dying soon
Le one-step, le black bottom
The one-step, the black bottom
Le fox, la De Dion-Bouton
The fox, the De Dion-Bouton
Tout ces tacots ont les pneus crevés
All these old cars have flat tires
Mais c'est la vie qui veut ça
But that's how life goes
On n'peut pas être toujours là
We can't always be here
Eh oui, tous on finira par crever
Yes, everyone will eventually die
Le one-step, le black bottom
The one-step, the black bottom
Le fox, la De Dion-Bouton
The fox, the De Dion-Bouton
Tout ces tacots ont les pneus crevés
All these old cars have flat tires
Mais c'est la vie qui veut ça
But that's how life goes
On n'peut pas être toujours là
We can't always be here
Eh oui, tous on finira par crever
Yes, everyone will eventually die
Tous ceux-là qui dansaient ça
All those who used to dance this
Maintenant ne sont plus là
Now are no longer here
Ils sont morts et enterrés, tous crevés
They are dead and buried, all gone
C'est normal, c'est pas d'hier
It's normal, it's not from yesterday
Le temps de l'entre-deux guerres
The time between the wars
Faut toujours se décider à crever
You always have to decide to die
Lyrics © WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC FRANCE
Written by: Serge Gainsbourg
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind