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.
Baby Lou
Jane Birkin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Je t'ai aperçue par ma vitre
On aurait dit comme le générique
D'un film ricain sans sous-titres
Tu ne m'as même pas demandé où j'allais
On aurait dit que tu t'en foutais - moi je filais droit sur l'
Atlantique
Voir les bateaux qui chavirent
L'idée semblait te séduire
Tu me dis je n'ai jamais vu l'Océan
Qui sait là-bas c'est peut-être plus marrant - j'ai compris ta
Philosophie Baby Lou
Et la façon de voir la vie Baby Lou
Et pourquoi pas si c'est ce qui te va
Tu n'es pas concernée
Plutôt du genre consternée
Et pourquoi pas si c'est ce qui te va - je te regarde dans le rétro de la Buick
Sous les nuages qui se déchirent
Compter les poteaux télégraphiques
Tu ne trouves rien d'autre à me dire
Tu as vraiment l'air de te foutre de tout
De prendre tous les autres pour des fous - j'ai compris ta philosophie Baby Lou
Et ta façon de voir la vie Baby Lou
Et pourquoi pas si c'est ce qui te va
Tu n'es pas concernée
Plutôt du genre consternée
Et pourquoi pas si c'est ce qui te va
The lyrics to Jane Birkin's song Baby Lou present a narrative of a relationship, or perhaps just an encounter, between the singer and someone called Baby Lou. The song opens with the singer noticing Baby Lou from her car window next to the highway, describing the moment as if it were a scene from an American film with no subtitles. It is unclear whether the two of them are already acquainted, but it is evident that Baby Lou is not particularly interested in the singer's destination. Despite this, the singer continues to share her plans of heading straight towards the Atlantic Ocean to see the ships that are sinking. Baby Lou seems intrigued by the idea of drowning in the romantic, and even mentions that she has never seen the ocean before. However, her response implies that she lacks a certain level of concern about the world around her, and the singer points out her apathy towards everything apart from herself.
Throughout the song, the singer seems to be attempting to connect with Baby Lou, but each time is met with a lack of engagement. Baby Lou appears to have a particular outlook on life that is different from the singer's, as seen through lines like "I understood your philosophy, Baby Lou, and the way of seeing life, Baby Lou." Despite their different viewpoints, the singer is accepting of Baby Lou's mentality and even suggests that it may suit her. In essence, the song is a conversation between two people with differing perspectives on life, and the singer comes to realize that she cannot impose her own perspective on Baby Lou if it doesn't work for her.
Line by Line Meaning
Sur les abords du périphérique
On the outskirts of the city
Je t'ai aperçue par ma vitre
I spotted you through my window
On aurait dit comme le générique
It was like the opening sequence
D'un film ricain sans sous-titres
Of a typical American movie without subtitles
Tu ne m'as même pas demandé où j'allais
You didn't even ask where I was going
On aurait dit que tu t'en foutais - moi je filais droit sur l' Atlantique
It seemed like you didn't care - I was heading straight for the Atlantic
Voir les bateaux qui chavirent
To see the ships that sink
Je voulais me noyer dans le romantique
I wanted to drown in romance
L'idée semblait te séduire
The idea seemed to appeal to you
Tu me dis je n'ai jamais vu l'Océan
You said, 'I've never seen the ocean'
Qui sait là-bas c'est peut-être plus marrant - j'ai compris ta Philosophie Baby Lou
Who knows, maybe it's more fun there - I understood your philosophy, Baby Lou
Et la façon de voir la vie Baby Lou
And your way of seeing life, Baby Lou
Et pourquoi pas si c'est ce qui te va
And why not if it suits you
Tu n'es pas concernée
You're not affected
Plutôt du genre consternée
More like distressed
Et pourquoi pas si c'est ce qui te va
And why not if it suits you
Je te regarde dans le rétro de la Buick
I look at you in the Buick's rearview mirror
Sous les nuages qui se déchirent
Under the tearing clouds
Compter les poteaux télégraphiques
Counting the telegraph poles
Tu ne trouves rien d'autre à me dire
You can't think of anything else to say to me
Tu as vraiment l'air de te foutre de tout
You really seem to not care about anything
De prendre tous les autres pour des fous
Thinking everyone else is crazy
J'ai compris ta philosophie Baby Lou
I understood your philosophy, Baby Lou
Et ta façon de voir la vie Baby Lou
And your way of seeing life, Baby Lou
Et pourquoi pas si c'est ce qui te va
And why not if it suits you
Tu n'es pas concernée
You're not affected
Plutôt du genre consternée
More like distressed
Et pourquoi pas si c'est ce qui te va
And why not if it suits you
Contributed by Elliot L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.