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.
Ballade de Johnny Jane
Jane Birkin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Te souviens-tu du film de Gainsbourg Je t'aime
Je t'aime moi non plus un joli thème
Hey Johnny Jane
Toi qui traînes tes baskets et tes yeux candides
Dans les no man's land et les lieux sordides
Hey Johnny Jane
Les décharges publiques sont des atlantides
Hey Johnny Jane
Tous les camions à benne
Viennent y déverser bien des peines infanticides
Hey Johnny Jane
Tu balades tes cheveux courts ton teint livide
À la recherche de ton amour suicide
Hey Johnny Jane
Du souvenir veux-tu trancher la carotide
À coups de pieds dans les conserves vides
Oh Johnny Jane
Un autre camion à benne
Te transporter de bonheur en bonheur sous les cieux limpides
Hey Johnny Jane
Ne fais pas l'enfant ne sois pas si stupide
Regarde les choses en face sois lucide
Hey Johnny Jane
Efface tout ça, recommence, liquide
De ta mémoire ces brefs instants torrides
Hey Johnny Jane
Un autre camion à benne
Viendra te prendre pour t'emmener vers d'autres Florides
Hey Johnny Jane
Toi qui traînes tes baskets et tes yeux candides
Dans les no man's land et les lieux sordides
Hey Johnny Jane
Écrase d'un poing rageur ton oeil humide
Le temps ronge l'amour comme l'acide
"Ballade de Johnny Jane" by Jane Birkin is a song written by Serge Gainsbourg, one of the most prominent figures in French pop music. The lyrics are addressed to Johnny Jane, a character who is searching for love in a bleak, desolate world. The song is full of metaphorical language and poetic imagery, describing the world around Johnny Jane as a place of decay and danger. The lines "Hey Johnny Jane / Toi qui traînes tes baskets et tes yeux candides / Dans les no man's land et les lieux sordides" paint a vivid picture of a character who is wandering through abandoned landscapes, wearing worn-out sneakers and looking at the world with innocent eyes.
The song also references Gainsbourg's famous work "Je t'aime moi non plus", a scandalous duet he recorded with Birkin in 1969. The lyrics "Te souviens-tu du film de Gainsbourg Je t'aime / Je t'aime moi non plus un joli thème" directly evoke the erotic charge of that famous track. But "Ballade de Johnny Jane" is a melancholic reflection on the fleeting nature of love and desire, and the fear of being forgotten or left behind. The repeated image of garbage trucks dumping their toxic loads in "les décharges publiques" adds to the overall sense of decay and futility that pervades the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey Johnny Jane
The singer is addressing an individual named Johnny Jane.
Te souviens-tu du film de Gainsbourg Je t'aime
The singer is asking Johnny Jane if they remember the movie 'Je t'aime moi non plus' by Serge Gainsbourg.
Je t'aime moi non plus un joli thème
The singer notes that 'Je t'aime moi non plus' has a beautiful theme.
Toi qui traînes tes baskets et tes yeux candides
The artist is describing Johnny Jane as someone who wears sneakers and has innocent eyes.
Dans les no man's land et les lieux sordides
The artist mentions that Johnny Jane is found in deserted and bleak places.
Les décharges publiques sont des atlantides
The singer sees the garbage dumps as underwater kingdoms.
Que survolent les mouches cantharides
The singer notes the presence of flies hovering above the garbage dumps.
Tous les camions à benne
The artist is talking about trucks that carry waste.
Viennent y déverser bien des peines infanticides
The trash trucks bring with them a load of heartbreaking and violent memories.
Tu balades tes cheveux courts ton teint livide
The artist remarks about the appearance of Johnny Jane, who has short hair and a pale complexion.
À la recherche de ton amour suicide
Johnny Jane is searching for a love that is self-destructive.
Du souvenir veux-tu trancher la carotide
The artist is asking if Johnny Jane wants to sever the memories completely.
À coups de pieds dans les conserves vides
Instead of a surgical method, the singer suggests that Johnny Jane should vent their frustration by kicking empty cans.
Un autre camion à benne
The singer refers to another trash truck.
Te transporter de bonheur en bonheur sous les cieux limpides
The singer imagines that the truck will take Johnny Jane from one happy place to another, under the clear sky.
Ne fais pas l'enfant ne sois pas si stupide
The artist advises Johnny Jane to stop behaving immaturely and foolishly.
Regarde les choses en face sois lucide
The artist asks Johnny Jane to face the truth and be realistic.
Efface tout ça, recommence, liquide
The singer suggests that Johnny Jane should forget everything and start afresh.
De ta mémoire ces brefs instants torrides
The singer is referring to brief moments of passion that Johnny Jane should forget.
Viendra te prendre pour t'emmener vers d'autres Florides
The artist believes that another truck will take Johnny Jane to other places with new possibilities.
Écrase d'un poing rageur ton oeil humide
The artist encourages Johnny Jane to vent their emotions and wipe their teary eyes with a clenched fist.
Le temps ronge l'amour comme l'acide
The artist reflects that time slowly destroys love, like acid eroding away at metal.
Contributed by Kaitlyn G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.