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.
Elisa
Jane Birkin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Elisa, saute-moi au cou
Elisa, Elisa
Elisa, cherche-moi des poux
Enfonce bien tes ongles
Et tes doigts délicats
Dans la jungle
Elisa, Elisa
Elisa, saute-moi au cou
Elisa, Elisa
Elisa, cherche-moi des poux
Fais-moi quelques anglaises
Et la raie au milieu
On a treize
Quatorze ans, à nous deux
Elisa, Elisa
Elisa, les autres, on s'en fout
Elisa, Elisa
Elisa, rien que toi, moi, nous
Tes vingt ans, mes quarante
Si tu crois que cela
Me tourmente
Ah là, vraiment, Lisa
Elisa, Elisa
Elisa, saute-moi au cou
Elisa, Elisa
Elisa, cherche-moi des poux
Enfonce bien tes ongles
Et tes doigts délicats
Dans la jungle
De mes cheveux, Lisa
The lyrics to Jane Birkin's song Elisa are a playful and sensual call to a lover. The singer addresses Elisa, asking her to jump on the singer's neck and search for lice in the singer's hair. The image of searching for lice is an intimate and endearing one, highlighting the closeness and trust between the two. The singer then asks Elisa to style the singer's hair, imagining a teenage innocence and flirtation between them. The singer emphasizes that nothing else matters but the two of them, and dismisses any concerns about age difference.
The lyrics to Elisa are a mix of innocence and sensuality, using playful language to describe the intimacy between two people. The idea of searching for lice is an endearing and intimate one, highlighting the trust and closeness that the two share. The references to hairstyles and teenage years create a whimsical and flirtatious atmosphere, evoking nostalgia and innocence. The singer's reassurance that age is not a concern indicates a desire to live in the moment and appreciate the connection between the two.
Line by Line Meaning
Elisa, Elisa
This is a repeated phrase calling out to Elisa.
Elisa saute-moi au cou
Jump on me, Elisa.
Elisa cherche-moi des poux
Look for lice on me, Elisa.
Enfonce bien tes ongles,
Dig your nails in deep,
Et tes doigts délicats
With your delicate fingers,
Dans la jungle De mes cheveux Lisa
In the jungle of my hair, Lisa.
Fais-moi quelques anglaises,
Make some curls for me,
Et la raie au milieu
And part it in the middle,
On a treize Quatorze ans à nous deux
We have thirteen or fourteen years between us.
Elisa les autres on s'en fout,
Elisa, we don't care about the others,
Elisa rien que toi, moi, nous
Elisa, just you, me, us.
Tes vingt ans, mes quarante
You're twenty, I'm forty,
Si tu crois que cela Me tourmente Ah non vraiment Lisa
If you think it bothers me, oh no really Lisa.
Elisa saute-moi au cou
Jump on me, Elisa.
Elisa cherche-moi des poux,
Look for lice on me, Elisa.
Enfonce bien tes ongles,
Dig your nails in deep,
Et tes doigts délicats
With your delicate fingers,
Dans la jungle De mes cheveux Lisa
In the jungle of my hair, Lisa.
Lyrics © MELODY NELSON PUBLISHING, BAGATELLE, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Michel Colombier, Serge Gainsbourg
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@conchitab.7066
Jane, tú siempre vivirás en mi corazón y en mis recuerdos . ❤️
@hamdoudsalah7903
🇩🇿 Ta voix fragile et lourde d’émotion me touche au plus profond de mon cœur.
Les ailes de mes larmes survolent ton âme .Toi qui n’a jamais quitté l’enfant que tu es , accrochée à ton sac en osier plein de jouets.
Repose en paix
@ironie012
C'est très touchant. Bel hommage.
@xjmmjbnqfstjdijoj2044
Cette chanson me rappelle de très beaux souvenirs de mon enfance, lorsque je voyageais en voiture avec mes parents
@amandatelyie5431
Maravilloso melodía mescla perfecta frances y Arabic
@wafaamerzouk5472
La plus belle version... 🙏
@nilgunyuksel4797
Elisa...Jane Birkin' in "arabesk" albümünün bir parçasıdır..
@nilgunyuksel4797
En huzurlu, mutlu uykularını uyu Sevgili Jane
@krystsuki9948
Chuis contente d'avoir retrouvé cette chanson, pasque ça me rapelle une choré d'un spectacle de danse il y a qq années. Je me rapelle encore un peu de la choré...
@jennyamour
Tellement parfait