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.
Ford Mustang
Jane Birkin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Et "bang", on embrasse les platanes
"Mus-" à gauche, "-Tang" à droite
Et à gauche, à droite
Un essuie-glace, un paquet "de Kool"
"Un badge" avec inscrit d'ssus "Keep Cool"
Une barre de chocolat
On se fait des "langues" en "Ford Mustang"
Et "bang", on embrasse les platanes
"Mus-" à gauche, "-Tang" à droite
Et à gauche, à droite
Une bouteille de "fluid makeup"
Un "flash", un "Browning" et un "pick-up"
Un recueil "d'Edgar Poe"
Un briquet "Zippo"
On se fait des "langues" en "Ford Mustang"
Et "bang", on embrasse les platanes
"Mus-" à gauche, "-Tang" à droite
Et à gauche, à droite
Un numéro de "Superman"
Un écrou de chez "Paco Rabanne"
Une photo "d'Marilyn"
Un tube "d'Aspirin"
On se fait des "langues" en "Ford Mustang"
Et "bang", on embrasse les platanes
"Mus-" à gauche, "-Tang" à droite
The lyrics of Jane Birkin’s “Ford Mustang” describe the desire for freedom in the form of youthful recklessness. The Ford Mustang serves as a symbol not only of freedom, but also of a sense of adventure and lack of responsibility. The “langues” mentioned in the song refer to tongues, and the carefree attitude of young people who are willing to take risks and explore new things. The “platanes” are the trees that the driver inevitably crashes into at some point.
The items mentioned in the song – including a badge that says “Keep Cool,” a bar of chocolate, a Coca-Cola, a Browning, and a Zippo lighter – serve as further symbols of youth, rebellion, and freedom. The allusions to classic literature and pop culture figures like Edgar Allan Poe, Superman, and Marilyn Monroe serve to emphasize the idea that young people are searching for something beyond the mundane, and that they are willing to take risks in order to find it.
Overall, the lyrics of “Ford Mustang” capture the thrill and danger of being young, reckless, and free. The Ford Mustang represents the ultimate expression of this desire for freedom, and the items mentioned in the song – along with the “langues” and the crashed “platanes” – serve as reminders that while there is excitement to be found in rebellious behavior, there are also risks and consequences that must be faced.
Line by Line Meaning
On se fait des "langues" en "Ford Mustang"
We chat while cruising in a Ford Mustang
Et "bang!" on embrasse les platanes
And suddenly crash into the trees
"Mus" à gauche, "Tang" à droite
Turn left to "Mus", right to "Tang"
Et à gauche, à droite
And repeat on the other side
Un essuie-glace, un paquet "de Kool"
A windshield wiper, a pack of cigarettes
"Un badge" avec inscrit d'ssus "Keep Cool"
A badge that reads "Keep Cool"
Une barre de chocolat
A chocolate bar
Un "Coca-Cola"
A can of Coca-Cola
Une bouteille de "fluide make-up"
A bottle of makeup fluid
Un "flash" un "Browning" et un "pick up"
A camera flash, a Browning gun, and a pickup truck
Un recueil "d'Edgar Poe"
A collection of Edgar Allan Poe's works
Un briquet "Zippo"
A Zippo lighter
Un numéro de "Superman"
A comic book of Superman
Un écrou de chez "Paco Rabanne"
A nut from Paco Rabanne
Une photo "d'Marilyn"
A photo of Marilyn Monroe
Un tube "d'aspirine"
A tube of aspirin
Lyrics © MELODY NELSON PUBLISHING, WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC FRANCE, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Serge Gainsbourg
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind