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.
La décadanse
Jane Birkin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Non
Contre moi
Non, pas comme ça
Et danse
La décadanse
Bouge tes reins
Lentement
Reste là
Derrière moi
Balance
La décadanse
Que tes mains
Frôlent mes seins
Et mon coeur
Qui est le tien
Mon amour
De toujours
Patience
La décadanse
Sous mes doigts
T'emmènera
Vers de lointains
Au-delà
Des eaux troubles
Soudain troublent
Mes sens
La décadanse
M'a perdue
Ah tu me tues
Mon amour
Dis m'aimes-tu?
Je t'aimais
Déjà mais
Nuance
La décadanse
Plus encore
Que notre mort
Lie nos âmes
Et nos corps
Dieux Pardonnez nos
Offenses
La décadanse
A bercé
Nos corps blasés
Et nos âmes égarées
Dieux!
Pardonnez nos offenses
La décadanse
A bercé
Nos corps blasés
Et nos âmes égarées
The song "La Decadanse" by Jane Birkin is a sensual and intimate dialogue between two lovers who dance together, surrounded by a decadent atmosphere. The lyrics speak of the physical attraction between the two bodies and the emotional connection that they share. The singer invites her partner to turn towards her and dance slowly, as they move their hips in sync with each other. She wants him to stay close, behind her, and run his hands over her body. The lyrics suggest that their love and passion is intense, and that they are bound together both in life and death.
As the song progresses, the atmosphere becomes more intense and charged with emotions. The singer becomes lost in the moment, and her partner's touch sends her senses reeling. She asks him if he loves her, and although he doesn't answer directly, the lyrics suggest that their connection is deeper than mere words. They become one in the dance, and the song ends with a solemn plea for forgiveness from God for their transgressions.
Overall, "La Decadanse" is a poetic and romantic description of the power of dance to bring two people together both physically and emotionally. The lyrics are rich in imagery and metaphor, and convey a sense of longing and passion that is both intense and emotional.
Line by Line Meaning
Tourne-toi
Turn around
Non
No
Contre moi
Against me
Non, pas comme ça
Not like this
Et danse
And dance
La décadanse
The decay of dance
Bouge tes reins
Move your hips
Lentement
Slowly
Devant les miens
In front of mine
Reste là
Stay there
Derrière moi
Behind me
Balance
Swing
Que tes mains
May your hands
Frôlent mes seins
Gently touch my breasts
Et mon coeur
And my heart
Qui est le tien
That is yours
Mon amour
My love
De toujours
Forever
Patience
Patience
La décadanse
The decay of dance
Sous mes doigts
Under my fingers
T'emmènera
Will take you
Vers de lointains
To distant lands
Au-delà
Beyond
Des eaux troubles
Troubled waters
Soudain troublent
Suddenly trouble
Mes sens
My senses
La décadanse
The decay of dance
M'a perdue
Has lost me
Ah tu me tues
Ah, you kill me
Mon amour
My love
Dis m'aimes-tu?
Say, do you love me?
Je t'aimais
I loved you
Déjà mais
Already but
Nuance
Nuance
Plus encore
Even more
Que notre mort
Than our death
Lie nos âmes
Binds our souls
Et nos corps
And our bodies
Dieux Pardonnez nos
Gods forgive us
Offenses
Offenses
A bercé
Has rocked
Nos corps blasés
Our jaded bodies
Et nos âmes égarées
And our lost souls
Dieux!
Gods!
Pardonnez nos offenses
Forgive us our offenses
La décadanse
The decay of dance
A bercé
Has rocked
Nos corps blasés
Our jaded bodies
Et nos âmes égarées
And our lost souls
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Serge Gainsbourg
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@miguelangelmayuritrillo745
Sensualidad en su máxima expresión, un gran compositor de musica pop francesa del siglo XX como Serge Gainsbourg, irrepetible.
@josemunozmartinez7073
Que privilegió poder haber vivido esos años fueron tiempos maravillosos, inolvidables, nunca nos cansaremos de tenerlos presentes forman parte de nuestra existencia
@reccccer2452
Tal cual ! Que belleza
@luizinhomacedoolivaoliva3654
que maravilha fazer parte desse nosso tempo dancei muito essa musica que tempo maravilhoso mas
@lyudmylaglagolyeva4158
Очень приятная и чувственная песня❤
@marlicavalcante548
Amava está canção vocês falavam de amor com naturalidade tocavam os corações almas gêmeas estão juntos com certeza ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
@mariliareis7075
Esta música é fenomenal. O despojamento a sensualidade liberal.A classe a fragilidade da voz dela.É tudo sentidos. O jogo da dança . Não há palavras.
@rafaeljimenez8512
Desde el primer momento que vi su video me enamora de su voz de su delicadeza al interpretar su canción no me canso de verla dio que bella era y que hermosa canción dios la tenga en su reino
@SeptiembreAzulado
Acabo de ver a este hombre por primera vez, y fue amor a primera vista...o pasión? Tiene algo que no sé qué es, pero seduce!
@elprofepiazzeoficial
Jane lo mira totalmente enamorada... que bello amor... que perduró por siempre, a pesar de su separación y posterior muerte de serge... Jane seguro esta con el ahora ❤❤❤