Jane Birkin, OBE (born Jane Mallory Birkin in London on 14 December 1946; d… Read Full Bio ↴Jane Birkin, OBE (born Jane Mallory Birkin in London on 14 December 1946; died 16 July 2023) was an Anglo-French singer and actress. She attained international fame and notability for her decade-long musical (and romantic) partnership with singer Serge Gainsbourg, beginning with the duet Je t'aime... moi non plus released in 1969. Later she made musical collaborations and duets with many artists, including Feist, Bryan Ferry, Franz Ferdinand, The Magic Numbers, Beck, Rufus Wainwright, and many others.

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 pleine Lune
Jane Birkin Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Désolée
D'avoir tiré Bel oiseau rare
Vous m'aviez
Le premier fusillée
Vingt fois du regard...

Désolée
Votre arme était posée

Sur la table...
Quelle idée!
On ne devrait jamais
Tenter le diable...
On ne devrait jamais tailler des costumes
Ni montrer les dents
Aux fiancées présumées quand la pleine lune
Fait tourner les sangs...
Légitime défense
Pourquoi tant de haine, d'insolence
Légitime démence
C'est une présomption d'innocence...
La mort vous va si bien
J'envisage De devenir un brin Nécrophage...
On ne devrait jamais voler dans les plumes
Ni compter les heures
Des fiancées chavirées quand la pleine lune
Accélère le coeur...
Légitime défense
Pourquoi tant de haine, d'insolence
Légitime démence
C'est une présomption d'innocence...
Désolée Vous étiez si changeant
Si immoral
Désolée
Je ne voulais pas vraiment
Vous faire de mal...
Je parle et je parle
Mais vous restez sourd et muet

Étrangement pâle...
Ne changerez-vous jamais?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Jane Birkin's song "La pleine Lune" are an intriguing exploration of the complicated dynamics of desire and rejection. The singer of the song apologizes for shooting down a rare and beautiful bird (a metaphor for an attractive man) who had initially seemed interested in her, but then changed course and became distant and unpredictable. She acknowledges that she was the first to "shoot" him with her gaze, but pleads self-defense when he later turned on her with his own weapon, his fickle behavior and detachment. She laments that people shouldn't toy with each other's emotions (cutting costumes) or show their teeth to their potential partners (presumed fiancées) during the full moon, when passions and instincts are running high. The refrain emphasizes the legitimacy of self-defense against cruel or crazy behavior, but also hints at a fascination with death and decay, perhaps as an escape from the pain of rejection and disappointment.

Line by Line Meaning

Désolée
Apology for action taken

D'avoir tiré Bel oiseau rare
Sorry, I shot a beautiful, rare bird (referring to the lover)

Vous m'aviez Le premier fusillée Vingt fois du regard...
You stared at me like a gun, making me feel uncomfortable

Désolée Votre arme était posée Sur la table... Quelle idée!
Sorry, but why did you leave your gun on the table?

On ne devrait jamais Tenter le diable...
We should never tempt fate, or test our luck

On ne devrait jamais tailler des costumes Ni montrer les dents Aux fiancées présumées quand la pleine lune Fait tourner les sangs...
We should never mock or provoke presumed lovers when the moon makes the blood boil

Légitime défense Pourquoi tant de haine, d'insolence Légitime démence C'est une présomption d'innocence...
Self-defense is justified, why so much anger or madness, it's presumed innocence

La mort vous va si bien J'envisage De devenir un brin Nécrophage...
Death suits you well, I'm considering becoming a bit of a necrophile

On ne devrait jamais voler dans les plumes Ni compter les heures Des fiancées chavirées quand la pleine lune Accélère le coeur...
We should never ruffle the feathers of lovers, nor count the hours when the moon quickens the heart

Désolée Vous étiez si changeant Si immoral
Sorry, you were so unpredictable and immoral

Je ne voulais pas vraiment Vous faire de mal...
I didn't really want to hurt you

Je parle et je parle Mais vous restez sourd et muet Étrangement pâle... Ne changerez-vous jamais?
I keep talking, but you stay silent and pale... Will you ever change?

Contributed by Chase C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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