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.

Le mal intérieur
Jane Birkin Lyrics

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T'as pas le droit d'avoir moins mal que moi
Si j'ai mal, c'est pas normal que toi
Tu n'aies pas mal
T'as pas le droit d'avoir moins mal que moi
Ta douleur à ma douleur se doit d'être égale
Si j'verse cent une gouttes de mon sang
Et que tu n'en verses que cent
C'est blessant

T'as pas le droit, alors que j'déguste
De pas souffrir, c'est trop injuste

T'as pas le droit d'avoir moins mal que moi
Si j'ai mal, c'est pas normal que toi
Tu n'aies pas mal
T'as pas le droit d'avoir moins mal que moi
Si tu pleures pas comme je pleure
Je fais un scandale
Pour chaque larme qui coule sur ma joue
J'veux la copie exacte, comme d'un bijou
T'as pas le droit, à l'heure où j'en bave
D'être autre chose qu'une épave

T'as pas le droit d'avoir moins mal
T'as pas le droit d'avoir moins mal
Moins mal que moi

T'as pas le droit d'avoir moins mal que moi
Si j'ai mal, c'est pas normal que toi
Tu n'aies pas mal
T'as pas le droit d'avoir moins mal que moi
Si t'endures pas c'que j'endure
Comprends que je râle

On a toujours partagé tout
Mon angoisse, prends-en une tasse
Tea for two

T'as pas le droit, alors que j'déprime
D'être ailleurs qu'au bord de l'abîme

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "T'As Pas Le Droit D'Avoir Moins Mal Que Moi" by Jane Birkin and Alain Chamfort convey a sense of jealousy and the need for empathy in a relationship. The song revolves around the idea that if one person is experiencing pain or suffering, it is unfair for the other person to not feel the same level of pain. The singer insists that their pain should be equal and that it is unjust for their partner to have a lesser amount of pain.

The lyrics express this sentiment through metaphors of physical pain and emotional distress. The singer emphasizes that if they shed 101 drops of blood, their partner should shed 100 in order for the pain to be equal. The idea of not suffering as much as the singer is seen as a betrayal, as if their partner is not fully understanding or empathetic to their pain. The singer demands that their partner's tears be an exact copy of their own, as if it were a precious jewel.

Throughout the song, the singer continues to express their frustration and the sense that their partner is not fully on the same emotional wavelength. They feel entitled to their partner experiencing the same level of agony and sadness, and find it unacceptable that their partner could have less pain. The lyrics convey a desire for shared suffering and a refusal to accept a partner's lack of understanding or empathy.

Line by Line Meaning

T'as pas le droit d'avoir moins mal que moi
You do not have the right to feel less pain than me

Si j'ai mal, c'est pas normal que toi
If I am in pain, it is not normal for you not to be

Tu n'aies pas mal
You should also be in pain

T'as pas le droit d'avoir moins mal que moi
You do not have the right to feel less pain than me

Ta douleur à ma douleur se doit d'être égale
Your pain should be equal to my pain

Si j'verse cent une gouttes de mon sang
If I shed 101 drops of my blood

Et que tu n'en verses que cent
And you only shed 100

C'est blessant
It is hurtful

T'as pas le droit, alors que j'déguste
You do not have the right, while I suffer

De pas souffrir, c'est trop injuste
Not to suffer, that's too unfair

Si tu pleures pas comme je pleure
If you don't cry like I do