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.
Leur Plaisir Sans Moi
Jane Birkin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
La solitude, je n’ connais que trop
Dire qu’il y en a des comme moi qui dorment bien au chaud
Hier soir, j’ai lu "Sans famille" dans le métro
Je suis d’ l’Assistan-
Ce et, croyez-moi, c’est bien attristant
Le monde, connais pas
Si j’avais le fric, j’ prendrais un billet pour ailleurs
J’ai mon vieil atlas. Quand je l’ouvre, je pleure
J’aimerais voir Istan-
Bul et Bagdad et l’Afghanistan
L’amour, connais pas
L’amour physique, oui, sur l’ bout des doigts!
Avec des garçons qui prenaient leur plaisir sans moi
"Tristan et Iseult" j’ai lu au moins cent fois
Je suis si triste en
Y pensant, je cherche mon Tristan
In "Leur Plaisir Sans Moi," Jane Birkin sings about her feelings of loneliness and isolation. She starts by saying that she doesn't know her mother, but she knows all too well about solitude. She reflects on the fact that there are others like her who sleep comfortably at night, but she finds herself alone. Jane Birkin then talks about her job as an assistant, saying that it's a sad one, and she doesn't know anything about the world.
She goes on to say that she knows this particular place very well but wishes she could explore the world beyond it. She talks about how she would buy a ticket and travel to other places if she had the money, and she cries when she opens her old atlas. Jane Birkin then reveals that she has never experienced love, except in the physical sense. She talks about how she has been with men, but they only took their pleasure from her without involving any emotional connection. She goes on to say that she has read "Tristan and Isolde" hundreds of times and that she is still searching for her Tristan.
In summary, "Leur Plaisir Sans Moi" is a poignant reflection on loneliness, isolation, and unrequited love. Jane Birkin's lyrics touch on how people can feel trapped in their current situation, yearning for something more but unable to attain it.
Line by Line Meaning
Maman, connais pas
I don't know what it's like to have a mother
La solitude, je n’ connais que trop
I know all too well what it's like to be alone
Dire qu’il y en a des comme moi qui dorment bien au chaud
It's hard to imagine others like me who sleep in warm beds
Hier soir, j’ai lu "Sans famille" dans le métro
Last night, I read "Without a Family" on the metro
Je suis d’ l’Assistan-Ce et, croyez-moi, c’est bien attristant
I'm on government assistance and believe me, it's depressing
Le monde, connais pas
I don't know the world
Mais par ici, je connais par cœur
But around here, I know every corner
Si j’avais le fric, j’ prendrais un billet pour ailleurs
If I had the money, I'd buy a ticket to somewhere else
J’ai mon vieil atlas. Quand je l’ouvre, je pleure
I have my old atlas. When I open it, I cry
J’aimerais voir Istan-Bul et Bagdad et l’Afghanistan
I'd love to see Istanbul, Baghdad, and Afghanistan
L’amour, connais pas
I don't know love
L’amour physique, oui, sur l’ bout des doigts!
But I do know physical love very well!
Avec des garçons qui prenaient leur plaisir sans moi
With boys who took their pleasure without me
"Tristan et Iseult" j’ai lu au moins cent fois
I've read "Tristan and Isolde" at least a hundred times
Je suis si triste en
I become so sad when
Y pensant, je cherche mon Tristan
I think of it and search for my Tristan
Contributed by Hailey H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.