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.
Madame
Jane Birkin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ça m’a fendu l’âme
D’un coup de pied dans mon réveil
J’avais pas compris
Suis plus une fille
Ni garçon joli
Femme de compagnie
Compagnon d’un parti
Ni à acheter pas
De prix
Tant pis
Pour la mythologie
Suis plus une fille
Ni garçon joli
Femme de compagnie
Compagnon d’un parti
Pris pas à vendre
Ni à acheter pas
Pas de prix
Tant pis
Merde j’suis quoi
Ta sœur ton frère
Essaye pour voir
Tâche d’être plus clair
Fille ou garçon, quelle affaire
De quoi j’ai l’air
Désarticulée parterre
Désarticulée parterre
Tu m’as dit madame
Ça m’a fendu l’âme
D’un coup de pied dans mon réveil
J’avais pas compris
Suis plus une fille
Ni garçon joli
Femme de compagnie
Compagnon d’un parti
Pris, pas à vendre
Ni à acheter pas
De prix
Tant pis
Pour la mythologie
Tant pis
Pour la mythologie
Tant pis
Pour la mythologie
Tant pis
The lyrics in Jane Birkin's song Madame discuss the idea of gender and identity. The singer is addressing someone who called them "Madame," which caused them to feel a sense of loss and confusion. The words "ça m’a fendu l’âme" (it split my soul) reveal the depth of the singer's emotional turmoil. The singer then goes on to say that they are no longer a girl or a pretty boy, but a woman who acts as a companion and a partner in a political party. They are in a relationship that isn't for sale or purchase, but something that comes at no cost. The singer laments the idea of mythological ideals of gender identity, suggesting that the societal norms around gender may not apply to everyone.
The lines "Ta sœur ton frère/Essaye pour voir/Tâche d’être plus clair” (Your sister or brother/try to see/try to be clearer) indicate that the singer's gender identity is an issue in their relationships. They feel dislocated, disconnected, and out of place. The final lines of the song repeat the idea that the mythological expectations surrounding gender are no longer relevant to the singer.
Overall, the song is a deep and emotionally charged reflection on gender identity, societal norms, and the complexities of individual identity.
Line by Line Meaning
Tu m’as dit madame
When you called me madame
Ça m’a fendu l’âme
It broke my heart
D’un coup de pied dans mon réveil
With a kick to my awakening
J’avais pas compris
I didn't understand
Suis plus une fille
I'm no longer a girl
Ni garçon joli
Nor a pretty boy
Femme de compagnie
A companion or mistress
Compagnon d’un parti
A comrade of a political party
Pris, pas à vendre
Taken, not for sale
Ni à acheter pas
Nor to be bought
De prix
Of any price
Tant pis
Too bad
Pour la mythologie
For mythology
Merde j’suis quoi
Shit, what am I
Ta sœur ton frère
Your sister, your brother
Essaye pour voir
Try to see
Tâche d’être plus clair
Try to be clearer
Fille ou garçon, quelle affaire
Girl or boy, what does it matter
De quoi j’ai l’air
What do I look like
Désarticulée parterre
Disjointed on the ground
Tant pis
Too bad
Pour la mythologie
For mythology
Tant pis
Too bad
Pour la mythologie
For mythology
Tant pis
Too bad
Pour la mythologie
For mythology
Tant pis
Too bad
Lyrics © KACHALOU
Written by: Frank EULRY, Jane BIRKIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind