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.
Orang Outang
Jane Birkin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Orang-outang, ourang-outang
Je l'adore, jamais je ne dors sans
Orang-outang, Orang-outang
Il fait les yeux blancs
Il n'a plus de dents
Mais depuis longtemps
J'aime ce gros dégoûtant
Je connais pourtant des garçons charmants
Qui m'aiment vraiment
Et qui roulent en Ford Mustang
Mais moi j'aime mon Orang-outang
Orang-outang, Orang-outang
Il fait les yeux blancs
Il n'a plus de dents
Mais depuis longtemps
J'aime ce gros dégoûtant
The lyrics to Jane Birkin's song, "Orang Outang", speak to an unconventional love. The song is about a woman's love for her doll, an orangutan. At the beginning of the song, Birkin sings that she loves her orangutan doll and cannot fall asleep without it. Despite the orangutan doll's lack of functioning body parts, including teeth and the ability to blink, Birkin still loves it. She acknowledges that there are charming men who love her and drive fancy cars like a Ford Mustang, but she remains faithful to her orangutan doll.
The lyrics of "Orang Outang" can be interpreted in different ways, but it seems to be a commentary on society's expectations of love and relationships. The song suggests that Birkin chooses to love something unconventional, something that does not conform to societal expectations. She chooses to love something that many people would find repulsive and not worth loving. In doing so, Birkin is breaking free from social norms and expectations and embracing her own individuality.
Interestingly, the song's lyrics were originally written by Serge Gainsbourg, the French songwriter and musician who was also Birkin's longtime creative partner and romantic partner. The song was released in 1983 and appears on Birkin's album, "Baby Alone in Babylone." The album was produced by Gainsbourg and features many of his songs.
Line by Line Meaning
J'aime ma poupée orang-outang
I love my orangutan doll
Orang-outang, ourang-outang
Orangutan, ourang-outang
Je l'adore, jamais je ne dors sans
I adore it, I never sleep without it
Orang-outang, Orang-outang
Orangutan, Orangutan
Il fait les yeux blancs
It rolls its eyes back
Il n'a plus de dents
It no longer has teeth
Mais depuis longtemps
But for a long time
J'aime ce gros dégoûtant
I love this big disgusting thing
Je connais pourtant des garçons charmants
However, I know charming boys
Qui m'aiment vraiment
Who really love me
Et qui roulent en Ford Mustang
And drive Ford Mustangs
Mais moi j'aime mon Orang-outang
But I love my orangutan
Il fait les yeux blancs
It rolls its eyes back
Il n'a plus de dents
It no longer has teeth
Mais depuis longtemps
But for a long time
J'aime ce gros dégoûtant
I love this big disgusting thing
Writer(s): Maurizio de Angelis, Guido de Angelis, Serge Gainsbourg, Cesare de Natale Copyright: Roma Ed.
Contributed by Austin A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@bridgelittleleg
Cette chanson fait référence à la peluche en forme de singe, qui fut la confidente de Jane Birkin depuis son enfance jusqu'à la mort de Gainsbourg. C'est ce qu'elle révèle dans son autobiographie, "Munkey Diaries" paru en 2018.
@julietholdren9006
shes so right <33
@MyGodzilla99
Rest in peace Jane
@suziwalls5038
My mum used to play me this song as a child, and I also thought that it was super creepy.
@shioriy5703
She is the best.
@pedodebruja
this is the best song ever.
@ArielTV53
i love this song <3
@moriremos
Joder!!! Qué hermosa canción..
@Michelis28
@celslui Within the context of the song, it's the name of her doll/stuffed animal. The song is basically saying how no man can take the place of her doll.
@TheArnaud720
peut etre serge meme si pour moi serge est tres beau