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.
Smile
Jane Birkin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With your nose out of place
At the wrinkles where zits used to be
And remember that smiling
Uses less muscles
And frowning just makes you look ugly
So smile
And the whole world
Smiles with you
And smile
Baby, smile
If the whole world
Just had a clue
Don't mess with your man
When he's selling you grams
He would kill you for less
And then smile
And don't curse at a whore
As you open the door
'Cause your service
Won't be with a smile
So smile
Smile
And the whole world
Smiles with you
And smile
Baby, smile
If the whole world
Just had a clue
Don't sneer at your doctor
Or Gamble and Proctor
'Cause they're just
Pawns in the game
The perfect prescription
Is one that you're given
That's filled out in Jesus' name
Don't be scared of your preacher
'Cause he's just a leech
He's too busy
Cruising your ass
There's a verse in the Bible
That says we're all liable
For everything
That comes to pass
So smile
Smile
And the whole world
Smiles with you
And smile
Baby, smile
If the whole world
Just had a clue
So smile
Smile
Smile
Smile
Smile
Smile
Jane Birkin's song "Smile" is a satirical take on society's obsession with appearances and the pressure to conform to social norms. The song begins with Birkin advising the listener not to focus on their physical flaws, as smiling uses fewer muscles than frowning and is more attractive. The second verse delves into the dangers of drug use and prostitution, urging the listener to still maintain a smile despite the dire situations they may find themselves in. The third verse takes a swipe at authority figures, including doctors and preachers, suggesting that they are simply pawns in the larger game of life, and that ultimately we are responsible for our own actions.
The repetition of the word "smile" throughout the song serves to reinforce the message, but Birkin's delivery creates a sense of sarcasm and irony, implying that the act of smiling is not a cure-all for life's problems. The song's upbeat tempo and playful nature stand in contrast to its darker themes, highlighting the tension between society's expectations and the reality of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't stare at your face
Stop looking at yourself critically in the mirror
With your nose out of place
With a focus on the imperfections on your face
At the wrinkles where zits used to be
Worrying about the signs of aging on the skin
And remember that smiling
Here's a positive alternative
Uses less muscles
It's easier on your face to smile
And frowning just makes you look ugly
Avoid facial expressions that make you look unattractive
So smile
Encouragement to smile
And the whole world
The impact your smile can have on others
Smiles with you
Others respond positively to a smile
And smile
Continued encouragement
Baby, smile
Another way to encourage smiling
If the whole world
The potential impact of everyone smiling more
Just had a clue
If only everyone realized the power of a positive facial expression
Don't mess with your man
A warning not to provoke your partner
When he's selling you grams
A reference to drug dealing as a dangerous situation
He would kill you for less
A warning not to underplay the danger of your behavior
And then smile
Even in dangerous situations, smiling might help diffuse the situation
And don't curse at a whore
Don't shame someone for their profession or lifestyle choices
As you open the door
Don't exhibit rude behavior
'Cause your service
Acknowledging your role in a shared social interaction
Won't be with a smile
A reminder that negative interactions have negative repercussions
Don't sneer at your doctor
Don't be rude or unpleasant with health professionals
Or Gamble and Proctor
A reference to the pharmacy where prescriptions get filled
'Cause they're just
Acknowledging the system and hierarchy at play
Pawns in the game
Suggesting the bigger picture of societal structures
The perfect prescription
A positive outcome of visiting doctors and pharmacies
Is one that you're given
Trusting the expertise of healthcare professionals
That's filled out in Jesus' name
A nod to religion as a support system for some people
Don't be scared of your preacher
Don't be intimidated or dismissive of religious leaders
'Cause he's just a leech
A critical perspective on religious figures
He's too busy
Dismissing the idea of religious leaders as being preoccupied with nonsense or unsavory activities
Cruising your ass
Idling around without purpose
There's a verse in the Bible
Referencing religious texts from the Christian canon
That says we're all liable
The idea of collective responsibility
For everything
Everything is connected, and everyone bears responsibility
That comes to pass
The idea that we are interconnected and share the outcomes of the world
Smile Smile
A repetition of the original call to smile
Smile Smile
Another repetition
Smile Smile
A final repetition
Contributed by Scarlett J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.