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.
je t'aime… moi non plus
Jane Birkin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh oui, je t'aime
Moi non plus
Oh, mon amour
Comme la vague irrésolue
Je vais, je vais et je viens
Entre tes reins
Je vais et je viens
Et je me retiens
Je t'aime, je t'aime
Oh oui, je t'aime
Moi non plus
Oh, mon amour
Tu es la vague, moi l'île nue
Tu vas, tu vas et tu viens
Entre mes reins
Tu vas et tu viens
Entre mes reins
Et je te rejoins
Je t'aime, je t'aime
Oh oui, je t'aime
Moi non plus
Oh, mon amour
Comme la vague irrésolue
Je vais, je vais et je viens
Entre tes reins
Je vais et je viens
Entre tes reins
Et je me retiens
Tu vas, tu vas et tu viens
Entre mes reins
Tu vas et tu viens
Entre mes reins
Et je te rejoins
Je t'aime, je t'aime
Oh oui, je t'aime
Moi non plus
Oh, mon amour
L'amour physique est sans issue
Je vais, je vais et je viens
Entre tes reins
Je vais et je viens
Je me retiens
Non, maintenant
Viens
The song "Je t'aime... moi non plus" by Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsbourg is a classic love song that revolves around the intimate and sexual relationship between the two lovers. The song is a conversation between the two lovers expressing their love and desire for each other in a playful and sensual manner. The song features a repetitive melody and lyrics that increase in intensity as the two lovers describe their physical intimacy.
The song's lyrics describe the lovers' movement "entre les reins" (between the hips) while expressing their passion and love for each other. The lyrics "Comme la vague irrésolue" (Like the irresolute wave) suggest that their love is uncertain and constantly fluctuating, much like the waves of the sea. The lyrics "L'amour physique est sans issue" (Physical love is without an exit) imply that their physical relationship has no foreseeable ending.
Overall, the song represents a complex and intense physical and emotional relationship between two lovers.
Line by Line Meaning
Je t'aime, je t'aime
I love you, I love you
Oh oui, je t'aime
Oh yes, I love you
Moi non plus
Me neither
Oh, mon amour
Oh, my love
Comme la vague irrésolue
Like the uncertain wave
Je vais, je vais et je viens
I go, I go and come
Entre tes reins
Between your hips
Je vais et je viens
I go and come
Entre tes reins
Between your hips
Et je me retiens
And I hold myself back
Tu es la vague, moi l'île nue
You are the wave, I am the nude island
Tu vas, tu vas et tu viens
You go, you go and come
Entre mes reins
Between my hips
Tu vas et tu viens
You go and come
Entre mes reins
Between my hips
Et je te rejoins
And I join you
Comme la vague irrésolue
Like the uncertain wave
Je vais, je vais et je viens
I go, I go and come
Entre tes reins
Between your hips
Je vais et je viens
I go and come
Entre tes reins
Between your hips
Et je me retiens
And I hold myself back
Tu vas, tu vas et tu viens
You go, you go and come
Entre mes reins
Between my hips
Tu vas et tu viens
You go and come
Entre mes reins
Between my hips
Et je te rejoins
And I join you
Je t'aime, je t'aime
I love you, I love you
Oh oui, je t'aime
Oh yes, I love you
Moi non plus
Me neither
Oh, mon amour
Oh, my love
L'amour physique est sans issue
Physical love is hopeless
Je vais, je vais et je viens
I go, I go and come
Entre tes reins
Between your hips
Je vais et je viens
I go and come
Je me retiens
I hold myself back
Non, maintenant
No, now
Viens
Come
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Serge Gainsbourg
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@steffanhoffmann
@@Lad-Saurin The song is purely and simply, about bringing a woman to orgasm.
However you communists wouldn't know about that. Sex was taboo in ussr 😂
Even though Jane is shouting her pleasure throughout this recording, comments here are about romantic love.
No no no.
It's 1969. The end of the decade of the sexual revolution. That's what it's about.
Regarded as one of the most important figures in French pop, he was renowned for often provocative and scandalous releases which caused uproar in France, dividing public opinion.
His artistic output ranged from his early work in jazz, chanson, and yé-yé to later efforts in rock, zouk, funk, reggae, and electronica. Gainsbourg's varied musical style and individuality, make him difficult to categorise, although his legacy has been firmly established, and he is often regarded, as one of the world's most influential popular musicians
Lucien Ginsburg was born in Paris on 2 April 1928. He was the son of Jewish emigrants of Turkish, Russian and Ukrainian origin, Joseph and Olga Ginsburg, who fled to Paris via Istanbul after the 1917 Russian Revolution and the MURDERING COMMUNISTS.
Joseph Ginsburg was a classically trained musician whose profession was playing the piano in cabarets and casinos; he taught his children—Gainsbourg and his twin sister Liliane—to play the piano.
Gainsbourg's childhood was profoundly affected by the occupation of France by Germany during World War II.
The identifying yellow star that Jews were required to wear haunted Gainsbourg; in later years he was able to transmute this memory into creative inspiration.
The world detested this
Communism
Fascism
Both evil ideologies were destroyed.
There's a new thing to destroy nowadays; Putinism.
The little moth will be destroyed; just like Hitler.
@dorpets
In 1971 at a party, I asked a girl to dance with me to this song and she said yes. Now... she's my wife!
@Nirsterkur
Congratulations!
@theboredchannel3062
I love this song.
@noraisabel6557
@Samuel How is Paris these days, apart from the quarantine?
@LOveERDos
Samuel same here ROME AND LA DOLCE VITA ROME and the shit life
@christiandesayes4718
lucky man! thanks serge!
@georgeclancy1755
The Frenchest thing that ever Frenched.
@feuquegougueul1592
One of the best things!
@jadecostello3325
And pommed.
@marguskiis7711
Johann Bach