He was born Lucien Ginzburg in Paris, France, the son of Jewish Russian parents who fled to France after the 1917 Bolshevik uprising. His childhood was profoundly affected by the occupation of France by Nazi Germany, during which he and his family, as Jews, were forced to wear the yellow star and eventually flee from Paris. He had a daughter, Charlotte Gainsbourg, with English singer and actress Jane Birkin; and a son, Lulu, with his last partner, Bambou (Caroline Von Paulus, who is related to Friedrich Paulus). Before he was 30 years old, Lucien Ginsburg was a disillusioned painter but earned his living as a piano player in bars. Daughter Charlotte would later become an actress and singer.
His early songs were influenced by Boris Vian and were largely in the vein of "old-fashioned" chanson. Very early, however, Gainsbourg began to move beyond this and experiment with a succession of different musical styles: jazz early on, English pop in the 60's, reggae in the 70's, even hip-hop in the 80's.
Success began to arrive when, in 1965, his song "Poupée de cire, poupée de son" was the Luxembourg entry in the Eurovision Song Contest. Performed by French teen singer France Gall, it won the grand prize. (The song was covered in English as "A Lonely Singing Doll" by British teen idol Twinkle.) He arranged other Gall songs and LPs that were characteristic of the late 1960s psychedelic styles, among them Gall's '1968' album. Another of Serge's songs "Boum Bada Boum" was entered in by Monaco in the 1967 contest, sung by Minouche Barelli; It came 5th.
In 1969, he released what would become his most famous song in the English-speaking world, "Je t'aime... moi non plus", which featured simulated sounds of female orgasm. The song appeared that year on an LP, "Jane Birkin/Serge Gainsbourg". Originally recorded with Brigitte Bardot, it was released with future girlfriend Birkin when Bardot backed out. While Gainsbourg declared it the "ultimate love song," it was considered too "hot"; the song was censored in various countries, and in France, even the toned-down version was suppressed. Even the Vatican made a public statement citing the song as offensive. Its notoriety led it to reaching no. 1 in the UK singles chart. A long-standing rumor maintains that Gainsbourg and Birkin were actually having sex during the recording session (asked about it in an interview, Gainsbourg answered that if this was true, the song would have lasted longer than 4 minutes).
The seventies
His most influential work came near the start of the seventies with Histoire de Melody Nelson, released in 1971. This concept album, produced and arranged by Jean-Claude Vannier, tells the story of a Lolita-esque affair, with Gainsbourg as the narrator and Jane Birkin as the eponymous English heroine. It features prominent string arrangements and even a massed choir at its tragic climax. At the time, sales were poor, but the album has proven influential with artists such as Air, David Holmes and Beck.
In 1975, he released the album Rock Around the Bunker, a rock album written entirely on the subject of the Nazis. Gainsbourg used black humour, as he and his family suffered during World War II. While a child in Paris, Gainsbourg himself had worn the Yellow badge as the mark of a Jew.
The next year saw the release of another major work, L'Homme à la Tête de Chou (Cabbage-Head Man), featuring the new character Marilou and sumptuous orchestral themes.
In Jamaica in 1978 he recorded "Aux Armes et cetera," a reggae version of the French national anthem "La Marseillaise", with Robbie Shakespeare, Sly Dunbar and Rita Marley. This song earned him death threats from right-wing veterans of the Algerian War of Independence who were opposed to certain lyrics. Shortly afterwards, Gainsbourg bought the original manuscript of La Marseillaise. He was able to reply to his critics that his version was, in fact, closer to the original as the manuscript clearly shows the words "Aux armes et cætera..." for the chorus.
The next year saw him in the new look of Gainsbarre, officially introduced in the song "Ecce Homo."
Final years
In the 1980's, approaching the end of his life, Gainsbourg became a regular figure on French TV. His appearances seemed devoted to his controversial sense of humour and provocation. He would frequently show up drunk and unshaven on stage. Perhaps his most famous incident came when, on Michel Drucker's live Saturday evening show with the American singer Whitney Houston, he exclaimed, "I want to fuck her."
During this period he released Love On The Beat and his last studio album, You're Under Arrest, (which saw him adapt his style to the hip-hop genre), as well as two live recordings. His third and last Eurovision Song Contest entry came in 1990 with the French entry "White and Black Blues", sung by Joëlle Ursull. It came second in a tie with Ireland. His songs became increasingly eccentric in this period, ranging from the anti-drug "Les Enfants de la Chance" to the duet with his daughter Charlotte called "Lemon Incest (Un zeste de citron)." The title of the latter demonstrates Gainsbourg's love of puns (another example is "Bowie, Beau oui comme Bowie").
Discography :
1958 : Du Chant À La Une !
1959 : Serge Gainsbourg N°2
1961 : L'étonnant Serge Gainsbourg
1962 : Serge Gainsbourg N° 4
1963 : Gainsbourg Confidentiel
1964 : Gainsbourg Percussions
1968 : Initials B.B.
1968 : Bonnie And Clyde ( with Brigitte Bardot )
1969 : Jane Birkin-Serge Gainsbourg
1971 : Histoire de Melody Nelson ( with Jane Birkin )
1973 : Vu de l'extérieur
1975 : Rock around the bunker
1976 : L'Homme à tête de chou
1979 : Aux armes et cætera
1981 : Mauvaises Nouvelles Des Étoiles
1984 : Love on the Beat
1987 : You're Under Arrest
Anamour
Serge Gainsbourg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Aucun bateau sous mon transat
Je cherche en vain la porte exacte
Je cherche en vain le mot exit
Je chante pour les transistors
Ce récit de l'étrange histoire
De tes anamours transitoires
Je t'aime et je crains
De m'égarer
Et je sème des grains
De pavot sur les pavés de l'anamour
Tu sais ces photos de l'Asie
Que j'ai prises à deux cents Asa
Maintenant que tu n'es pas là
Leurs couleurs vives ont pâli
J'ai cru entendre les hélices
D'un quadrimoteur mais hélas
C'est un ventilateur qui passe
Au ciel du poste de police
Je t'aime et je crains
De m'égarer
Et je sème des grains
De pavot sur les pavés de l'anamour
Je t'aime et je crains
De m'égarer
Et je sème des grains
De pavot sur les pavés de l'anamour
Je t'aime et je crains
De m'égarer
The first verse of the song "Anamour" by Serge Gainsbourg conveys a sense of disorientation and confusion. The singer is searching aimlessly, unable to find either the right gate or the way out. The repetition of "en vain" (in vain) emphasizes this frustration. This could be interpreted as a metaphor for the singer's inability to find a way out of his feelings of love ("anamour"), which are transitory and fleeting. The absence of planes and boats in the first lines highlights the singer's state of being stuck and unable to move on.
The second verse shifts the focus to the subject of the singer's anamours. Here, he sings for his transistor radio, telling the story of the strange and temporary affairs he's had. He mentions the "Belle au Bois Dormant" (Sleeping Beauty), who sleeps and is unaware of the singer's love. Perhaps this alludes to the idea that the singer's love is unrequited, or that it is impossible to sustain. The repetition of "anamours transitoires" emphasizes the fleeting nature of these affairs.
Line by Line Meaning
Aucun Boeing sur mon transit
I am not flying in any Boeing aircraft on my journey
Aucun bateau sous mon transat
I am not traveling by any boat under my deckchair
Je cherche en vain la porte exacte
I am desperately trying to find the precise door to exit
Je cherche en vain le mot exit
I am struggling to find the word exit to leave
Je chante pour les transistors
I am singing for the electronic transistors
Ce récit de l'étrange histoire
The story of a strange tale
De tes anamours transitoires
Of your fleeting loves
De Belle au Bois Dormant qui dort
Of Sleeping Beauty who sleeps
Tu sais ces photos de l'Asie
You know those pictures of Asia
Que j'ai prises à deux cents Asa
Which I took at 200 ASA sensitivity
Maintenant que tu n'es pas là
Now that you are not here
Leurs couleurs vives ont pâli
Their bright colors have faded
J'ai cru entendre les hélices
I thought I heard the propellers
D'un quadrimoteur mais hélas
Of a four-engine plane but oh well,
C'est un ventilateur qui passe
It's just a passing fan
Au ciel du poste de police
In the sky of the police station
Je t'aime et je crains
I love you and I fear
De m'égarer
Of losing myself
Et je sème des grains
And I scatter seeds
De pavot sur les pavés de l'anamour
Of poppy on the pavement of love stories
Je t'aime et je crains
I love you and I fear
De m'égarer
Of losing myself
Et je sème des grains
And I scatter seeds
De pavot sur les pavés de l'anamour
Of poppy on the pavement of love stories
Je t'aime et je crains
I love you and I fear
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC.
Written by: Serge Gainsbourg
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@martinhuot8299
Aucun Boeing sur mon transit
Aucun bateau sur mon transat
Je cherche en vain la porte exacte
Je cherche en vain le mot exit
Je chante pour les transistors
Ce récit de l'étrange histoire
De tes anamours transitoires
De Belle au Bois Dormant qui dort
Je t'aime et je crains
De m'égarer
Et je sème des grains
De pavot sur les pavés
De l'anamour
Tu sais ces photos de l'Asie
Que j'ai prises à 200 Asa
Maintenant que tu n'es pas là
Leurs couleurs vives ont pâli
J'ai cru entendre les hélices
D'un quadrimoteur mais hélas
C'est un ventilateur qui passe
Au ciel du poste de police
Je t'aime et je crains
De m'égarer
Et je sème des grains
De pavot sur les pavés
De l'anamour
Je t'aime et je crains
De m'égarer
Et je sème des grains
De pavot sur les pavés
De l'anamour
Je t'aime et je crains
De m'égarer
Et je sème des grains
De pavot sur les pavés
De l'anamour
Je t'aime et je crains
De m'égarer
Et je sème des grains...
@stars-gate
" Tu sais ces photos de l'Asie,
que j'ai pris à 200 ASA,
maintenant que tu n'es pas là,
leurs couleurs vives ont pâli.
...
J'ai cru entendre les hélices,
D'un quadrimoteur, mais hélas,
C'est un ventilateur qui passe,
Au ciel du poste de police."
J'adore quand il jongle avec les mots, un poète sans pareil <3
@natachaguillaume8998
Sublime texte encore de Serge Gainsbourg......un vrai poète...... j'imagine mon bel et jeune amoureux 🐻😉💖💥💯💚😀💋😘🤗😉😀🌻💐......en train de me chanter à mon oreille...... cette douce et sensuelle mélodie.......je t'aime tant...... avec tendresse...... passion....... douceur...... folie.......et fougue 💋😘🤗😉........je pense très...... très fort à toi.......tu me manques beaucoup......mon petit Z'ours 🐻/Valentin 😉......je t'aime sincèrement...... tendrement...... éperdument......et obstinément......ta petite Z'ours 🐻/Valentine 😉
@natachaguillaume8998
Vraiment très belle chanson....je l'écoute en boucle....la musique est géniale....un vrai son précurseur de son talent à venir..... Serge Gainsbourg ..... poète des mots inégalé et inégalable 👍😁😉.....je pense beaucoup à toi.... mon petit Z'ours 🐻/Valentin 😉/Superchéri 💖......tu me manques tellement.....je t'aime énormément.... intensément..... passionnément...... follement.....et fougueusement 💋😘🤗😉..... gros..... gros bisous à toi.....ta petite Z'ours 🐻/Valentine 😉/Superchérie 💖
@wokoljr4160
Il suffit de l'écouter une fois... A chaque fois, même effet.... elle s'incruste dans ma tête pour plusieurs jours !!
GAINSBOURG ÉTAIT UN GÉNIE !!!
@antonioescobarmurcia
pareil, je l'écoute regulierement, à chaque fois elle reste dans la tête plusieurs jours
@Trashmouth21
Serge Gainsbourg >>
@yannkh6752
Une merveille absolue 💋
@Trashmouth21
Tu nous manques Serge 😭😭
@georgecinq928
Agreed
@paoloantunes1283
Maintenant que tu n'es pas là….
@espibous5322
Sûr que oui..😢