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
Couleur Cafe
Serge Gainsbourg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tes cheveux café
Ta gorge café
J'aime quand pour moi tu danses
Alors j'entends murmurer
Tous tes bracelets
Jolis bracelets
À tes pieds ils se balancent
(Couleur café)
(Que j'aime ta couleur café)
C'est quand même fou l'effet
L'effet que ça fait
De te voir rouler
Ainsi des yeux et des hanches
Si tu fais comme le café
Rien qu'à m'énerver
Rien qu'à m'exciter
Ce soir la nuit sera blanche
(Couleur café)
(Que j'aime ta couleur café)
L'amour sans philosopher
C'est comme le café
Très vite passé
Mais que veux-tu que j'y fasse?
On en a marre de café
Et c'est terminé
Pour tout oublier
On attend que ça se tasse
(Couleur café)
(Que j'aime ta couleur café)
(Couleur café)
(Que j'aime ta couleur café)
The song "Couleur Café" by Serge Gainsbourg is a playful love song that uses the metaphor of coffee to describe the singer's intense attraction to the subject of the song. The chorus repeats the phrase "J'aime ta couleur café," which translates to "I love your coffee-colored [features]," referring to the subject's hair, throat, and possibly skin tone. The singer is also drawn to the way the subject dances, admiring the sound of their bracelets and the way they sway at their feet.
The second verse describes how the subject's movements and appearance cause a physical and emotional reaction in the singer, using the imagery of coffee to convey the intensity of their desire. In French, the phrase "si tu fais comme le café" can mean "if you act like coffee," suggesting that the subject's behavior is as potent and stimulating as a strong cup of coffee. The singer predicts that the night will be "blanche," or white, possibly suggesting a sleepless night or a passionate encounter.
The final verse compares love without deep thought or contemplation to quickly consumed coffee, implying that both can leave a person feeling unsatisfied and searching for something more. The singer admits to being tired of coffee, but uses it as a tool to forget and move on. Overall, the song celebrates the physical and emotional power of attraction, and uses the familiar and comforting image of coffee to convey its intensity.
Line by Line Meaning
J'aime ta couleur café
I love the shade of your skin that reminds me of a cup of coffee.
Tes cheveux café
Your hair color is also the color of coffee, and I love it.
Ta gorge café
Even your throat is a beautiful shade of coffee.
J'aime quand pour moi tu danses
I enjoy watching you dance, especially when it's just for me.
Alors j'entends murmurer
And while you dance, I hear the soft jingle of your bracelets.
Tous tes bracelets
All of your bracelets, which add to your beauty.
Jolis bracelets
They are so pretty.
À tes pieds ils se balancent
As you dance, they swing back and forth at your feet.
(Couleur café)
(Color of coffee)
(Que j'aime ta couleur café)
(How I love your coffee-like skin)
C'est quand même fou l'effet
It's crazy the effect you have on me.
L'effet que ça fait
The way you make me feel.
De te voir rouler
Seeing you move sensually with rolling eyes.
Ainsi des yeux et des hanches
With your eyes and hips moving like that.
Si tu fais comme le café
If you act like coffee, just to frustrate me and excite me at the same time.
Rien qu'à m'énerver
Just to make me angry.
Rien qu'à m'exciter
Just to arouse me.
Ce soir la nuit sera blanche
Tonight, we'll stay up all night and not go to sleep.
(Couleur café)
(Color of coffee)
(Que j'aime ta couleur café)
(How I love your coffee-like skin)
L'amour sans philosopher
Love without thinking too much.
C'est comme le café
Is like having coffee.
Très vite passé
It will disappear quickly.
Mais que veux-tu que j'y fasse?
What can I do about it?
On en a marre de café
We get bored of coffee.
Et c'est terminé
And then it's over.
Pour tout oublier
To forget everything.
On attend que ça se tasse
We just wait for it to settle down.
(Couleur café)
(Color of coffee)
(Que j'aime ta couleur café)
(How I love your coffee-like skin)
Lyrics © MELODY NELSON PUBLISHING, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, SIDONIE, Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Written by: Serge Gainsbourg
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@alaincubeddu4490
J'aime ta couleur café
Tes cheveux café
Ta gorge café
J'aime quand pourmoi tu danses
Alors j'entends murmurer
Tous tes bracelets
Jolis bracelets
A tes pieds ils se balancent
Couleur café
Que j'aime ta couleur café
C'est quand même fou l'effet
L'effet que ça fait
De te voir rouler
Ainsi des yeux et des hanches
Si tu fais comme le café
Rien qu'à m'énerver
Rien qu'à m'exciter
Ce soir la nuit sera blanche
Couleur café
Que j'aime ta couleur café
L'amour sans philosopher
C'est comme le café
Très vite passé
Mais que veux-tu que j'y fasse
On en a marre de café
Et c'est terminé
Pour tout oublier
On attend que ça se tasse
@dimc1965
Tu me manques beaucoup Mr Gainsbard 🙏
Je pense souvent à toi ❤
Paix à ton âme.
Dimitris 🧿☮😘
@moonlight1974ful
Trop la Classe Serge!!!!!! Repose en Paix :(
@olivierhaussaire6730
Oui couleur café ...😂😃trop belle chanson ❤❤❤❤
@jayrox40
The legend.
@patrickkhaddar8184
😇🙃😇Je t'aime mon amour 😍
@psgman41
Genie absolu
@dimc1965
Extraordinaire Mr Gainsbard 😁👍🧿😘❤ Dimitris
@sourieverte5706
Superbe chanson d un du grand artiste
@dimc1965
Aux enfants de la chance et un zeste.... 🙏😘🧿 Prenez soin de vous et attention aux dangers de la vie. Qui peut vite basculer.... 😘🙏☮ Dimitris
@francoisegille3887
Une personne entiere..
On aime ou pas ?
Il faut de tout..cafe, cafe au lait, ou une note de noisette...qui reste une jolie couleur...