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
Harley David Son of a Bitch
Serge Gainsbourg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Eh dis donc David fils de pute
Harley David son of a bitch
Qu'est c'que tu fais sur ma Harley?
Harley David son of a bitch
Si tu veux pas que j'te bute
Harley David son of a bitch
Harley David son of a bitch
En plus quand tu as fumé du jute
Harley David son of a bitch
Tu sais plus très bien c'que tu fais
Harley David son of a bitch
Ça y est tu as l'gourdin t'es en rut
Harley David son of a bitch
Ses vibrations te font d'l'effet
Harley David son of a bitch
Qu'est-ce tu décides, tu vas aux putes?
Harley David son of a bitch
Ou alors tu vas voir les gays?
Harley David son of a bitch
Eh dis donc fils de pute
Harley David son of a bitch
Qu'est c'que tu as fait de ma Harley?
Harley David son of a bitch
Tu aurais dû prévenir ta chute
Harley David son of a bitch
Tu es mort sur le coup c'est bien fait
Harley David son of a bitch
Harley David son of a bitch
The song "Harley David Son Of A Bitch" by Serge Gainsbourg is a playfully derogatory song about a person called David who has borrowed the singer's Harley Davidson motorcycle. The song starts with the singer addressing David in a mocking, condescending tone, calling him a son of a bitch and questioning why he is riding the Harley. The lyrics go on to suggest that David is not a responsible rider, stating that he has smoked "jute" and has lost control of himself. The singer also suggests that David is sexually aroused by the vibrations of the motorcycle, and that he should consider going to prostitutes or gay men, further mocking him.
The song is meant to be humorous and teasing, and it underlines the singer's contempt for David. At the same time, it is a commentary on the image of the Harley Davidson motorcycle as a symbol of rugged masculinity and rebellion. It suggests that someone like David, who is not in a position to own his own Harley, may be using it to compensate for other inadequacies in his life. The song is ultimately about power dynamics, and it suggests that the singer has the upper hand over David, who is at his mercy.
Line by Line Meaning
Harley David son of a bitch
Addressing David as the son of a prostitute, expressing anger and frustration towards him
Eh dis donc David fils de pute
Hello, I'm talking to you, David, who was born to a prostitute
Qu'est c'que tu fais sur ma Harley?
What are you doing on my Harley, David?
Si tu veux pas que j'te bute
If you don't want me to kill you, David
Faudrait m'la rendre et vite fait
You should return it to me, quickly
En plus quand tu as fumé du jute
And especially when you've smoked jute (a type of cannabis)
Tu sais plus très bien c'que tu fais
You don't really know what you're doing anymore
Ça y est tu as l'gourdin t'es en rut
Now you have a hard-on, you're horny
Ses vibrations te font d'l'effet
The vibrations are having an effect on you
Qu'est-ce tu décides, tu vas aux putes?
What are you going to do, go to a whorehouse?
Ou alors tu vas voir les gays?
Or are you going to go see some homosexuals?
Tu aurais dû prévenir ta chute
You should have warned me about your fall
Tu es mort sur le coup c'est bien fait
You died on impact, that's what you get
Harley David son of a bitch
Repeated for emphasis and to express continued anger towards David
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Serge Gainsbourg
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Florian MADON DEFAYE
Le meilleur passage du DVD... Et oui quand tu es né en 92 la plupart des légendes sont soit décédé, soit déjà âgées, du coup tu dois te rabattre sur les archives remasterisé😅
Patrice Hervaux
tu n as pas tord toute ma jeunesse y avait des bon telephone thiefaine et beaucoup d autre mainant il faut aimer la soupe
Jules Vernes
Moi je suis né en 81, j'ai eu de la chance de connaître un peu, déjà petit j'adorais Gainsbourg!
grimble
Gainsbourg was so raw. he rocked harder than 99% of heavy metal rockers. I just love people who live with no safety net. They have a certain charm and sense of humor and relaxed freedom to their personality.
Cian Pritchard
serge had that controversial aura that made him so loveable, and normal. Serge for life.
What the fuck is a lommy
I'd have the time of my life at this concert 😍
Ilona Bosko
Superlative. Thank you Serge. 💕🍀
Véronique Dupuy
Génial j'adore🤩😍❤❤❤💋
ValéValou ValéValou
Je l aurais vue sur Scene au moins Bordeaux Grand Poete Notre Gainsbar
Florian MADON DEFAYE
Grand poète sauf sur celle-ci 🤣🤣🤣