Serge Gainsbourg (April 2, 1928 – March 2, 1991) was a French poet-songwrit… Read Full Bio ↴Serge Gainsbourg (April 2, 1928 – March 2, 1991) was a French poet-songwriter, singer, actor, novelist, painter and director. Gainsbourg's varied style and individuality made him difficult to categorize. Although famous in France for many years, he did not achieve his first No. 1 album until 1979, when he released Aux Armes et caetera more than twenty years after his music career had begun. But since the 1980s, his legacy has been firmly established.

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

L'hippopodame
Serge Gainsbourg Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

C'est un Rubens
C'est une hippopodame
Avec un D
Comme dans marsh-mallow
Et si j'en pince
Pour c't'hippopodame
C'est qu'avec elle j'ai des prix de gros

Ah quel suspense
Sur mon hippopodame
Avec un D
Comme dans vas-y molo
Les ressorts grincent
Sous l'hippopodame
Mais au dessus je me sens bien dans sa peau

C'est pas une mince
Affaire c't'hippopodame
Avec un D
Comme dans gigolo
Lorsqu'elle me coince
Mon hippopodame
Entre ses deux groseilles à maquereaux

Puis elle se rince
Vite fait l'hippopodame
Avec un D
Comme dans lavabo
Elle redevient princesse, hippopodame
Et me refile mon petit cadeau

C'est un Rubens
C'est une hippopodame
Avec un D
Comme dans marsh-mallow
Et si j'en pince

Pour c't'hippopodame
C'est qu'avec elle j'ai des prix de gros

Overall Meaning

The song "L'hippopodame" by Serge Gainsbourg is sung in French and has mystified many people for years due to its bizarre subject matter. In the song, Gainsbourg sings about an "hippopodame" (just a fancy way of saying female hippopotamus) that he is in love with. He describes her as a "Rubens," which is a reference to the Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens known for painting women with voluptuous figures. The hippopotamus in the song is also described as having a "D" like in "marshmallow."

Further in the song, Gainsbourg sings about how he loves being on top of the hippopotamus as the springs squeak beneath them. He then goes on to describe how the hippopotamus traps him between her two "groseilles à maquereaux," which translates to "redcurrants" but is also a French slang term for a woman's private parts. The hippopotamus then rinses herself off quickly like she's washing herself in a sink and returns to being a "princess," giving Gainsbourg a little present.

The lyrics of "L'hippopodame" are meant to be humorous, and Gainsbourg is known for his provocative and scandalous songs. This song is no exception, with its absurd imagery and sexual innuendos. It's also been interpreted as a commentary on society's obsession with beauty and how people are willing to pursue and idealize even the most unconventional forms of beauty.

Line by Line Meaning

C'est un Rubens
This is a reference to Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens, known for his voluptuous female figures. It sets the stage for the comparison of the hippopotamus to Rubens' curvy women.

C'est une hippopodame
This line simply states that the subject of the song is a hippopotamus, but the word choice of 'hippopodame' adds a humorous and whimsical tone.

Avec un D Comme dans marsh-mallow
The 'D' in the word 'hippopodame' is highlighted, and compared to the letter 'D' in the word 'marsh-mallow.' This is likely a wordplay on the French words 'hippopotame' and 'gomme à mâcher' (chewing gum), which both have a similar sound to 'marsh-mallow.' The comparison implies that the 'D' is a soft and innocent aspect of the hippopotamus.

Et si j'en pince Pour c't'hippopodame C'est qu'avec elle j'ai des prix de gros
This line reveals that the singer has feelings for the hippopotamus, and is attracted to her in some way. The phrase 'prix de gros' means 'wholesale prices,' which suggests that there is some kind of transactional relationship between the two, and that their connection is mutually beneficial.

Ah quel suspense Sur mon hippopodame Avec un D Comme dans vas-y molo
This line creates a sense of anticipation or excitement around the hippopotamus, and alludes to the letter 'D' once again. The phrase 'vas-y molo' means 'go slow,' which could be interpreted as the singer being cautious with their feelings or interactions with the hippopotamus.

Les ressorts grincent Sous l'hippopodame Mais au dessus je me sens bien dans sa peau
The line describes the hippopotamus as having creaky springs, but that the singer feels comfortable and at ease when they are around her.

C'est pas une mince Affaire c't'hippopodame Avec un D Comme dans gigolo
Again, the 'D' in 'hippopodame' is emphasized, and compared to the 'D' in the word 'gigolo'. The line suggests that the hippopotamus is complicated or difficult in some way.

Lorsqu'elle me coince Mon hippopodame Entre ses deux groseilles à maquereaux
This line is likely a metaphor for the singer being sexually or romantically trapped by the hippopotamus. The phrase 'deux groseilles à maquereaux' (two gooseberries) could be a reference to female genitalia.

Puis elle se rince Vite fait l'hippopodame Avec un D Comme dans lavabo
The hippopotamus is described as quickly washing or cleaning herself, with the 'D' in 'hippopodame' being compared to the 'D' in 'lavabo' (sink). This could be interpreted as the hippopotamus preparing herself for another encounter with the singer.

Elle redevient princesse, hippopodame Et me refile mon petit cadeau
The final lines suggest that the hippopotamus has some transformative power, and that she can change from a 'hippopodame' to a princess. The meaning of 'mon petit cadeau' (my little gift) is ambiguous, but it could be interpreted as the singer receiving some kind of satisfaction or pleasure from his interactions with the hippopotamus.

C'est un Rubens C'est une hippopodame Avec un D Comme dans marsh-mallow Et si j'en pince Pour c't'hippopodame C'est qu'avec elle j'ai des prix de gros
The final stanza repeats the opening lines, creating a sense of closure and symmetry. The meaning of the stanza remains the same as the opening except with the added context of the rest of the song.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Serge Gainsbourg

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