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
La Recette De L'Amour Fou
Serge Gainsbourg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sur canapé laissez s'asseoir et se détendre
Versez une larme de porto
Et puis mettez-vous au piano
Jouez Chopin
Avec dédain
Egrenez vos accords
Et s'il s'endort
Le second soir faites revenir ce coeur bien tendre
Faites mijoter trois bons quarts d'heure à vous attendre
Et s'il n'est pas encore parti
Soyez-en sûr c'est qu'il est cuit
Sans vous trahir
Laissez frémir
Faites attendre encore
Et s'il s'endort
Alors là, jétez-le dehors
Le lendemain il ne tient qu'à vous d'être tendre
Tamisez toutes les lumières et sans attendre
Jouez la farce du grand amour
Dites "jamais", dites "toujours"
Et consommez
Sur canapé
Mais après les transports
Ah! s'il s'endort
Alors là, foutez-le dehors
In a boudoir enter a tender heart good
On sofa let sit and relax
Pour a tear from Porto
And then you put the piano
Play Chopin
With disdain
Fluff your agreements
And if he falls asleep
While there, throw it out
The second evening stir fry the heart of this tender
Simmer three good quarters of an hour you wait
And if it is not yet party
Be sure to is that it is cooked
Without you betray
Let simmer
Make wait
And if he falls asleep
While there, jétez it out
The next day it is up to you to be soft
Sift all the lights and without waiting
Play the farce of the great love
Say "forever", saying "always"
And eat
On Couch
But after transport
Ah! if asleep
While there, foutez it out
The lyrics of Serge Gainsbourg's song "La Recette De L'Amour Fou" describe a recipe for making someone fall in love with you, only to eventually discard them. The song comprises of three verses, each outlining a step in the "recipe". In the first verse, Gainsbourg suggests that one must introduce a tender-hearted person to a boudoir and let them relax on the couch with a glass of port while he plays Chopin on the piano. If they fall asleep, the person should be thrown out. The second verse advises frying the person's heart for three-quarters of an hour until cooked, and waiting until they leave. The final verse instructs one to dim the lights, say phrases of eternal love, and consummate the relationship on the couch, but then to throw them out when they fall asleep.
The lyrics are perhaps intended as satire, critiquing the fickle nature and cruelty of romantic relationships. Gainsbourg was known for using provocative lyrics and taboo subjects in his music, and "La Recette De L'Amour Fou" is no exception. Through the song's recipe format, Gainsbourg highlights the insincerity and superficiality of the singer's actions.
Line by Line Meaning
Dans un boudoir introduisez un coeur bien tendre
In a cozy space, welcome a gentle-hearted guest
Sur canapé laissez s'asseoir et se détendre
Invite your guest to sit and make themselves comfortable on the sofa
Versez une larme de porto
Pour a glass of Port wine
Et puis mettez-vous au piano
Take a seat at the piano
Jouez Chopin
Play Chopin's music
Avec dédain
With an air of disdain
Egrenez vos accords
Strum your chords
Et s'il s'endort
If your guest falls asleep
Alors là, jetez-le dehors
Then, throw them out
Le second soir faites revenir ce coeur bien tendre
Bring back your gentle-hearted guest on the second night
Faites mijoter trois bons quarts d'heure à vous attendre
Make them wait for a good three-quarters of an hour
Et s'il n'est pas encore parti
And if they haven't left yet
Soyez-en sûr c'est qu'il est cuit
Be sure that they are cooked
Sans vous trahir
Without betraying yourself
Laissez frémir
Let the excitement simmer
Faites attendre encore
Make them wait some more
Alors là, jétez-le dehors
Then, throw them out
Le lendemain il ne tient qu'à vous d'être tendre
The next day, it's up to you to be gentle
Tamisez toutes les lumières et sans attendre
Dim all the lights and without delay
Jouez la farce du grand amour
Act out the comedy of a great love
Dites "jamais", dites "toujours"
Say "never", say "always"
Et consommez
And consummate your love
Sur canapé
On the sofa
Mais après les transports
But after the passion
Ah! s'il s'endort
Oh! If they fall asleep
Alors là, foutez-le dehors
Then, kick them out
Lyrics © MELODY NELSON PUBLISHING, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC FRANCE
Written by: Serge GAINSBOURG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kardec0721
Dans un boudoir introduisez un cœur bien tendre
Sur canapé laissez s'asseoir et se détendre
Versez une larme de porto
Et puis mettez-vous au piano
Jouez Chopin
Avec dédain
Égrenez vos accords
Et s'il s'endort
Alors là, jetez-le dehors
Le second soir faites revenir ce cœur bien tendre
Faites mijoter trois bons quarts d'heure à vous attendre
Et s'il n'est pas encore parti
Soyez-en sûr c'est qu'il est cuit
Sans vous trahir
Laissez frémir
Faites attendre encore
Et s'il s'endort
Alors là, jetez-le dehors
Le lendemain il ne tient qu'à vous d'être tendre
Tamisez toutes les lumières et sans attendre
Jouez la farce du grand amour
Dites "jamais", dites "toujours"
Et consommez
Sur canapé
Mais après les transports
Ah! s'il s'endort
Alors là, foutez-le dehors
@yacineskottich
Dans un boudoir introduisez un coeur bien tendre
Sur canapé laissez s'asseoir et se détendre
Versez une larme de porto et puis mettez vous au piano
Jouez Chopin, avec dédain,
Égrenez vos accords et s'il s'endort alors là jetez le dehors
Le second soir faites revenir ce coeur bien tendre
Faites mijoter trois bons quart d'heure à vous attendre
Et s'il n'est pas encore parti soyez en sûr c'est qu'il est cuit
Sans vous trahir, laissez frémir
Faites attendre encore et s'il s'endort alors là jetez le dehors
Le lendemain, il ne tient qu'à vous d'être tendre,
Tamisez toutes les lumières et sans attendre,
Jouez la farce du grand amour, dites jamais, dites toujours
Et consommez sur canapé
Mais après les transports, ah s'il s'endort alors là foutez le dehors
@sergiorodriguez572
C'est une chanson que Gaspard Ulliel avait recommandée comme "Ultimate french song" dans son vidéoclip pour Vogue. Magnifique!
@lolomouse
A rare genius, never to be forgotten...
@Johanvs01
Ahlala j'adore les têtes qu'il fait : avec son sourcil droit, et aussi les coups de têtes pour "jetez-le dehors" :D
@jackrisley4077
Également
@foshelan
hahahahaha
@ELLCEEDU25
magnifique, magnifique avec humour et jeu de mots
@user-un8vb2zd8y
Красавчик Серж, самый лучший из всех.
@stamata9012
Bravo!...Gainsbourg est l'un des rares chanteurs à avoir lu "Le Banquet" et à avoir compris de quoi il s'agissait: faire un éloge de l'amour en allant "de gauche à droite, le plus bel éloge possible"...quoique Gainsbourg y aille plutôt franco: Jetez-le dehors!...Pour ceux qui n'y ayant vu que des "oreilles-je-ne-sais-quoi", ils devraient lire le passage où Diotime crie à raison: "ce qui n’est pas beau n’est pas nécessairement laid!..."
@alexdesslin
voilà qui est finement analysé
!
@airlou84
Magnifique <3