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
Le Claquer De Doigts
Serge Gainsbourg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
J'suis claqueur de doigts devant les jukebox
Jukebox, jukebox
Je claque des doigts devant les jukebox
Jukebox, jukebox
J'suis claqueur de doigts devant les jukebox
Jukebox, jukebox
Je claque des doigts devant les jukebox
Quand ils n's'baladent pas sur toi
Je n'sais qu'faire de mes dix doigts
Je n'sais qu'faire de mes dix doigts
Alors j'les claque claque claque claque devant les
Jukebox, jukebox
J'suis claqueur de doigts devant les jukebox
Jukebox, jukebox
Je claque des doigts devant les jukebox
Jukebox, jukebox
J'suis claqueur de doigts devant les jukebox
Jukebox, jukebox
Je claque des doigts devant les jukebox
Jukebox, jukebox
J'suis claqueur de doigts devant les jukebox
Jukebox, jukebox
Je claque des doigts devant les jukebox
J'ai encore pour la machine
D'la mitraille dans mes blue jeans
D'la mitraille dans mes blue jeans
Faut que j'la claque claque claque claque dedans le
Jukebox, jukebox
J'suis claqueur de doigts devant les jukebox
Jukebox, jukebox
Je claque des doigts devant les jukebox
Jukebox, jukebox
J'suis claqueur de doigts devant les jukebox
Jukebox, jukebox
Je claque des doigts devant les jukebox
Jukebox, jukebox
J'suis claqueur de doigts devant les jukebox
Jukebox, jukebox
Je claque des doigts devant les jukebox
Oh Sylvie regarde-moi
Qui est c'type qui t'fait du plat?
Qui est c'type qui t'fait du plat?
J'en ai ma claque claque claque claque de ce gars
Jukebox, jukebox
Si jamais il s'approche du jukebox
Jukebox, jukebox
J'lui claquerai la gueule devant le Juke
Box!
The song "Le Claquer De Doigts" by Serge Gainsbourg is a playful and upbeat tune about the joy of dancing to music from the jukebox, specifically the act of snapping one's fingers in rhythm. The lyrics are, in essence, celebrating the simple pleasure of music and dance, with the singer describing himself as a finger-snapping dance enthusiast who always seeks out a jukebox to indulge his passion. The song is repetitive in a way that is almost hypnotic, as it echoes the action of finger snapping, creating a sense of fun and playfulness.
However, there is a bit of a shift in the lyrics towards the end of the song, where Gainsbourg introduces the character of Sylvie and a man who is trying to hit on her. The lyrics take on a more aggressive tone, as the singer declares a desire to defend Sylvie's honor and threaten violence against the man if necessary. This contrast helps emphasize the overall lightheartedness of the song by adding a bit of a twist and a dash of humor.
Overall, "Le Claquer De Doigts" is a fun and catchy song that celebrates the joy of dancing and the power of music to bring people together.
Line by Line Meaning
Jukebox, jukebox
The singer is addressing the jukebox or perhaps emphasizing how many there are in the environment.
J'suis claqueur de doigts devant les jukebox
The singer snaps his fingers in front of the jukebox.
Je claque des doigts devant les jukebox
The singer snaps his fingers in front of the jukebox.
Quand ils n's'baladent pas sur toi
When people are not walking around him.
Je n'sais qu'faire de mes dix doigts
The artist doesn't know what to do with his hands.
Alors j'les claque claque claque claque devant les
So, he snaps his fingers a lot
J'ai encore pour la machine
He has more money for the jukebox.
D'la mitraille dans mes blue jeans
He has loose change in his pockets.
Faut que j'la claque claque claque claque dedans le
He will put this change in the jukebox.
Oh Sylvie regarde-moi
He is addressing a person named Sylvie, trying to grab their attention.
Qui est c'type qui t'fait du plat?
He is asking Sylvie who the man flirting with her is.
J'en ai ma claque claque claque claque de ce gars
The artist is fed up with this man.
Si jamais il s'approche du jukebox
If the man approaches the jukebox.
J'lui claquerai la gueule devant le Juke Box!
He'll punch the man in the face in front of the jukebox.
Lyrics © SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC.
Written by: Serge Gainsbourg
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
RadioCorbeau
Juke-box Juke-box
J' suis claqueur de doigts devant les juke-box!
Juke-box Juke-box
Je claqu' des doigts devant les juke-box
Quand ils n' s' baladent pas sur toi
Je n' sais qu' faire de mes dix doigts
Je n' sais qu' faire de mes dix doigts
Alors j' les claque claque claque claque devant les
Juke-box Juke-box
J' suis claqueur de doigts devant les juke-box!
Juke-box Juke-box
Je claqu' des doigts devant les juke-box
J'ai encore pour la machine
D' la mitraille dans mes blue-jeans
D' la mitraille dans mes blue-jeans
Faut que j' la claque claque claque claque dedans les
Juke-box Juke-box
J' suis claqueur de doigts devant les juke-box!
Juke-box Juke-box
Je claqu' des doigts devant les juke-box
Oh Sylvie regarde-moi
Qui est c' type qui t' fait du plat
Qui est c' type qui t' fait du plat
J'en ai ma claque claque claque claque de ce gars
Juke-box Juke-box
Si jamais il s'approche du juke-box
Juke-box Juke-box
J' lui claquerai la gueule devant le juke-box!
Lisette Picart
Tres belles chansons qui mettent du baume au coeur
miskatonic
je ne connaissais pas, excellent !
Christian Pieralli
Musique de rap 2019 et de musique de théâtre 🎭 sara
Q.j Dream
En x1,5 c'est tellement bien :o
Luka Merlet
c'est mieux de ouf
LibraRising
Came to see what Lovage was paying homage to!
Nathan Beebe
Same! :)
MyWetNose
Me too, I had no idea. I love 'Strangers on a train'.
bartalor
hit the road jack sound like this (I know that this song of gainsburg came first)
Antonino Troisi
@F Bordewijk aux minimum LOL