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 poinçonneur des lilas
Serge Gainsbourg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Le gars qu'on croise et qu'on n'regarde pas
Y a pas d'soleil sous la terre
Drôle de croisière
Pour tuer l'ennui, j'ai dans ma veste
Les extraits du Reader's Digest
Et dans c'bouquin, y a écrit
Que des gars s'la coulent douce à Miami
Au fond d'la cave
Paraît qu'y a pas d'sot métier
Moi, j'fais des trous dans des billets
J'fais des trous, des p'tits trous, encore des p'tits trous
Des p'tits trous, des p'tits trous, toujours des p'tits trous
Des trous d'seconde classe
Des trous d'première classe
J'fais des trous, des p'tits trous, encore des p'tits trous
Des p'tits trous, des p'tits trous, toujours des p'tits trous
Des petits trous, des petits trous
Des petits trous, des petits trous
J'suis l'poinçonneur des Lilas
Pour Invalides, changez à Opéra
Je vis au cœur d'la planète
J'ai dans la tête
Un carnaval de confettis
J'en amène jusque dans mon lit
Et sous mon ciel de faïence
Je n'vois briller que les correspondances
Parfois je rêve, je divague
Je vois des vagues
Et dans la brume au bout du quai
J'vois un bateau qui vient m'chercher
Pour m'sortir de ce trou où je fais des trous
Des p'tits trous, des p'tits trous, toujours des p'tits trous
Mais l'bateau se taille
Et j'vois qu'je déraille
Et je reste dans mon trou à faire des p'tits trous
Des p'tits trous, des p'tits trous, toujours des p'tits trous
Des petits trous, des petits trous
Des petits trous, des petits trous
J'suis l'poinçonneur des Lilas
Arts-et-métiers, direct par Levallois
J'en ai marre, j'en ai ma claque
De ce cloaque
Je voudrais jouer la fille de l'air
Laisser ma casquette au vestiaire
Un jour viendra, j'en suis sûr
Où j'pourrai m'évader dans la nature
J'partirai sur la grande route
Et coûte que coûte
Et si pour moi, il est plus temps
Je partirai les pieds devant
J'fais des trous, des p'tits trous, encore des p'tits trous
Des p'tits trous, des p'tits trous, toujours des p'tits trous
Y a d'quoi d'venir dingue
De quoi prendre un flingue
S'faire un trou, un p'tit trou, un dernier p'tit trou
Un p'tit trou, un p'tit trou, un dernier p'tit trou
Et on m'mettra dans un grand trou
Et j'n'entendrai plus parler d'trous, plus jamais d'trous
De p'tits trous, de p'tits trous, de p'tits trous
The song "Le poinçonneur des Lilas" by Serge Gainsbourg is about the mundane, repetitive life of a ticket puncher in the metro station of Lilas. The singer, who is the ticket puncher, describes his life as a "drôle de croisière" (strange journey) and shares his strategies for coping with the boredom that comes with his job. He carries excerpts from Reader's Digest in his pocket and dreams of a life outside of the metro station.
The repetition of the phrase "j'fais des trous, des p'tits trous, encore des p'tits trous" (I punch holes, little holes, more little holes) is a metaphor for the monotony of the ticket puncher's life. He punches holes in tickets all day, every day, and there seems to be no escape. The song ends on a somewhat bleak note, with the singer expressing a desire to escape his life through death.
Line by Line Meaning
J'suis l'poinçonneur des Lilas
I am the ticket puncher at Lilas station.
Le gars qu'on croise et qu'on n'regarde pas
The guy who people pass by without noticing.
Y a pas d'soleil sous la terre
There is no sunshine underground.
Drôle de croisière
A strange journey.
Pour tuer l'ennui, j'ai dans ma veste
To kill boredom, I have in my pocket.
Les extraits du Reader's Digest
Excerpts from Reader's Digest.
Et dans c'bouquin, y a écrit
And in this book, it is written.
Que des gars s'la coulent douce à Miami
That guys are living it up in Miami.
Pendant c'temps que je fais l'zouave
While I goof around.
Au fond d'la cave
At the bottom of the cellar.
Paraît qu'y a pas d'sot métier
It seems that there is no such thing as a foolish job.
Moi, j'fais des trous dans des billets
Me, I punch holes in tickets.
J'fais des trous, des p'tits trous, encore des p'tits trous
I punch holes, little holes, more little holes.
Des p'tits trous, des p'tits trous, toujours des p'tits trous
Little holes, little holes, always little holes.
Des trous d'seconde classe
Second-class holes.
Des trous d'première classe
First-class holes.
Des petits trous, des petits trous
Small holes, small holes.
J'suis l'poinçonneur des Lilas
I am the ticket puncher at Lilas station.
Pour Invalides, changez à Opéra
For Invalides, change at Opéra.
Je vis au cœur d'la planète
I live in the heart of the planet.
J'ai dans la tête
I have in my head.
Un carnaval de confettis
A carnival of confetti.
J'en amène jusque dans mon lit
I bring them all the way to my bed.
Et sous mon ciel de faïence
And under my porcelain sky.
Je n'vois briller que les correspondances
I only see correspondences shining.
Parfois je rêve, je divague
Sometimes I dream, I wander off.
Je vois des vagues
I see waves.
Et dans la brume au bout du quai
And in the mist at the end of the dock.
J'vois un bateau qui vient m'chercher
I see a boat coming to pick me up.
Pour m'sortir de ce trou où je fais des trous
To get me out of this hole where I make holes.
Des p'tits trous, des p'tits trous, toujours des p'tits trous
Little holes, little holes, always little holes.
Mais l'bateau se taille
But the boat leaves.
Et j'vois qu'je déraille
And I see that I'm going off the rails.
Et je reste dans mon trou à faire des p'tits trous
And I remain in my hole making little holes.
Des p'tits trous, des p'tits trous, toujours des p'tits trous
Little holes, little holes, always little holes.
Des petits trous, des petits trous
Small holes, small holes.
J'suis l'poinçonneur des Lilas
I am the ticket puncher at Lilas station.
Arts-et-métiers, direct par Levallois
Arts-et-métiers, direct via Levallois.
J'en ai marre, j'en ai ma claque
I've had enough, I'm fed up.
De ce cloaque
Of this disgusting place.
Je voudrais jouer la fille de l'air
I want to play the air girl.
Laisser ma casquette au vestiaire
Leave my cap at the cloakroom.
Un jour viendra, j'en suis sûr
One day will come, I'm sure.
Où j'pourrai m'évader dans la nature
Where I will be able to escape into nature.
J'partirai sur la grande route
I will leave on the main road.
Et coûte que coûte
And no matter what it costs.
Et si pour moi, il est plus temps
And if it is no longer time for me.
Je partirai les pieds devant
I will leave with my feet forward.
J'fais des trous, des p'tits trous, encore des p'tits trous
I punch holes, little holes, more little holes.
Des p'tits trous, des p'tits trous, toujours des p'tits trous
Little holes, little holes, always little holes.
Y a d'quoi d'venir dingue
It's enough to make one go crazy.
De quoi prendre un flingue
Enough to take a gun.
S'faire un trou, un p'tit trou, un dernier p'tit trou
To make a hole, a little hole, one last little hole.
Un p'tit trou, un p'tit trou, un dernier p'tit trou
A little hole, a little hole, one last little hole.
Et on m'mettra dans un grand trou
And they will put me in a big hole.
Et j'n'entendrai plus parler d'trous, plus jamais d'trous
And I will never hear about holes again, never again about holes.
De p'tits trous, de p'tits trous, de p'tits trous
Of little holes, of little holes, of little holes.
Lyrics © Salut Ô Éditions, SO2 Édition, Quatryo Éditions, WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC FRANCE
Written by: Serge Gainsbourg
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Elian
on Ford Mustang
We're swapping spits / We're snorting lines [double entendre] (On s' fait des "lines")
In a Ford Mustang
And then, "Bang"
We're banging in [triple entendre]
To the plane trees / And then, "Bang," we're getting high ("embrasser les platanes = planer" [ French] (=to get high)
"Mus" to the left
"Tang" to the right
And to the left, to the right
A windshield wiper
A pack of Kool
A badge with the inscription
"Keep Cool"
A bar of
Chocolate
A Coca-Cola
We're swapping spits / We're snorting lines
In a Ford Mustang
And then, "Bang"
We're banging in
To the plane trees
"Mus" to the left
"Tang" to the right
And to the left, to the right
A bottle
Of make-up fluid
A flashgun
A Browning (automatic pistol)
A phonograph
A volume
Of Edgar A. Poe
And a plain brass ZIPPO
We're swapping spits / We're snorting lines
In a Ford Mustang
And then, "Bang"
We're banging in
To the plane trees
"Mus" to the left
"Tang" to the right
And to the left, to the right
An edition
Of Superman
A nut from
Paco
Rabanne
A pic of
Marilyn
A tube of aspirin
We're swapping spits / We're snorting lines
In a Ford Mustang
And then, "Bang"
We're banging in
To the plane trees
"Mus" to the left
"Tang" to the right
And to the left, to the right