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
Ronsard 58
Serge Gainsbourg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
T'auras des amants t'auras du succès
T'auras des vacances sur les beaux rivages
Et des bikinis à tout faire craquer
T'auras des visions t'auras des bagnoles
Des types bien sapés te f'ront du baise-main
Tu f'ras des sourires tu joueras ton rôle
Mais tu n'seras jamais qu'une petite putain
Putain des trottoirs putain des palaces
Pour les mecs dans l'fond c'est le même tabac
On lui paye son prix on s'en débarrasse
Faut qu'elle fasse l'amour et pas d'embarras
D'ailleurs un beau jour ma bath petite môme
Faudra qu'tu t'décides à passer la main
Alors en chialant tu t'diras qu'ma pomme
Elle avait du bon en tant qu'écrivain
C'est tout ce que t'auras mes vers à gomme
Ma littérature dont tu t'es foutu
C'est tout ce que t'auras pour t'rappeler les hommes
Tes anciens mordus qui t'regarderont plus
C'est le seul miroir où tu n'seras pas moche
Il est garanti pour l'éternité
Le vieux père Ronsard n'était pas une cloche
Quand il disait ça à sa mijaurée
Both qu't'auras my beautiful owls benefits
T'auras lovers t'auras success
T'auras vacation on the beautiful shores
And bikinis to do everything crack
T'auras visions of t'auras bagnoles
Some types of te f'ront undermined the kiss-hand
You f'ras smiles you play your role
But you never n'seras a small whore
Putain sidewalks whore palaces
For the guys in the background is the same tobacco
He pays the price it will rid
Should it do not love and embarrassment
Besides a beautiful day my bath little kid
Will qu'tu t'décides to go hand
So chialant you t'diras qu'ma apple
It was good as a writer
This is what mes t'auras worms gum
My literature which you have foutu
That is all t'auras for men t'rappeler
Your old fans who t'regarderont more
It is the only mirror in which you n'seras not ugly
It is guaranteed for eternity
The old father Ronsard was not a bell
When he said that at its mijaurée
The lyrics to Serge Gainsbourg's "Ronsard 58" are a reflection on the world of prostitution, where the singer is speaking to a prostitute and telling her that despite the benefits she may receive, such as lovers, success, and vacations in beautiful places, she is still just a "petite putain", or a small whore. The lyrics describe the reality of the situation, where men in both the posh palaces and the grimy sidewalks treat prostitutes the same way, paying for the pleasure of their bodies and then discarding them. The singer warns the prostitute that one day she must pass the torch to someone else and that all she will have left are his words, as he is a writer who is documenting her existence.
Line by Line Meaning
Tant qu't'auras ma belle de chouettes avantages
As long as you have my beautiful, attractive qualities
T'auras des amants t'auras du succès
You will have lovers and you will be successful
T'auras des vacances sur les beaux rivages
You will have vacations on beautiful shores
Et des bikinis à tout faire craquer
And bikinis that will make everyone go crazy
T'auras des visions t'auras des bagnoles
You will have visions and you will have cars
Des types bien sapés te f'ront du baise-main
Well-dressed men will kiss your hand
Tu f'ras des sourires tu joueras ton rôle
You will smile and play your part
Mais tu n'seras jamais qu'une petite putain
But you will only ever be a little whore
Putain des trottoirs putain des palaces
Whore of the streets, whore of the palaces
Pour les mecs dans l'fond c'est le même tabac
For the guys in the background, it's the same thing
On lui paye son prix on s'en débarrasse
They pay her price and get rid of her
Faut qu'elle fasse l'amour et pas d'embarras
She must have sex and no embarrassment
D'ailleurs un beau jour ma bath petite môme
Moreover, one fine day, my beautiful little girl
Faudra qu'tu t'décides à passer la main
You will have to decide to pass the torch
Alors en chialant tu t'diras qu'ma pomme
And then, crying, you will say to yourself that my apple
Elle avait du bon en tant qu'écrivain
Was good as a writer
C'est tout ce que t'auras mes vers à gomme
That's all you'll have, my rubbery verses
Ma littérature dont tu t'es foutu
My literature that you didn't care about
C'est tout ce que t'auras pour t'rappeler les hommes
That's all you'll have to remember the men
Tes anciens mordus qui t'regarderont plus
Your former enthusiasts who will no longer look at you
C'est le seul miroir où tu n'seras pas moche
It is the only mirror where you will not be ugly
Il est garanti pour l'éternité
It is guaranteed for eternity
Le vieux père Ronsard n'était pas une cloche
The old father Ronsard was not a fool
Quand il disait ça à sa mijaurée
When he said that to his prudish one
Lyrics © MELODY NELSON PUBLISHING, WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC FRANCE, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: SERGE ANDRE BARTHELEMY, SERGE GAINSBOURG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@marrodeur75
Le texte qui a inspiré la chanson :
Quand vous serez bien vieille, au soir, à la chandelle,
Assise auprès du feu, dévidant et filant,
Direz, chantant mes vers, en vous émerveillant :
Ronsard me célébrait du temps que j’étais belle.
Lors, vous n’aurez servante oyant telle nouvelle,
Déjà sous le labeur à demi sommeillant,
Qui au bruit de mon nom ne s’aille réveillant,
Bénissant votre nom de louange immortelle.
Je serai sous la terre et fantôme sans os :
Par les ombres myrteux je prendrai mon repos :
Vous serez au foyer une vieille accroupie,
Regrettant mon amour et votre fier dédain.
Vivez, si m’en croyez, n’attendez à demain :
Cueillez dès aujourd’hui les roses de la vie.
Pierre de Ronsard
@ethaniel83
Merci Stéphane pour cette belle découverte ;)
@marrodeur75
Le texte qui a inspiré la chanson :
Quand vous serez bien vieille, au soir, à la chandelle,
Assise auprès du feu, dévidant et filant,
Direz, chantant mes vers, en vous émerveillant :
Ronsard me célébrait du temps que j’étais belle.
Lors, vous n’aurez servante oyant telle nouvelle,
Déjà sous le labeur à demi sommeillant,
Qui au bruit de mon nom ne s’aille réveillant,
Bénissant votre nom de louange immortelle.
Je serai sous la terre et fantôme sans os :
Par les ombres myrteux je prendrai mon repos :
Vous serez au foyer une vieille accroupie,
Regrettant mon amour et votre fier dédain.
Vivez, si m’en croyez, n’attendez à demain :
Cueillez dès aujourd’hui les roses de la vie.
Pierre de Ronsard
@Cybi0
Merci @marrodeur75 : Ô mon amie la Rose vous fais bien des compliments ;°)♥
@virginieguichaoua7872
ça sonne très Boris Vian. J'aime bien cette période de Gainsbourg aussi
@lecoq404
Ah ce bon vieux Serge ;)
@skwalalaaaaaa9672
Gainsbourg ce génie.......
@lionelbeaulaton7610
sublime!
@thomasyogayoiii3759
Impressionnant
@loicmorignat3115
C'est ma chanson préférée de Gainsbourg !
@Cybi0
Salut Loïc d'il y a presque un an : ma préférée, c'est celle-ci : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gr9ZwJRlyBs