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
Sex-shop
Serge Gainsbourg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Comment c'était entre ses bras.
Était-ce mieux qu'avec moi?
Ouais, petite vicieuse, dis-moi tout
Combien de fois, combien de coups
Quand même pas jusqu'au bout?
Il ne t'en a pas fait autant
Que tu me le prétends
Mais, petite conne, ça ne fait rien.
Invente-moi encore ses mains
Sur ton ventre et tes seins.
Dis, petite salope, redis-moi
Comment c'était entre ses bras.
Était-ce mieux qu'avec moi?
Mais, petite garce, si tu m'as dit vrai,
Je ne te le pardonnerai,
Je te le jure, jamais.
The song "Sex-Shop" by Serge Gainsbourg is a provocative and controversial piece that explores themes of jealousy, infidelity, and sexual desire. The lyrics depict a conversation between two lovers, with one demanding detailed information about their partner's sexual encounter with someone else. The singer asks the other person to describe how it felt to be in their lover's arms, and whether it was better than being with them. They also inquire about the number of times and the intensity of the experience, challenging the veracity of the other's responses. The dialogue is charged with a mix of anger, suspicion, and arousal, giving the impression that the relationship is either on the brink of collapse or undergoing a dangerous game of emotional manipulation.
The song can be interpreted as a commentary on the complex and fragile nature of romantic relationships, where trust and desire can fuel both passion and destruction. The characters in the song seem to be struggling with their feelings of inadequacy, fear of abandonment, and the need for validation. The use of provocative language and offensive slurs adds to the tension and discomfort, reflecting Gainsbourg's interest in subverting norms and pushing boundaries in art and society.
Overall, "Sex-Shop" is a provocative and unsettling song that challenges the listener's expectations and moral judgments. It speaks to the human experience of love, lust, and betrayal, and raises important questions about the nature of intimacy and the boundaries of expression.
Line by Line Meaning
Dis, petite salope, raconte-moi
Addressing a woman with crude language, asking her to reveal the details of her time with another man
Comment c'était entre ses bras.
Asking for a description of their intimate encounter
Était-ce mieux qu'avec moi?
Wondering if it was better than their own experience together
Ouais, petite vicieuse, dis-moi tout
Using vulgar language to encourage the woman to divulge all the details
Combien de fois, combien de coups
Asking for specific details such as how many times they had sex and how many thrusts were made
Quand même pas jusqu'au bout?
Wondering if they went all the way or not
Non, petite salope, tu me mens.
Accusing the woman of lying about the amount of sexual activities they had
Il ne t'en a pas fait autant
Suggesting that the other man was not as good in bed as the artist
Que tu me le prétends
Stating that the woman is exaggerating or overestimating the actions of the other man
Mais, petite conne, ça ne fait rien.
Calling the woman an insult, but still showing interest in her made-up story
Invente-moi encore ses mains
Asking her to continue with her imagination and describe the other man's touch
Sur ton ventre et tes seins.
Asking her to describe where the other man touched her
Dis, petite salope, redis-moi
Asking the woman to re-tell her fabricated story
Mais, petite garce, si tu m'as dit vrai,
Using another insult, warning the woman that if she told the truth, he would not forgive her
Je ne te le pardonnerai,
Stating that he will never forgive her if the details she gave were true
Je te le jure, jamais.
Swearing that he will never forgive her
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: SERGE GAINSBOURG, JEAN CLAUDE VANNIER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Frank Brochard
une de mes préférées de Serge Gainsbourg. Texte beau et émouvant et mélodie magnifique
Marie Cazals
Tu manques tellement ...tu as mis la chanson française au rang d un art majeur...grâce uniquement à toi à ta modernité..bravo serge
Marie Cazals
C est extraordinaire et cette musique sublime qui reprend tous les codes de la décadence et de je t'aime moi non plus...une époque où tout était permis sans débordements ni vulgarité...une époque sensuelle..
Jocelyn Caron
Du même registre que Par Hasard et Pas Rasé, Vu de L'extérieur, Sensuelle et Sans Suite des Chef d'œuvres de la musique ..
J'ai l'intégral de SERGE et chaque jour j'écoute un titre selon mon humeur.
BytheBottle UK
Love this song, thank you Serge.
verenigdkoninkrijk
Magnifique.the best french songs ever from Serge.After 7 years french at school I should understand more.Shame.I used to play Je t'aime at parties in the early 70's. This one I bought later.It is on a Gainsbarre.My favorite french music.(and Aznavour)
Nina Rosique
Chanson magnifique et très sensuelle.. j'adore
Pierre Despote
Probablement ma chanson de Gainsbourg préférée, triste et subtile
MrLinoventura
triste ?
Meru Kuro
subtile ?