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
Un Poison Violent C'Est Ca L'Amour
Serge Gainsbourg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Qu'un mouvement alternatif qui va de l'appétit au dégoût et du dégoût à l'appétit
De l'appétit au dégoût et du dégoût à l'appétit
(J'm'en fous!) Ta gueule, laisse-moi finir!
L'âme flottant toujours incertaine entre l'ardeur qui se renouvelle
L'ardeur qui se renouvelle et l'ardeur qui se ralentit
L'ardeur qui se renouvelle et l'ardeur qui se ralentit
Ah! j'm'en fous!
De l'appétit au dégoût et du dégoût à l'appétit
On ne laisse pas de se divertir par l'image d'une liberté errante
Tu sais de qui c'est? (Non!) Bossuet! (Bravo! Tu veux une oraison funèbre?)
Ah non! Parce que moi je suis assez cynique pour en faire ma ligne de conduite
Oh! T'es dégueulasse! dégueulasse mon vieux!
Ouais, ouais! un peu amnésique sur les bords, hein
Voilà où ça mène
Un poison violent, c'est ça l'amour
Un truc à n'pas dépasser la dose
C'est comme en bagnole
Au compteur 180, à la borne 190
Effusion de sang
Voilà j'te donne un conseil
Tu tiens à ta peau, laisse tomber!
Tu cours après une ombre, tu vois
Et c'est même pas la mienne
Encore elle serait sur les colonnes Morris
Je pourrais l'attendre à l'entrée des artistes
Mais elle est insaisissable, où veux-tu que j'la trouve?
Ah mon p'tit Armstrong Jones, y fallait pas faire d'la photographie
Oh, toi t'es écœurant
On n'peut pas discuter avec toi, tu prends tout à la blague
Ah erreur! Erreur justement!
Un de ces quatre tu verras, tu m'rendras raison, écoute
Quand tu en auras marre
J'ai une petite pour toi
Complètement demeurée
Mais tellement esthétique
Oh, te fatigue pas, va! Allez, salut!
The lyrics of Serge Gainsbourg's Un Poison Violent C'Est Ca L'Amour explore the concept of desire and appetite and the way they alternate. The lyrics suggest that life is nothing more than a series of sense experiences that oscillate between appetite and disgust, and from disgust to appetite. Gainsbourg muses on the uncertain nature of the soul, which is always floating between renewed ardor and a more subdued desire. The song seems to suggest that this perpetual movement between appetite and aversion is an enjoyable pursuit, and that we find pleasure in the idea of wandering freely and not being bound by rules.
The chorus of the song focuses on the idea of love being a violent poison that should not be exceeded. Gainsbourg claims that like a car that cannot exceed a certain speed, love should not be taken in excess, or it can result in dire consequences. The song ends with Gainsbourg suggesting that chasing after something impossible or insubstantial is futile and that it's better to let go and move on.
Line by Line Meaning
Qu'est-ce autre chose que la vie des sens
Life is nothing but the senses
Qu'un mouvement alternatif qui va de l'appétit au dégoût et du dégoût à l'appétit
An alternating movement from appetite to disgust and from disgust to appetite
De l'appétit au dégoût et du dégoût à l'appétit
From appetite to disgust and from disgust to appetite
(J'm'en fous!) Ta gueule, laisse-moi finir!
(I don't care!) Shut up, let me finish!
L'âme flottant toujours incertaine entre l'ardeur qui se renouvelle
The soul always uncertain between renewed ardor
L'ardeur qui se renouvelle et l'ardeur qui se ralentit
Renewed and slowed down ardor
L'ardeur qui se renouvelle et l'ardeur qui se ralentit
Renewed and slowed down ardor
Ah! j'm'en fous!
Ah! I don't care!
Mais dans ce mouvement perpétuel, de l'appétit au dégoût
But in this perpetual movement, from appetite to disgust
De l'appétit au dégoût et du dégoût à l'appétit
From appetite to disgust and from disgust to appetite
On ne laisse pas de se divertir par l'image d'une liberté errante
We are not entertained by the image of a wandering freedom
Tu sais de qui c'est? (Non!) Bossuet! (Bravo! Tu veux une oraison funèbre?)
Do you know who said that? (No!) Bossuet! (Bravo! Do you want a eulogy?)
Ah non! Parce que moi je suis assez cynique pour en faire ma ligne de conduite
No way! Because I'm cynical enough to make it my guideline
Oh! T'es dégueulasse! dégueulasse mon vieux!
Oh! You're disgusting! Disgusting, man!
Ouais, ouais! un peu amnésique sur les bords, hein
Yeah, yeah! A little amnesiac on the edges, huh
Voilà où ça mène
This is where it leads
Un poison violent, c'est ça l'amour
Love is a violent poison
Un truc à n'pas dépasser la dose
Something not to overdose
C'est comme en bagnole
It's like driving a car
Au compteur 180, à la borne 190
180 km/h on the speedometer, 190 km/h on the sign
Effusion de sang
Bloodshed
Voilà j'te donne un conseil
So here's my advice
Tu tiens à ta peau, laisse tomber!
If you value your skin, forget it!
Tu cours après une ombre, tu vois
You're chasing a shadow, you see
Et c'est même pas la mienne
And it's not even mine
Encore elle serait sur les colonnes Morris
If only it were on the Morris columns
Je pourrais l'attendre à l'entrée des artistes
I could wait for her at the artist's entrance
Mais elle est insaisissable, où veux-tu que j'la trouve?
But she is elusive, where do you want me to find her?
Ah mon p'tit Armstrong Jones, y fallait pas faire d'la photographie
Ah my little Armstrong Jones, you shouldn't have taken pictures
Oh, toi t'es écœurant
Oh, you're sickening
On n'peut pas discuter avec toi, tu prends tout à la blague
We can't discuss with you, you take everything as a joke
Ah erreur! Erreur justement!
Ah! Mistake! Just a mistake!
Un de ces quatre tu verras, tu m'rendras raison, écoute
One of these days you'll see, you'll agree with me, listen
Quand tu en auras marre
When you get fed up
J'ai une petite pour toi
I have a little something for you
Complètement demeurée
Completely brainless
Mais tellement esthétique
But so aesthetic
Oh, te fatigue pas, va! Allez, salut!
Oh, don't worry about it, go! Alright, bye!
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC FRANCE
Written by: Serge Gainsbourg, Bruno Ralle, Guillaume Siron
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mémoire de l'Ombre
Sergio a eu raison en 1 seule phrase...
"La vie ne vaut d'être vécue sans amour"
bessamana
''de l'appétit au dégoût et du dégoût à l'appétit ''.... ça résume tout .
Jean Luc Julien
C'est la chanson la plus philosophique du monde..
Raphael G
Anna... Sublime texte de Gainsbourg... as usual!
Mémoire de l'Ombre
Super morceau
mercreedi
Que j'adore ce titre !
Sandrine Rousseau
L'amour c pas un poison c'est un sentiment qui élève vers le haut et redonne de l'éclat et de la jeunesse. Mais boN gainsbourg a Aussi raison qq fois Ca peut être déroutant
TheNovemberify
"ta gueule, laisse-moi finir"
darealdeedee
haha c'est Brialy qui s'en prend plein la gueule!
MutantRiot
À premier, j'entends "Nicolas, Nicolas Mon dieu!"