Serge Gainsbourg (April 2, 1928 – March 2, 1991) was a French poet-songwrit… Read Full Bio ↴Serge Gainsbourg (April 2, 1928 – March 2, 1991) was a French poet-songwriter, singer, actor, novelist, painter and director. Gainsbourg's varied style and individuality made him difficult to categorize. Although famous in France for many years, he did not achieve his first No. 1 album until 1979, when he released Aux Armes et caetera more than twenty years after his music career had begun. But since the 1980s, his legacy has been firmly established.

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

Viva Villa
Serge Gainsbourg Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Deux fusils, quatre pistolets
Et un couteau à cran d'arrêt
S'en vont à Guadalajara
C'est pour un fameux carnaval
Que s'avance cet arsenal
Qui a pour nom Pancho Villa
Tout à l'heure au pied du calvaire
Il dira une courte prière

Puis il reprendra ses jurons
Et son chemin et sa chanson

Viva Villa!
Viva Villa!
Viva Villa!

Quatre fusils, dix pistolets
Quinze couteaux à cran d'arrêt
Viennent de Guadalajara
C'est pour un fameux carnaval
Que s'en vient tout cet arsenal
On recherche Pancho Villa
S'il vont du côté du calvaire
Ils trouv'ront l'révolutionnaire
Ils lui f'ront entendre raison
Ou bien avaler sa chanson

Viva Villa!
Viva Villa!
Viva Villa!

Deux fusils, quatre pistolets
Et un couteau à cran d'arrêt
Allaient à Guadalajara
Ce fut un fameux carnaval
Quand on fit sauter l'arsenal
Qui s'appelait Pancho Villa
Il est là au pied du calvaire
Il vient de mordre la poussière
Les vautours ne lui laisseront
Que les os et les éperons

Viva Villa!

Viva Villa!
Viva Villa!

Overall Meaning

The song "Viva Villa" by Serge Gainsbourg tells the story of Pancho Villa, a famous revolutionary and outlaw from Mexico. The lyrics describe how Villa and his men are armed with guns and knives as they march towards Guadalajara for a carnival. The chorus, "Viva Villa!" which means "Long live Villa," is a celebratory cry in support of Villa's rebellion against the Mexican government.

As the song continues, the lyrics suggest that Villa's enemies are also armed and searching for him. The verses imply that Villa will fight back against anyone who opposes his revolution, even if it means sacrificing his own life. In the final verse, the chorus becomes a lamentation as Villa is defeated and killed. The lyrics suggest that Villa's legacy will live on, despite the fact that all he has left are his bones and spurs.

Overall, "Viva Villa" is a tribute to a revolutionary hero who fought against oppression and injustice. The song celebrates Villa's courage and determination in the face of overwhelming odds.

Line by Line Meaning

Deux fusils, quatre pistolets Et un couteau à cran d'arrêt S'en vont à Guadalajara C'est pour un fameux carnaval Que s'avance cet arsenal Qui a pour nom Pancho Villa
A group of armed people, led by Pancho Villa, are heading to Guadalajara for a famous carnival, carrying with them two rifles, four pistols, and a switchblade.

Tout à l'heure au pied du calvaire Il dira une courte prière Puis il reprendra ses jurons Et son chemin et sa chanson
At the foot of the Calvary, Pancho Villa will say a brief prayer before continuing his journey, swearing and singing.

Viva Villa! Viva Villa! Viva Villa!
Long live Villa!

Quatre fusils, dix pistolets Quinze couteaux à cran d'arrêt Viennent de Guadalajara C'est pour un fameux carnaval Que s'en vient tout cet arsenal On recherche Pancho Villa
An armed group is searching for Pancho Villa, who is heading towards Guadalajara for the famous carnival, carrying with them four rifles, ten pistols, and fifteen switchblades.

S'il vont du côté du calvaire Ils trouv'ront l'révolutionnaire Ils lui f'ront entendre raison Ou bien avaler sa chanson
If they go to the Calvary, they will find the revolutionary and either convince him to change his ways or force him to submit.

Deux fusils, quatre pistolets Et un couteau à cran d'arrêt Allaient à Guadalajara Ce fut un fameux carnaval Quand on fit sauter l'arsenal Qui s'appelait Pancho Villa
On the way to Guadalajara, there was a famous carnival that ended with the explosion of the arsenal named after Pancho Villa, leaving him alone at the foot of the Calvary.

Il est là au pied du calvaire Il vient de mordre la poussière Les vautours ne lui laisseront Que les os et les éperons
Pancho Villa is lying on the ground at the foot of the Calvary, defeated. The vultures will only leave his bones and spurs behind.

Viva Villa! Viva Villa! Viva Villa!
Long live Villa!

Contributed by Ava S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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Adrien Stozicky

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Deux fusils, quatre pistolets
Et un couteau à cran d'arrêt
S'en vont à Guadalajara
C'est pour un fameux carnaval
Que s'avance ce arsenal
Qui a pour nom Pancho Villa
Tout à l'heure au pied du calvaire
Il dira une courte prière
Puis il reprendra ses jurons
Et son chemin et sa chanson

Viva Villa!
Viva Villa!
Viva Villa!

Quatre fusils, dix pistolets
Quinze couteaux à cran d'arrêt
Viennent de Guadalajara
C'est pour un fameux carnaval
Que s'en vient tout cet arsenal
On recherche Pancho Villa
S'il vont du côté du calvaire
Ils trouv'ront l'révolutionnaire
Ils lui f'ront entendre raison
Ou bien avaler sa chanson

Viva Villa!
Viva Villa!
Viva Villa!

Deux fusils, quatre pistolets
Et un couteau à cran d'arrêt
Allaient à Guadalajara
Ce fut un fameux carnaval
Quand on fit sautait l'arsenal
Qui s'appelait Pancho Villa
Il est là au pied du calvaire
Il vient de mordre la poussière
Les vautours ne lui laisseront
Que les os et les éperons

Viva Villa!
Viva Villa!
Viva Villa!