Joe and Jane in Serge Gainsbourg's 70's Drama

In Serge Gainsbourg's 1976 controversial drama 'Je taime moi non plus' Jane Birkin

plays the part of Johnny, a lonely and bored waitress in a truck driver's cafe.

Then suddenly things pick up when Joe Dallesandro walks in believing that the

androgynous Jane is a boy working behind the bar. But the two hit it off straight away,

to the displeasure of Joe's truck driving partner.

The film's song title by Serge Gainsbourg became a huge hit in the U.K in 1969

when it was banned by the BBC. And as always, once the BBC bans something,

it's success is assured.

In 2019 the film got a well deserved digital upgrade and was transferred to 4K with

improved sound quality.

Above video kindly uploaded to Youtube

by Yena Audio.

Serge...You're Under Arrest

Following on from my recent posts on French musician Serge Gainsbourg I thought

that I'd post up another one of his Paris concert performances.

The late eighties seemed like a fruitful period and I absolutely loved his music from

the movie 'Goodbye Emmanuel' which I bought on vinyl.

Often declared a musical genius as well as an artist that seemed to enjoy courting

controversy, he actually seemed like the most unlikely pop star with his uncoordinated

stage movements. But Parisians loved him. And he did have the knack of surrounding

himself with some fine musicians.

VIDEO UPLOADED TO YOUTUBE BY laramade 1959

Serge Gainsbourg.....Love On the Beat

Returning once again to Serge Gainsbourg, talented poet, singer, composer and film maker,

I was keen to showcase one of his performances from his 1986 Casino de Paris Concert. 

In fact there were quite a few interesting concerts and performances in Paris during the late

1980's that I've only just been discovering on youtube.

And yes, sure in 1986 he looks a little disheveled here before he's even started the performance.

And his physical decline was there for all to see. But I think his home French fans loved his Devil

may care attitude.

And so this song from The Casino de Paris is titled 'Love On the Beat' from 1985 which definitely

has that classic big sound from the 80's.

The video was kindly uploaded to youtube by

MARIO TENORIO 

The Gainsbourgs

Above:  Charlotte Gainsbourg, Daughter of Jane Birkin and maverick French poet

and musician Serge Gainsbourg, in a wonderful image from Charlotte's debut album

'Charlotte Forever' released in 1986 which featured tracks from the film of the same

name with music mostly composed by Serge Gainsbourg.

And it was around this time when Charlotte arrived on the entertainment scene that

she adopted a rather androgynous and make-up free persona. She certainly inherited

her late Mother's beauty.

Of course many might remember Charlotte when she was introduced to English

audiences in the 1993 movie 'The Cement Garden' directed by her Uncle Andrew Birkin.

I recently bought this album with it's eye catching image of Charlotte on the cover,

and added it to my ever growing vinyl collection.  

 

VIDEO KINDLY UPLOADED TO YOUTUBE BY PHILLIPPE ISABELLO

FEATURING CHARLOTTE PLUS ARCHIVE FOOTAGE OF SERGE AND JANE.

Above is a catchy little tune by Serge Gainsbourg that featured as part

of the soundtrack to the 1977 film 'Goodbye Emmanuelle, something I also

recently bought on vinyl. And all the tracks have an upbeat Caribbean Reggae

calypso feel to it with most of the filming having taken place in The Seychelles.

Gainsbourg first emerged to British fans with his controversial 1969 hit 'Je t'aime moi non plus.'

And the song was immediately banned by the BBC, which as always, assured the song's

success.

Gainsbourg and his partner Jane Birkin were seen as the 'It' couple in what many deemed

a tempestuous relationship while Gainsbourg went through many ups and downs in a career riddled with controversies.

They're relationship ended in 1980 when Jane Birkin could not live with his alcoholism and behavioural problems. And over the next ten years Serge Gainsbourg descended into

a life of over indulgence, passing away in 1991 at the age of 62.

But it seems that Serge was much loved and missed by the French audience. 

JANE BIRKIN   DEC 1946  -  JULY 2023

Above:  Jane Birkin and Joe Dallesandro in Serge Gainsbourg's 1977 controversial film

'Je t'aime moi non plus' in which Jane Birkin adopted an androgynous appearance

that was later to be emulated by her Daughter Charlotte (below) in the 1992 movie

'Amoureuse.'