Serge Gainsbourg

Serge Gainsbourg - Musicians, Birthday and Facts

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Serge Gainsbourg Biography Stories 

Serge Gainsbourg's Personal Details

Singer, songwriter, composer, actor, director, screenwriter, novelist, Serge Gainsbourg wore several hats throughout his life

InformationDetail
BirthdayApril 2, 1928
Died onMarch 2, 1991
NationalityFrench
FamousMusicians
Nick namesCabbage-Head Man
SpousesBambou (m. 1981–1991), Élisabeth Levitsky (m. 1951–1957), Françoise Pancrazzi (m. 1964–1966)
SiblingsJaqueline Ginsburg, Liliane Ginsburg, Marcel Ginsburg
Known asSerge Gainsbourg, Julien Grix, Gainsbarre
ChildrensCharlotte Gainsbourg, Lucien Gainsbourg, Natacha Gainsbourg, Paul Gainsbourg
Universities
  • École Active Bilingue Jeannine Manuel
Birth PlaceParis
ReligionJewish
GenderMale
FatherOlga Bessman
MotherJoseph Ginsburg
Sun SignAries
Born inParis
Died at Age62

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Serge Gainsbourg's photo

Who is Serge Gainsbourg?

This chain-smoking, wiry, intellectual and astonishingly prolific artiste was the one who augmented the façade of ‘French Pop’ a few notches. He tantalized and roused the passive European music listener, through new sounds and provocative lyrics. He was a singer, a songwriter, an actor, a photographer, a director, a sentimentalist, an intellectual, a composer and chiefly, a genius who dabbled in poetry, verse, philosophy, rhythm, sound, and provocation. During a career spanning across 30 years, he crafted jazz, pop, reggae and rock tunes for various artists. His works are celebrated by the common man, be it a taxi driver, a policeman, a university graduate, a retired old man, or a teenager. He enjoyed commercial success at the beginning of his career for his jazz-style songs and caustic lyrics and has catered to the popular demand of various genres of music through every decade. The legendary stature of his progressive musician is acknowledged not only by artists in his native, France, but all over the world. He is still regarded as the controversial yet beloved artiste whose iconic legacy of lyrical brilliance, drama, scandals and controversy though widely criticized is also fondly acknowledged. To learn more about this artist ‘extraordinaire’, scroll further.

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Childhood & Early Life

Serge Gainsbourg was born Lucien Ginsburg to Russian-Jewish emigrants, Joseph and Olga, who moved to Paris following the Russian Revolution. He and his twin sister, Liliane, began playing the piano from a very young age.

In his teenage years, World War II had a profound impact on his psychology and the alienation he was facing as a Jew tormented him a great deal. He then went to Limoges, where he worked with an orchestra and sent his earnings to his family. His family then moved to Limoges using false papers and identification and lived in seclusion. Once Paris was freed from the Nazi Occupation, the family returned to the city.

In 1945, he pursued painting at the illustrious ‘�cole Sup�rieure Des Beaux Arts’ in Paris along with pursuing music.

Career

Frustrated by his not-so-successful painting career, he joined the ‘Societe des Auteurs-Compositeurs’ in 1954 and soon began writing and performing songs at various nightclubs, especially at the famous club, Milord L’Arsoille, in Paris.

It was here that he was discovered by the singer, Michele Arnaud and the composer, Boris Vian, who spread news about his talent. He was later signed on by the Philips Record Label. His debut album, released in 1958 titled, ‘Du Chant A la Une’ won the grand prize of the ‘L’Academie Charles Cros’.

As his own works enjoyed only modest sales, Gainsbourg honed his songwriting skills and began writing for other artists including, Juliette Greco, Petula Clark, Nana Mouskouri, France Gall, Minouche Barelli, Francoise Hardy, etc.

As the French youth took to American and British Rock ‘N’ Roll in the 60s, he moved away from Jazz, worked on more rock-based tunes, wrote film scores, and acted in films like ‘La Rivolta Degli Schiavi’ along with Rhonda Fleming, in 1960.

In 1969, he released the album ‘Jane Birkin/Serge Gainsbourg’ or ‘Je t’aime… moi non plus’ with Jane Birkin. A song of the same title would be re-recorded by Gainsbourg with another artist later in his career.

This prodigious artist’s musical output in the 70s is a list of highly influential albums including, ‘Histoire de Melody Nelson’, ‘Rock Around the Bunker’ and ‘L’Homme a tete de chou’.

He recorded the erotic ‘audio verite’ duet ‘Je t’aime…moi non plus’ with Brigitte Bardot, which was eventually released in 1986. A movie of the same title, written by Gainsbourg, released a decade earlier.

His record ‘Love on the Beat’, in 1984, was rife with sexual content and also referred to male prostitution. He pushed all boundaries, when his 13-year-old daughter, Charlotte Gainsbourg sung a duet with him in ‘Lemon incest’, a highly controversial track in the album.

His last studio album, ‘You’re Under Arrest’, which contained ten tracks, was released, in 1987.

In 1989, Phillips, the recording label, released a 207-song box set titled, ‘De Gainsbourg a Gainsbarre’, which contained many songs by Gainsbourg sung all through his career.

Major Works

In 1969, he released the album, ‘Jane Birkin/Serge Gainsbourg’, also known as ‘Je t’aime… moi non plus’, with Jane Birkin, featuring explicit lyrics and simulated sounds of a female orgasm. Despite censorships, bans and condemnation from the Vatican, it became a popular album and was re-released in the US in 2010.

In 1979, he released ‘Aux Armes et cetera’ a reggae adaptation of the national anthem of France, ‘La Marsellaise’. Despite earning the wrath of soldiers, veterans, and Bob Marley (whose wife had sung the erotic lyrics) it was named the ‘50th greatest French rock album’ by the French edition of the ‘Rolling Stone’ magazine.

Awards & Achievements

In 1996, he was posthumously presented the ‘Cesar Award’ for ‘Best Music Written for a Film’ for the movie, ‘Elisa’.

Personal Life & Legacy

He married Elisabeth Levitsky on November 3, 1951 and separated from her in 1957.

He married Francoise-Antoinette Beatrice Pancrazzi in 1964, whom he divorced in 1966. They had two children, Natacha and Paul.

He was in love with the singer, Jane Birkin and many claimed that they were married, however, their daughter, Charlotte, refuted these claims.

He had a son, Lucien, in 1986 with another partner, Bambou.

A heavy smoker during his lifetime, he died of a heart attack in his sleep. He was interred in Montparnasse Cemetery, in Paris.

Trivia

The 18-year old singer France Gall was mortified and hid herself away for weeks when she finally learnt the truth about the double entendre and sexual inference employed in the lyrics of ‘Les Sucettes’ as she thought the song was about lollipops.

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Serge Gainsbourg's awards

YearNameAward

Other

01996 - César Award for Best Music Written

Serge Gainsbourg biography timelines

  • // 2nd Apr 1928
    Serge Gainsbourg was born Lucien Ginsburg to Russian-Jewish emigrants, Joseph and Olga, who moved to Paris following the Russian Revolution. He and his twin sister, Liliane, began playing the piano from a very young age.
  • // 1945
    In 1945, he pursued painting at the illustrious ‘�cole Sup�rieure Des Beaux Arts’ in Paris along with pursuing music.
  • // 3rd Nov 1951 To 1957
    He married Elisabeth Levitsky on November 3, 1951 and separated from her in 1957.
  • // 1954
    Frustrated by his not-so-successful painting career, he joined the ‘Societe des Auteurs-Compositeurs’ in 1954 and soon began writing and performing songs at various nightclubs, especially at the famous club, Milord L’Arsoille, in Paris.
  • // 1958
    It was here that he was discovered by the singer, Michele Arnaud and the composer, Boris Vian, who spread news about his talent. He was later signed on by the Philips Record Label. His debut album, released in 1958 titled, ‘Du Chant A la Une’ won the grand prize of the ‘L’Academie Charles Cros’.
  • // 1960
    As the French youth took to American and British Rock ‘N’ Roll in the 60s, he moved away from Jazz, worked on more rock-based tunes, wrote film scores, and acted in films like ‘La Rivolta Degli Schiavi’ along with Rhonda Fleming, in 1960.
  • // 1964 To 1966
    He married Francoise-Antoinette Beatrice Pancrazzi in 1964, whom he divorced in 1966. They had two children, Natacha and Paul.
  • // 1969
    In 1969, he released the album ‘Jane Birkin/Serge Gainsbourg’ or ‘Je t’aime… moi non plus’ with Jane Birkin. A song of the same title would be re-recorded by Gainsbourg with another artist later in his career.
  • // 1969
    In 1969, he released the album, ‘Jane Birkin/Serge Gainsbourg’, also known as ‘Je t’aime… moi non plus’, with Jane Birkin, featuring explicit lyrics and simulated sounds of a female orgasm. Despite censorships, bans and condemnation from the Vatican, it became a popular album and was re-released in the US in 2010.
  • // 1979
    In 1979, he released ‘Aux Armes et cetera’ a reggae adaptation of the national anthem of France, ‘La Marsellaise’. Despite earning the wrath of soldiers, veterans, and Bob Marley (whose wife had sung the erotic lyrics) it was named the ‘50th greatest French rock album’ by the French edition of the ‘Rolling Stone’ magazine.
  • // 1984
    His record ‘Love on the Beat’, in 1984, was rife with sexual content and also referred to male prostitution. He pushed all boundaries, when his 13-year-old daughter, Charlotte Gainsbourg sung a duet with him in ‘Lemon incest’, a highly controversial track in the album.
  • // 1986
    He recorded the erotic ‘audio verite’ duet ‘Je t’aime…moi non plus’ with Brigitte Bardot, which was eventually released in 1986. A movie of the same title, written by Gainsbourg, released a decade earlier.
  • // 1986
    He had a son, Lucien, in 1986 with another partner, Bambou.
  • // 1987
    His last studio album, ‘You’re Under Arrest’, which contained ten tracks, was released, in 1987.
  • // 1989
    In 1989, Phillips, the recording label, released a 207-song box set titled, ‘De Gainsbourg a Gainsbarre’, which contained many songs by Gainsbourg sung all through his career.
  • // 2nd Mar 1991
    A heavy smoker during his lifetime, he died of a heart attack in his sleep. He was interred in Montparnasse Cemetery, in Paris.
  • // 1996
    In 1996, he was posthumously presented the ‘Cesar Award’ for ‘Best Music Written for a Film’ for the movie, ‘Elisa’.

Serge Gainsbourg's FAQ

  • What is Serge Gainsbourg birthday?

    Serge Gainsbourg was born at 1928-04-02

  • When was Serge Gainsbourg died?

    Serge Gainsbourg was died at 1991-03-02

  • Where was Serge Gainsbourg died?

    Serge Gainsbourg was died in Paris

  • Which age was Serge Gainsbourg died?

    Serge Gainsbourg was died at age 62

  • Where is Serge Gainsbourg's birth place?

    Serge Gainsbourg was born in Paris

  • What is Serge Gainsbourg nationalities?

    Serge Gainsbourg's nationalities is French

  • What is Serge Gainsbourg nick names?

    Serge Gainsbourg's nickNames is Cabbage-Head Man

  • Who is Serge Gainsbourg spouses?

    Serge Gainsbourg's spouses is Bambou (m. 1981–1991), Élisabeth Levitsky (m. 1951–1957), Françoise Pancrazzi (m. 1964–1966)

  • Who is Serge Gainsbourg siblings?

    Serge Gainsbourg's siblings is Jaqueline Ginsburg, Liliane Ginsburg, Marcel Ginsburg

  • Who is Serge Gainsbourg childrens?

    Serge Gainsbourg's childrens is Charlotte Gainsbourg, Lucien Gainsbourg, Natacha Gainsbourg, Paul Gainsbourg

  • What was Serge Gainsbourg universities?

    Serge Gainsbourg studied at École Active Bilingue Jeannine Manuel

  • What is Serge Gainsbourg's religion?

    Serge Gainsbourg's religion is Jewish

  • Who is Serge Gainsbourg's father?

    Serge Gainsbourg's father is Olga Bessman

  • Who is Serge Gainsbourg's mother?

    Serge Gainsbourg's mother is Joseph Ginsburg

  • What is Serge Gainsbourg's sun sign?

    Serge Gainsbourg is Aries