h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Serge Gainsbourg - French Singer/Songwriter - A2860454
Author: Spiff (MP) - The Alt Writing Workshop - where *you* decide what goes into the UnderGuide! - U185155


Hi all,

I guess as this isn't quite finished, I should plonk it in here til it *is*.

It's quite long, so I don't really expect anyone who doesn't have some interest in it to read it all, but any comments are always welcome.

ta in advance
spiff

I won't be able to do much today though.... But, here are a few things I noticed [apart from the fact that it's a great entry of course ]:

From the top...

In >Serge Gainsbourg, perhaps best known in the UK for his banned record 'Je t'aime, Moi n'en plus'1,<
'Je t'aime, Moi n'en plus' should be 'Je t'aime, Moi non plus'

In >was and one of the biggest French music stars of the second half of the 20th century<
The 'and' might not be needed...



In the "From artist to artiste" part...

In >the song that would shoot him to national fame, "Le poinceonneur des Lilas" (The Ticket Inspector of Les Lilas).< and >In October of that year, though, Lucien and Elisabeth Ginsburg were divorced. Two months later, he recorded "Le Poinceonneur des Lilas".<

"Le Poinceonneur des Lilas" should be "Le Poinçonneur des Lilas"...



In the "1958-1962 - The First Taste of Fame" part...

>A second record was released in June followed by another television appearance in July only to top it all in November by recording an EP of his songs performed by the massive star of La Chanson Française, Juliette Greco. It was also around this time that he began to dabble in acting5, appearing in a minor role in the 1959 Bridgette Bardot film Voulez-vous danser avec moi?.<

Bridgette Bardot is Brigitte Bardot...



Can't do more just now... Will have another look tomorrow or/and Monday... Great stuff!!!!...



loup

A Wonderland link for "Je t'aime... moi non plus":

http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp2/features/top5/banned_songs.shtml



loup

Salout, Lup, ;-D

ta for those,

I'd already spotted and corrected one Bridgette Bar-! I guess my version would be a nice name for a little bridge, like one those rope and lattice bridges, y'know?

and how on earth did I end up with an e in poinconneur?

anyway, thanks for the input, . Let me know if you have any particular memories/stories/hits that you think should be included.

I'm planning to include some of his more outrageous stuff, like the Pascal and, bien entendu, the Whitney Houston episode! But most of those go in the 80ies section, I think. Plenty of stuff to come yet!

a plus
spiff

I'm glad I can help...

I'll see what I can remember... No problem...


Back soon...

loup

Hi all,

just added an initial draft of the 80ies section.

Now the whole thing needs polishing. But most of the facts should now be present.

I realise there's not a whole lot happening in the WW just now, so I'm not holding my breath, but hey...

spiff

Looks good...

I've got a few things I remember about Serge Gainsbourg [from before I left France] but today is the worst day for me to promise posting anything at all as it's <./>ThePost</.> deadline day for any inclusion in this week's edition...

I'm not working tonight though... so, if all goes well, I should be able to post something tomorrow morning...



loup

Thanks Loup,

er... my keyboard has gone wierd!!

no hurry, anyway...

this is a work in prog

speef

Fortunately I have a few entries being "works in progress" myself...
One of them has now [with a bit of polishing first, of course] become a submission to <./>ThePost</.>...

_Now_ I can concentrate on those Serge Gainsbourg related memories I have at last...



loup

One thing I definitely remember of Serge Gainsbourg is the song he wrote for France Gall: "Les sucettes a l'anis"...

A song that has somehow become legendary [or "mythique"] according to some French websites...

I was surprised when France Gall said that she didn't realise the _real_ meaning of the song and that she was horrified when she found out []... but, then again, she was rather young and somehow naive...

What I didn't know though [I was too young at the time it happened] is that the song won the "Eurovision" in 1965...

---------------------------------

Oh yes, "Aux Armes etc...": A very courageous [if not foolish, considering the well known lack of humour of the French military] song... I remember that at one of his concerts some Parachutistes were waiting for him to teach him a "patriotic lesson"... He fortunately managed to leave the building through the back door...


----------------------

His breaking up with Jane Birkin: It definitely affected him badly... I heard him on the radio at the time... Very sad indeed... If I remember well, she went with his best friend... Hence Serge Gainsbourg singing the song "You Rascal" [not too sure about the proper title...] and dedicating it to his so-called "friend"...

-----------------

I will see if I can find more...

Talk soon...

loup

I found the proper title...

The French version sang by Gainsbourg was "Vieille Canaille" but the original song it was adapted from was "You Rascal You"...



loup

It _was_ 'Poupée de cire, poupée de son' that went for the Eurovision...
Doh!!! I won't trust the French websites anymore when needing to refresh my memory...

[Plus the Eurovision/'Poupée de cire, poupée de son' connection was mentioned in _your_ entry in the first place...]

-------------------------------------------

"La Ballade de Melodie Nelson"... Probably _the_ album that made me see Serge Gainsbourg as a poet...
a bit naughty at times, [] but still...

-------------------------------------------



loup

Got it right _at last_:

In 1964, France Gall [aged 15 at the time?!] sang "Les Sucettes a l'Anis"...
In 1965, 'Poupée de cire, poupée de son' won the Eurovision for... Luxemburg.

[Blast!!!... "They" don't believe in making things clear on those darn websites...]

[Oh and next time I will read the footnotes in your entry as well _before_ posting...]



loup

Hmmmph.... As there is not much that can be added [great entry by the way ] I'm going to do some nit picking...

One "poiceonneur" seems to have escaped the ç... In the paragraph starting with "Between 1954 and '57, supported his family as a regular performer at the Club de la Forêt, from 1955 also conducting a small orchestra at Madame Arthur's, a cabaret club specialising in drag acts".

It's the one just before "It was also around this time that he played piano one night for Boris Vian "...



"he played piano" or "he played the piano" ?!

----------------------------------------------

In the "1958-1962 - The First Taste of Fame" part...
[near the end of it, actually]

"A second record was released in June followed by another television appearance in July only to top it all in November by recording an EP of his songs performed by the massive star of La Chanson Française, Juliette Greco. "

That would be Juliette Gréco

----------------------------------------------



In the "Gainsbourg - star of the sixties" part...

"During the early sixties his songs tended to be most successful when performed by others, especially his collaborations with Juliette Greco."

Juliette Gréco.

----------------------------------------------------


Les Annees 'Jane' would be Les Années 'Jane'

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Err... somewhere...

"In 1986 the original version of Je t'aime... with Bardot was finally released as a 12" single, Serge continued to record with Charlotte as well as recording a debut single for his new main squeeze, Bambou, Lulu. 1987 was not so productive; just a new album for Jane, Lost Song in October 1987 his final studio album under his own name, You're Under Arrest, with an unflattering mug-shot style photo of 'Gainsbarre' for the front cover. In March 1988 he played a series of dates at the huge Zenith in Paris, followed by a tour of France, releasing the highlights of the Zénith shows as a double-album later that year entitled simply Le Zénith de Gainsbourg. Though it may not have been the high-point of his career, it will be thought of as many as a glorious and fitting end to his live performances. "

huge Zenith ==> huge Zénith

--------------------------------------------

Further down...

"From Jan 1989 it was clear that Gainsbourg's health was deteriorating and he was in and out of hospital with liver problems, complicated by a related eye-condition that threatened to leave him blind. In April he underwent extensive liver surgery and left hospital the same month. In May a double live album of recordings from his Zenith concerts "

Zénith


------------------------------------------

Footnote number 2:
" including the love of his life, English rose and star in France Jane Birkin (who supplied the ecstatic sighs for the best-known version of 'Je t'aime' (there was an earlier version with Brigitte Bardot doing the sighing " needs a closing parenthese...

-----------------------------------------------------------


Probably time for me to get some sleep now...


Talk soon...


loup

Bah!!! I'm not w*rking tonight... So I can post a bit more...

.I'm a bit confused [not just sleepy, honest] by: "In June 1974 he was back in front of the camera, playing the lead role in the supporting feature for Emmanuelle (soundtrack ????). "

He did indeed write/compose/whatever the soundtrack for 'Goodbye Emmanuelle'... Is that what you meant?!

[I don't think I will say what I thought you meant... This site being a family site etc... etc...]



loup

hi Loup,

for the comments - mostly laziness on my part with the alt key!

I've been editing off-line and think I've covered most of those, but will check against your list.

Re. Emmanuel, G did actually appear in the *supporting* feature for the original Emmanuel film, and, as I understand it, later wrote some material for the soundtrack of, as you say, Goodbye Emmanuel.

think that's it.

btw, I always liked that line in the song, 'Emmanuelle... elle aime les caresses buccales, Emmanuelle' - if music be the food of love, then could G be the poet of porn!

cya
speef

Hi Spiff...

... I think I got the meaning now...

No problem... I enjoyed it...

Talk soon...

loup

Hi Loup,

thanks for all your input,

I'm gonna stick this into PR now and see how it goes. I kinda thought it needed a further edit, specially the final few paras, but looking at it now, I'm not sure what to add or change, so... here goes!

thanks again
spiff

No problem...

It was a nice trip down Memory Lane for me...

loup

Millions of people think they've what it takes becoming a well-known vocalist. So that you can break through, you'll need not just skill. You will need patience, dedication and perhaps in the least good fortune. The very best a chance through the best steps to obtain in advance.

A single. Try out regarding "The american idol show"
This may be the actual long shot, however other folks possess attempted as well as prevailed, so why wouldn't you an individual? Discover once the present is being conducted the road so that you can audition skill, as well as arrive lots early on.

Two. Try a Talent Company
Search for expertise agencies or a vocal agent, and discover which ones are willing to take a look at brand fresh talent. Talent Container has an website with a wide variety of agents searching for melodically competent brand-completely innovative artists.

3.Try acting and performing
Test performing as well as singing in brand fresh media platforms, such as Youtube . com. To face away, you have to think outside the box during these video tutorials. Get pals collectively to make a web sequence to show off your skill

Four. make sure you adore vocal and also acting as an art, so you will usually are certainly not exclusively inside for your fame and funds.

A few. Get voice lessons. Lessons are ideal for newbie singers to master correct performing methods, and for experienced performers who wish to additional create their particular method

Learn more tips and guice about http://how-to-become-a-famous-singer.blogspot.com/2012/01/how-to-become-famous-singer.html here