Serge Gainsbourg (born Lucien Gainsbourg, * April 2nd in Paris in 1928, † March 2nd in 1991 in Paris) was French singer, song writer, actor, music composer and author. He is considered one of France’s most influential and most creative singers and songwriters of his era.
Gainsbourg influenced French culture and pop music to an extreme extent. Furthermore, he wrote movie scripts and composed the soundtracks for more than 40 movies. But the public loved and hated him because of his provocative performances outside of his career. As a son of Jewish and Russian immigrants, he was taught to by the piano by his father in his early childhood. During the war, his family moved to the countryside. At that time, Jews were forced to wear the Yellow Star.
Until the 30ies, Gainsbourg lived on occasional employments and jobs such as teaching painting, drawing and singing. In 1957, he finally felt the courage to enter the music branch, when he had the chance to accompany the French singer Michèle Arnaud on the piano. Music – fortunately he stuck to this branch until his death. Gainsbourg, who was a passionate smoker and suffered from alcoholism, died of a heart attack on March 2nd in the year 1991. What he left was his sophisticated and provocative music.
Studio albums
· Du chant à la une !… (1958)
· No. 2 (1959)
· L’étonnant Serge Gainsbourg (1961)
· No. 4 (1962)
· Gainsbourg confidentiel (1963)
· Gainsbourg percussions (1964)
· Initials B. B. (1968)
· Jane Birkin Serge Gainsbourg (1969)
· Histoire de Melody Nelson (1971)
· Vu de l’extérieur (1973)
· Rock around the bunker (1975)
· L’Homme à tête de chou (1976)
· Aux armes et caetera (1979) (featuring Bob Marley’s background band)
· Mauvaises nouvelles des étoiles (1981) (featuring Bob Marley’s background band)
· Love on the beat (1984)
· You’re under arrest (1987)
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