Jane B.
Je t'aime
Last Sunday, British born actress and singer Jane Birkin passed away. I won’t be surprised if people aren’t familiar with her long illustrious career as she was more well-known in France than anywhere else, and this is due in part to her inextricable association with singer, songwriter, and composer, Serge Gainsbourg.
The first time I saw Jane Birkin was on an album cover credited as Jane Birkin/Serge Gainsbourg. I was working at a record store at the time and was captivated by this doe-eyed beauty. I knew neither of them but my interest was obviously piqued so much that I ended up buying what turned out to be the only copy the store had.
This 1969 album, mostly sung in French, opened with Je t’aime Moi Non Plus, which unbeknownst to me at the time is one of the most notorious songs ever recorded due to its overtly sexual content. While Gainsbourg’s subversive lyrics went over my head, Jane’s breathy orgasmic moans didn’t fail to get the message across. The record was banned in multiple countries, condemned by the Vatican, but still reached number one. Sex really sells.
The rest of the tracks were just as quirky and entertaining with all the fixings of a perfect 60’s pop record. While this might be considered a duet album, there were only three of them here with most of the songs sung by either Gainsbourg and Birkin. Jane's voice, which alternates between breathy whispers and playful squeaks, pairs well with Gainsbourg's gravelly croon. I was instantly hooked and was won over so much that I became a dedicated fan of Gainsbourg’s ouvré.
But Jane Birkin was more than just Gainsbourg's muse. She was also a philanthropist, activist, and mother of three prominent daughters, including actress and singer Charlotte Gainsbourg. It wasn't until a few years ago that I realized she was also the “Birkin” behind the Birkin bag.
In 2017, I had the opportunity to see her perform live at Carnegie Hall, promoting the release of Birkin/Gainsbourg: Le Symphonique, a symphonic tribute to Serge Gainsbourg, it features orchestrated versions of songs throughout his storied career. It was the closest I could get to hearing Gainsbourg through the woman who was there through thick and thin, inspiring him, and responsible for introducing a whole lot more people to his music. Thank you, Jane B.
Here’s one of Jane Birkin’s last performance, a song written for her by Serge Gainsbourg titled, Jane B. adapted from Frédéric Chopin's Fourth Prelude from Opus. 28 in E minor.
You are a prolific writer! So proud of you