Serge Gainsbourg, who died in 1991, is still a celebrity of legendary proportions. Born in Paris in 1928, the son of Russian Jewish immigrants left his creative traces as a painter, poet, singer, songwriter, musical and film composer, actor and director. From the 1950s onwards, many famous singers sang his songs, from Petula Clark, France Gall, Juliette Gréco and Vanessa Paradis to Yves Montand.
Gainsbourg renewed the traditional French chanson by mixing it with jazz, soul, reggae, rock & roll, mambo and Afro-Cuban rhythms. However, he is mainly remembered as the charismatic provocateur who caused scandals with his taboo-breaking hits. His explicitly erotic song Je T'Aime ... Moi Non Plus (with British actress Jane Birkin) has been banned in many countries. His reggae parody of La Marseillaise (performed with Marley's band The Wailers) entitled Aux Armes Et Caetera aroused great anger in France. Lemon Incest, a duet with his fourteen-year-old daughter Charlotte, also brought outrage. Universal is releasing two compilation DVDs about this black-humor bohemian, with footage (interviews, television recordings, video clips and performances) from the period 1958-1986. (SvdP) s about this black-humorous bohemian, with visual material (interviews, television recordings, video clips and performances) from the period 1958-1986. (SvdP) s about this black-humorous bohemian, with visual material (interviews, television recordings, video clips and performances) from the period 1958-1986. (SvdP)more
