I am listening to Serge Gainsbourg from start to finish for my thing. Come join me.
Unfortunately can't find a really solid single chronology, so am going by these compilations. Anyone have anything better, please let me know.
I know Serge is often, uh, problematic - but also know there's loads of great stuff out there people are generally unaware of, and looking forward to finding more of that.
Should mention that I don't really speak French (so sorry if the title is malformed) so will probably have to learn a bit as we go.
― the world is your octopus (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Friday, 10 November 2023 22:39 (nine months ago) link
Here's his debut single from 1958, "Le Poinçonneur des Lilas"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlI_SlkND_U
It's about a guy who punches tickets on the metro for a living, translation of the lyrics is here - https://www.mickharvey.com/gainsbourg-lyrics-the-ticket-puncher
In a way it's standard 50s chanson stuff, but Serge already sounds bitter and angry, that's what really makes it.
― the world is your octopus (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Friday, 10 November 2023 22:48 (nine months ago) link
On y va!
― enochroot, Friday, 10 November 2023 23:24 (nine months ago) link
Excellent thread idea! I've been listening to him a lot recently.
This one tends to get stuck in my head despite my real-time French comprehension being almost non-existent. It helps that it's the opening track on least two discs I have. Great lyrics, not least the latter bits.
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Saturday, 11 November 2023 00:43 (nine months ago) link
Another performance of the song, this one from a year later. He is still extremely awkward on stage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWkWCFzkOvU
― the world is your octopus (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Saturday, 11 November 2023 10:39 (nine months ago) link
Don't know who the pianist is here, but he's amazing
― the world is your octopus (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Saturday, 11 November 2023 10:40 (nine months ago) link
His stagefright in those early years was real. It took him a while to gain confidence in front of audiences - not least because he was often mocked for his looks.
― SQUIRREL MEAT!! (Capitaine Jay Vee), Saturday, 11 November 2023 16:09 (nine months ago) link
Great thread idea, btw!
― SQUIRREL MEAT!! (Capitaine Jay Vee), Saturday, 11 November 2023 16:10 (nine months ago) link
I like how despite this being very atypical of Gainsbourg's later works, he does still have the ticket collector dream about the girls with sweet assses in Miami.
― Daniel_Rf, Saturday, 11 November 2023 18:22 (nine months ago) link
La Recette De L'amour Fou
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiZ68YemwJU
Like a chanson version of "It's Oh So Quiet" - https://lyricstranslate.com/fr/la-recette-de-lamour-fou-recipe-crazy-love.html
― the world is your octopus (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Thursday, 16 November 2023 15:13 (nine months ago) link
love the half second shots of the dude with the washing machine at the start and at the end
I didn't know this tune, it's cool
Gainsbourg such a good actor in his live performances, those little nods
― Daniel_Rf, Thursday, 16 November 2023 16:07 (nine months ago) link
Young Serge looks a bit like middle-aged Jonathan Richman
― enochroot, Friday, 17 November 2023 01:57 (nine months ago) link
Wait we never had that discussion before?
― Shifty Henry’s Swing Club (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 17 November 2023 02:18 (nine months ago) link
Early 60s Serge is the period I always come back to. Stuff like 'Requiem pour un Twister', 'Black Trombone', 'L'Eau à la Bouche', all encapsulate that noir cha-cha he did so well.
― licorice oratorio (baaderonixx), Friday, 17 November 2023 16:30 (nine months ago) link
Douze belles dans la peau
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyTT-o-4Shs
https://lyricstranslate.com/fr/douze-belles-dans-la-peau-twelve-beauties-under-your-belt.html
― This is Dance Anthems, have some respect (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Monday, 4 March 2024 21:50 (six months ago) link
Laundrette has used too much starch
"Ce Mortel Ennui"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PanSNJUGMaY
https://lyricstranslate.com/fr/ce-mortel-ennui-deadly-boredom.html
(video is from 1961, but same recording)
― This is Dance Anthems, have some respect (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Tuesday, 26 March 2024 14:41 (five months ago) link
https://www.amazon.fr/Serge-Gainsbourg-Dautres-nouvelles-étoiles/dp/B0007WRTEQ
This is a pretty essential set imo but I'm guessing it's all on YouTube these days.
― I blinked and it was a new decade (aldo), Tuesday, 26 March 2024 15:13 (five months ago) link
just read a book of Jane Birkin’s diaries, not surprised to learn that dude would only bathe every few months (when forced)
― brimstead, Tuesday, 26 March 2024 15:15 (five months ago) link
xp I have those DVDs and though it may all be on youtube, it's still a great curated overview of his career
― This is Dance Anthems, have some respect (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Tuesday, 26 March 2024 15:27 (five months ago) link
"Ronsard 58"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dODu3PU-67k
https://lyricstranslate.com/fr/ronsard-58-ronsard-58.html
Really quite a mean one! Very nice arrangement though.
― This is Dance Anthems, have some respect (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Thursday, 25 April 2024 07:16 (four months ago) link
"La Femme des uns Sous le Corps des Autres"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-Z6YK6-0cU
https://lyricstranslate.com/fr/serge-gainsbourg-la-femme-des-uns-sous-le-corps-des-autre-lyrics.html
Cheeky lyrics, lovely simple cool jazz backing
― This is Dance Anthems, have some respect (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Monday, 6 May 2024 09:43 (four months ago) link
"L'alcool"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5_NOXty0Zo
https://lyricstranslate.com/fr/lalcool-alcohol.html
An extremely wistful/bitter lyric to be on a debut album. Quite a low-key ballad to start with, but builds into something more interesting.
― This is Dance Anthems, have some respect (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Sunday, 19 May 2024 11:28 (three months ago) link
"Du Jazz Dans le Ravin"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3urqDCTbbc
https://lyricstranslate.com/fr/serge-gainsbourg-du-jazz-dans-le-ravin-lyrics.html
Lyrics are a bit like Poptones by PIL, music is kind of pleasant enough LP filler
― This is Dance Anthems, have some respect (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Saturday, 25 May 2024 17:25 (three months ago) link
"Charleston les Déménageurs de Piano"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25yEsfRv7V8
Musically a kind of bizarre trad jazz honky-tonk circus thing, actually sort of amazing. Song is about the musical world from the POV of piano movers. Nice way to close the LP.
https://lyricstranslate.com/fr/charleston-des-d%C3%A9m%C3%A9nageurs-de-piano-piano-movers%E2%80%99-charleston.html
― This is Dance Anthems, have some respect (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Thursday, 30 May 2024 12:47 (three months ago) link
Stopping by to say du jazz dans le ravin is a masterpiece, especially serge's mannered and clipped diction which doesn't really remind me of any singer before him. the lyrics and arrangement work the fine line between humor and horror so well. the backing at first seems reminiscent of bag's groove maybe but tiptoing instead of grooving, and completely at odds with the lyric about a cooler-than-thou dude driving wildly. carefully arranged by goraguer - when serge says they're playing his favorite pop song the sax plays the main riff and it does sound like a 1958 pop song instead; later the drum solo during the car crash has a choice bit of comic timing with a bit of silence then the sax erupts in sardonic laughter as the victims agonize listening to the titular jazz in the ditch.
reminds me much more of frank's wild years than poptones in the ironic pairing of the lounge music with the harsh story.
― mig (guess that dreams always end), Thursday, 6 June 2024 16:55 (three months ago) link
Interesting take on it mig, for me it's the weakest thing on the album.
― This is Dance Anthems, have some respect (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Saturday, 15 June 2024 14:08 (two months ago) link
Most recent 500 Songs bonus podcast is on Serge.
Here's the lead track from an EP released between the first and second LPs, everything else on there seems to be from the first LP.
"La jambe de bois (Friedland)"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6nFmYggf30
Cannot find this one on Lyricstranslate, but it's on Genius - https://genius.com/Serge-gainsbourg-la-jambe-de-bois-friedland-lyrics
― This is Dance Anthems, have some respect (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Saturday, 15 June 2024 14:15 (two months ago) link