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Serge Gainsbourg

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Vocalist

The Resume

    (April 2, 1928-March 2, 1991)
    Birth name is Lucien Ginzburg
    Born to Russian-Jewish immigrants
    Recorded 'Je T'Aime...Moi Non Plus,' 'Comic Strip,' 'Harley David Son of a Bitch' 'Bonnie and Clyde,' '69 Année Érotique,' 'Alcohol,' '12 Gals Under My Skin,' 'This Mortal Boredom,' and many others. Recorded albums 'Love on the Beat,' 'Rock Around the Bunker' and 'Comic Strip'

Why he might be annoying:

    He’s an aging lecherous lothario that seduces younger women.
    He’s married three times and divorced twice.
    He was a heavy smoker.
    He talks over his musical arrangements in alcohol and cigarette-inflected vocals instead of singing them.
    He recorded and shot a video 'Lemon Incest' with his thirteen year old daughter Charlotte--in a bed.
    He caused a major uproar when he recorded 'Aux Armes Etcetera' which parodied playing the French national anthem 'La Marseillaise' in a reggae beat (1979).
    This resulted in denunciations by politicians, priests, and generals as well as former paratroopers and crusty war veterans protesting his concerts and threatening fans (1979).
    A bomb threat, as well as 400 former paratroopers vowing vengeance, scared The Wailers (who were accompanying Gainsbourg during his French gigs); thus resulted in cancelled shows (1979).
    His international hit single 'Je T’Aime…Moi Non Plus' was widely banned in Sweden, Brazil, Britain, and Spain for its overtly sexual overtones.
    He once proclaimed 'I wanna fuck you” to Whitney Houston on a French TV chat show.
    He was known more for raising controversies rather than his artistic endeavors.
    Most of his songs (save 'Je T’Aime…') were pretty much dated.
    Despite being a huge superstar in Europe, he was relatively unknown in the United States.
    He burned a 500 franc bill on TV.

Why he might not be annoying:

    During World War II, as Jews, his family had to wear the yellow Star of David.
    His father falsified papers so that his family could escape to Limoges (1941).
    Despite his homely looks, he gets to collaborate (artistically as well as romantically) with his female counterparts (Jane Birkin, Brigitte Bardot, Anna Karina).
    He was heavily influenced by jazz during the 50’s (Django Reinhardt, Billie Holiday, Thelonius Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Tatum, and Screaming Jay Hawkins).
    He strived to break artistic grounds by incorporating jazz, pop, and even reggae influences into his musical repertoire.
    He was one of the first white people to record in Kingston, Jamaica, with such musicians as Sly and Robbie and The Wailers (1976).
    His songs were covered by many artists (Luscious Jackson, Françoise Hardy , Mick Harvey, Barry Adamson, Petula Clark, Donna Summer, among others).
    Donna Summer recorded a 16-minute version of 'Je T’Aime…'
    Despite the ban, 'Je T’Aime …' went on to sell 2 million copies. It has also been recorded in eight languages (including Japanese).
    Musical groups such as Air were influenced by him.
    Besides being a musician, he was also an accomplished actor, director, poet, photographer, filmmaker, soundtrack composer, and novelist.
    He mastered the art of scandal better than anyone, including Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren.
    He enjoyed his notoriety, but still managed to seduce people with his humanity.

Credit: 12 String


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 135 Votes: 42.22% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 9 Votes: 77.78% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 7 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 8 Votes: 62.50% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 8 Votes: 87.50% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 8 Votes: 37.50% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 15 Votes: 53.33% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 53 Votes: 81.13% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 89 Votes: 73.03% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 33 Votes: 69.70% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 41 Votes: 63.41% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 25 Votes: 48.00% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 81 Votes: 70.37% Annoying
    In 2006, Out of 623 Votes: 40.45% Annoying
    In 2005, Out of 218 Votes: 63.30% Annoying