Died On This Date (March 2, 1991) Serge Gainsbourg / Influential French Singer-Songwriter & Actor
themusicsover Serge Gainsbourg (Born Lucien Ginzberg)
April 2, 1921 – March 2, 1991
Born and raised in Paris, Serge Gainsbourg was an esoteric singer-songwriter, actor and director. He is considered one of France’s most influential artists, and although he never really rose above cult status in the U.S. and other parts of the world, his songs have been covered by Belinda Carlisle, Okkervil River, Arcade Fire, Dionne Warwick, Placebo, Jarvis Cocker and more. In some cases, the lyrics were translated into English. His music is difficult to catagorize, in that he tended to jump from style to style, often dabbling in jazz, pop, reggae and electronica. Perhaps his most famous song, “Je t’aime…moi non plus,” was first recorded by Brigitte Bardot, but then re-recorded by his soon-to-be girlfriend, Jane Birken. It’s melody revolved around the simulated sounds of a female orgasm. Even though (or more likely due to) many counries deaming it to “hot” for airlplay, and the vatican calling it offensive, the single reached number 1 on the UK charts in 1969. Gainsbourg continued recording well into the ’80s, but he, along with his music, were becoming more and more eccentric. One of his last records was the attention-grabbing song, “Incest de Citron,” or “Lemon Incest,” a duet with daughter, Charlotte Gainsbourg. Serge Gainsbourg died of a heart attack on March 2, 1991.
What You Should Own
The Cuban born Cachaito Lopez was a highly regarded bassist who is best remembered for his work with the Buena Vista Social Club during the late ’90s. He was featured in Wim Wenders’ award-winning 1999 documentary about the group. Lopez was considered one of Cuba’s greatest bassists and had a career that spanned some 60 years. In 2001, he released his only solo album, Cachaito. Cachaito Lopez passed away due to complications from prostate surgery on February 9, 2009. He was 76 years old.
Helno was the lead singer of French alternative world rock band, Les Negresses Vertes. Formed in 1987, the group members had never played their instruments prior to starting the band. But their skills and style soon evolved into an exciting mix of gypsy, punk, Mediterranean and South American, often augmented with the use of traditional instruments. By the early 90s the band was expanding their audience thanks in part to their dymanic performances at Peter Gabriel’s WOMAD Festival. Meanwhile, Helno was struggling with a heroin addiction, finally losing his life to an overdose at his parents’ house on January 22, 1993.
Lhasa de Sela was an acclaimed Mexican American folk singer songwriter who although born in New York and raised in Mexico, spent most of her adult life split between Canada and France. That multi-National background mixed beautifully throughout her music. De Sela released her first album, La Llorona, in 1997, and though sung completely in Spanish, it incorporated elements of South American, Mexican, Eastern European gypsy and alternative rock. Embraced by fans and critics alike, the album won her a Best Global Artist Juno award in 1998. That album was followed by The Living Road in 2003 and Lhasa in 2009. Her albums have sold in excess of 1 million copies combined. In 2005, the BBC World Music Awards named her the Best Artist of the Americas. Lhasa de Sela died of breast cancer on January 1, 2010.
