UK one hit wonder: Jane Birkin

Jane Mallory Birkin OBE (born 14 December 1946) is an English actress, model, singer and film director who lives in France. She is best known for her duet "Je t'aime... moi non plus" with Serge Gainsbourg.

Birkin was born in London to David Birkin, a Royal Navy lieutenant-commander and World War II espionage operative,
Birkin emerged in the Swinging London scene of the 1960s, appearing as one of the models in the 1966 film Blowup.^[ In 1968, Birkin auditioned in France for the lead female role in Slogan. Though she did not speak French, she won the role. She co-starred with Serge Gainsbourg, and duetted with him on the film's theme song — the first of many collaborations between the two.

In 1969, she and Gainsbourg released the duet "Je t'aime... moi non plus" ("I love you... nor do I"). Gainsbourg originally wrote the song for Brigitte Bardot. The song caused a scandal for its sexual explicitness, and was banned by radio stations in Italy, Spain, and the UK. The song's fame is partly a result of its salacious lyrics, sung in French by both Gainsbourg and Birkin to a background of increasing sexual moans and groans from Birkin and culminating in her simulated orgasm at the song's conclusion.

This UK ban had TV show Top Of The Pops producers in a quandary as they always played the number one single. Controversially, they played the instrumental version which had been recorded by studio musicians Sounds Nice. This version was also a UK number 18 hit under the title of Love At First Sight.

Je t'aime made UK chart history in that on 4 October 1969 and the following week on the 11th. Je T'aime was at two different chart positions even though it is the same song, the same artists, and the same recorded version. The only difference was that they were on different record labels. It was originally released on the Fontana label, but due to its controversy, Fontana withdrew the record which was then released on the Major Minor label. Because there were Fontana singles still in the shops along with the Major Minor release, on 4 October 1969 the Major Minor release was at number 3 and the Fontana single at number 16. Also at that time it was the biggest ever selling single for a completely foreign language record.

For me the only genuine one and commodity style icon and should be celebrated accordingly. Best in movieblogs.

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http://www.janebirkin.net/uk/index.html

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