French singer, songwriter, pianist, film composer, poet, painter, screenwriter, writer, actor and director
Buried in the exclusive Montparnasse cemetery Paris, France.
Father, with Jane Birkin , of Charlotte Gainsbourg (born on July 21, 1971).
Father of Lucien Gainsbourg (born on January 5, 1986), with Caroline aka Bambou.
Had two children from Elisabeth Pancrazzi (also known as Batrice Pancrazzi): Natacha (born on August 8, 1964) and Paul (born in Spring 1968).
Born to Joseph Ginsburg (1896-1971) and Olia Bessman (1894-1985), Ukrainian Jews who fled to France after the 1917 Russian Revolution, he grew up with an older sister, Jaqueline (born in 1926) and a twin sister, Liliane. His elder brother Marcel died at an early age.
Many French celebrities including Catherine Deneuve , Johnny Hallyday , Franoise Hardy and Isabelle Adjani attended his funeral (7 March 1991).
His home on rue de Verneuil in the Saint-Germain-des-Prs district in Paris is still covered in graffiti and poems.
Wrote for his god-daughter France Gall the winning song "Poupe de cire, poupe de son" at The Eurovision Song Contest .
Being a guest on Michel Drucker s Saturday night live show, he was interviewed together with Whitney Houston and exclaimed to the host "I want to f... her!".
Became infamous for his provocative and controversial appearances on French television in the 1980s, often showing up unshaved and drunk.
Discovering that Gainsbourg made his wife Rita Marley sing erotic lyrics, Bob Marley was furious.
Due to his explicit eroticism, his song "Je taime...moi non plus", sung by his then lover Jane Birkin , became his biggest international hit in 1969. Ironically, he recorded the original version with Brigitte Bardot , who later pleaded him not to release it, one year before.
French poet, singer-songwriter, actor and director, becoming a musical legend due to his varied style and individuality.
He was said to smoke five packs of unfiltered Gitane cigarettes a day.
Had a heart attack in May 1973. At a press conference from his hospital bed he announced he would reduce his chances of another heart attack by "increasing his intake of alcohol and cigarettes". He continued to smoke during his stay at the hospital, hiding cigarette ends in pill bottles.
Quand Gainsbarre se bourre, Gainsbourg se barre.
Ugliness has more going for it than beauty. It endures.
I am incapable of mediocrity.
Ugliness is in a way superior to beauty because it lasts. .
