Jane Birkin was known for many things. From her style to her francophile tendencies, to the Hermés bag named after her, “Birkin” is a name known the world over. What many casual fans may not know is that she was also a prolific musician, having shared more than 20 albums in her lifetime.
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Birkin made use of her mastery of the French language in her music, softly whispering phrases over simple instrumentation. Birkin’s music is as effortlessly cool as she was. Revisit five of her best tracks, below.
[RELATED: Singer, Actress, and Fashion Icon Jane Birkin Dies at 76]
1. “Di doo dah”
“Di doo dah” was written by Birkin’s partner Serge Gainsbourg. The singer/songwriter collaborated with Birkin until his death in 1991. You’ll need to listen closely to “Di doo dah.” Birkin barely gets above a whisper on this track, scatting over top an acoustic guitar trill: Di doo di doo dah / Oh di doo di doo dah. Despite being a simple track, it’s utterly hypnotizing. Birkin’s magic lies in her enchanting, yet uncomplicated demeanor, which is translated throughout this track.
2. “Harvest Moon”
Birkin shared a cover of Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon” in 2006 on her album, Fictions. Birkin’s soft voice lends itself perfectly to this Young hit. The song’s waltzing ballad all but forces the listener to grab a partner and head over to the dance floor. Birkin manages to make this song sound even more romantic than Young did in 1992.
3. “Love Slow Motion”
“Love Slow Motion” sees Birkin transition into more of a pop-influenced sound. The French language song makes use of a hip-hop-inspired beat and a driving synth. Comme un fumigène / Qui cache des je t’aime / Viennent les premières haines / Quand viennent les premières scènes, she sings in a harsher tone than she did on her other releases.
4. Jane B.
Another Gainsbourg collaboration, “Jane B.” acts as a theme song for Birkin. The translated lyrics read, Jane B. / English / Sex, female / Age: between twenty and twenty one / Studying drawing / Living with her parents, effectively describing herself at the time of the song’s release.
The song has a haunting, cinematic tone to it. It could easily fit in on the soundtrack of a ’60s French film about a femme fatale.
5. “Je t’aime moi non plus”
Birkin and Gainsbourg lay their romance on thick on “Je t’aime moi non plus.” The pair open the track by whispering sweet nothings back and forth in French. Throughout the track, Birkin ad-libs terms of endearment to her partner in a sultry tone. No other song in Birkin’s catalog better elucidates her sex symbol status better than this one.
(Photo by Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)
