Comic Strip [CD]

It compiles most of the material he released between 1966 and 1969 (including the entire "Initials BB" album), which undoubtedly was the peak of his career.

"Comic Strip" proves that Gainsbourg cannot be dismissed as the King of the French Cheese (bad joke not intended). Most of the tracks sound fresh and fun, and some cuts would have been considered as pop classics, had they not been recorded in French, but that's xenophobia for you...)

Here we can find excellent 60's popsongs like "Bonnie & Clyde", "Initials BB", "L'Anamour" or "Initials BB". Tracks like these, and the incredibly modern sounding "Requiem Pour un Con", makes this album essential.

There are a few weak moments though. Some of Gainsbourg's earliest takes on pop music ("Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde" and "Shu Ba Du Ba Loo Ba") sounds a bit dated and uninspired. The title track is perhaps a bit too much quirky kitsch, if you can't see the fun of it.

However, "Comic Strip" is an excellent album, nicely packaged (shame that the sleevenotes are in French though...) and it is a suitable introduction to Gainsbourg and 60's French pop.

In case you want more continue with these:

Serge Gainsbourg - "Histoire de Melody Nelson" (Excellent 1971 album)

Brigitte Bardot - "Best of BB" (Fun kitsch but also great pop - listen to "Contact")

France Gall - "Poupee de Son" (A bit kitschy as well, but a good compilation. Includes her version of Gainsbourg's remarkably filthy "Les Sucettes" among others.)

This compilation is one of the best I own, up there with Gene Clark's Flying High, Scott Walker's Boy Child, Leonard Cohen's Essential Songs, Neil Young's Decade & Michael Nyman's 2000-best of. It takes in the years from 1966 to 1969, & was my introduction to the joys of Serge Gainsbourg- having heard many of these songs interpreted on Mick Harvey's 1995 album 'The Intoxicated Man' (& its not quite as good follow up 'Pink Elephants'). So I got to hear the originals of such songs as Initials BB, Chatterton, 69 annee erotique, sous ;e soleil exactment, qui est "in" qui est "out" & one of the great singles of all time, the Serge-Bardot-duet Bonnie and Clyde (1968).

The songs feel have more in common with contemporary rap music, in their original use of language- sometimes fusing American-English with French, such as on another favourite Ford Mustang: "et la gauche a la droit...coca cola...superman...Marilyn...Aspirin"- love the way that 'Mus' equals "gauche", while "tang" equals "droit". The songs lyrics remind me of JG Ballard's material around 'Crash'/'Atrocity Exhibition' & it namechecks 'Edgar Allen Poe'- as did The Beatles 'I am the Walrus' in the same year.

Other favourites include Torrey Canyon (which anyone who likes John Barry should adore)& of course the controversial UK#1 from 1969, Je t'aime...moi non plus- which is easily up there with Minnie Repperton's Loving You & Scott Walker's Montague Terrace (In Blue), in terms of perfect pop. Another highlight is the opening requiem pour un c...- which contains some amazing percussion & the oddest keyboard parts which sound completely modern.

Comic Strip is a brilliant compilation of Gainsbourg that has lead me to 'The Histoire of Melody Nelson' & the later Philips compilation of his solo work. It also has some wonderful photographs inside, of a man whose appeal may be elusive in terms of looks (look at the vacuous culture we now live in, where boy bands & male models line up in an increasingly uniform manner)- but it's all about style. The songs, the look, this package perfectly capture the appeal of a true star: Serge Gainsbourg...