Initials B.B. is a 1968 song by
Serge Gainsbourg
Serge Gainsbourg (; born Lucien Ginsburg; 2 April 1928 – 2 March 1991) was a French musician, singer-songwriter, actor, author and filmmaker. Regarded as one of the most important figures in French pop, he was renowned for often provoca ...
. It was the opening single of his album ''
Initials B.B.
''Initials B.B'' is a 1968 studio album by Serge Gainsbourg. It was originally released by Philips Records.
Critical reception
In 2010, the French edition of ''Rolling Stone'' named it the 14th greatest French rock album. In 2017, ''Pitchfork'' p ...
'' and is about French actress and sex symbol
Brigitte Bardot
Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot ( ; ; born 28 September 1934), often referred to by her initials B.B., is a former French actress, singer and model. Famous for portraying sexually emancipated characters with hedonistic lifestyles, she was one of the ...
, who was so famous at the time that her
initials were enough to know whom people referred to.
Gainsbourg once had an affair with her and this was his way of expressing how he felt about it.
Song
The song is a poetic evocation of Gainsbourg's relationship with Bardot in 1967. The song quotes from the first movement of
Antonin Dvorak Antonin may refer to:
People
* Antonin (name)
Places
;Poland
* Antonin, Jarocin County, Greater Poland Voivodeship
* Antonin, Kalisz County, Greater Poland Voivodeship
* Antonin, Oborniki County, Greater Poland Voivodeship
* Antonin, Ostrów ...
's Ninth Symphony, better known as ''
From the New World'' and lyrically quotes from
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe (; Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He is wide ...
's ''
The Raven'' in its opening lines. The song also mentions the book ''
L'Amour monstre
''L'Amour monstre'' ("monstrous love") is a 1954 novel by the French writer Louis Pauwels. It is set in the 16th century and tells the story of a possibly bewitched love affair between a doctor and a young woman sent to a monastery.
The novel was ...
'' by
Louis Pauwels
Louis Pauwels (; 2 August 1920 – 28 January 1997) was a French journalist and writer.
Born in Paris, France, he wrote in many monthly literary French magazines as early as 1946 (including ''Esprit'' and ''Variété'') until the 1950s. He partic ...
, which was recommended to Gainsbourg by Bardot. It was recorded between February and April 1968.
Music Video
A music video was made, featuring various clips of Bardot during photo shoots and recording sessions.
In popular culture
The song was once used for a TV commercial of the perfume ''
Shalimar Shalimar or Shalamar refers to three historic royal gardens (or Baghs) of the Mughal Empire in South Asia:
* Shalimar Bagh, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India; built in 1619
* Shalimar Gardens, Lahore, Pakistan; a UNESCO World Heritage Site built i ...
'' by
Guerlain.
English singer and songwriter
Charli XCX named it as one of her five favourite songs of all time in 2013
Cover versions
Mick Harvey covered it on his album ''
Intoxicated Man'' (1995) as the final track on that record.
In 2012 it was also covered by
Therion on their album ''
Les Fleurs du Mal''.
In 2022, it was released as a single by Boz Boorer and James Maker on Fabrique Records.
Sources
{{authority control
1968 songs
1968 singles
Serge Gainsbourg songs
Songs written by Serge Gainsbourg
Cultural depictions of Brigitte Bardot
Philips Records singles