Serge Gainsbourg created something truly timeless when he released Histoire de Melody Nelson in 1971. This concept album redefined French pop by blending deep funk grooves with lush orchestral arrangements in a way that had never been heard before. While the record is just under twenty-eight minutes long, its influence has stretched across decades and inspired artists from Beck to Portishead. Here are five intriguing facts about the creation of this influential studio work.
A Hidden Detail on the Cover
The iconic cover art features Jane Birkin wearing a red wig and holding a plush toy monkey while leaning against a blue background. At the time of the photo shoot by Tony Frank, Birkin was actually in the early stages of pregnancy with her daughter Charlotte. She famously rolled her jeans down slightly to stay comfortable during the session which added to the relaxed and natural aesthetic of the image.
A Connection to the World of Bond
One of the driving forces behind the ambitious sound of the record was Gainsbourg’s desire to match the cinematic quality of film scores. He was particularly influenced by the work of composer John Barry who had previously been married to Jane Birkin. This competitive spirit pushed Gainsbourg to create a symphonic rock experience that felt like a discrete series of scenes in a movie.
The Legendary Bass Lines of Herbie Flowers
The deep and resonant bass playing that defines the album’s atmosphere was provided by the legendary session musician Herbie Flowers. He used his fat bass notes to anchor the tracks while providing a perfect foundation for the spoken word vocals. Just a year after these sessions, Flowers would go on to play the iconic bass line for Lou Reed on the hit song Walk on the Wild Side.
An Unlikely Orchestral Symbiosis
Gainsbourg worked in a unique partnership with arranger Jean-Claude Vannier to create the album’s distinct soundscape. Gainsbourg famously compared their creative bond to the famous duo of Cole Porter and George Gershwin. Vannier used the orchestra like a breeze that blew in and out of the tracks which created a sense of space and tension that influenced the trip hop movement of the 1990s.
From Literature to Lyrics
The concept for the album was heavily inspired by the work of Russian author Vladimir Nabokov and his famous novel Lolita. Gainsbourg originally wanted to adapt the book directly into a musical suite but he found that the film rights had already been secured. He decided to write his own original narrative about the character Melody Nelson to explore similar themes of infatuation and tragedy.