Serge Gainsbourg

Brief notes:.
. In 2003, she wrote and recorded "La Chanson de Gainsbourg" as a tribute to the composer of some of her biggest hits. In 2004, Jim Kale started touring with his version of the Guess Who (known as the "Klones" by Cummings), Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings are planning on touring as the Bachman-Cummings Band in the summer of 2005 with Toronto's The Carpet Frogs. One of the most frequent interpreters of Gainsbourg's songs was British singer Petula Clark, whose success in France was propelled by her recordings of his tunes. For lead vocalist Cummings, it was a privilege to receive the doctorate, since he did not graduate from high school. His home at the well-known address 5bis rue de Verneuil is still totally covered by grafitti and poems. In 2001, a year after the Guess Who went on a cross-Canada national tour, the band received honourary doctorates at Brandon University in Brandon, Manitoba.

Gainsbourg died on March 2, 1991 of a heart-attack and was buried in Montparnasse Cemetery, in Paris. The Guess Who broke up in 1975, but a new incarnation has since been formed and continues to tour in the tradition of the group and sound Cummings made famous. The title of the latter demonstrates Gainsbourg's love of word play, which could sometimes be painful "Bowie, Bah Oui". The Guess Who continued with more hit singles such as "Share The Land" and "Clap For The Wolfman" (an homage to disc jockey Wolfman Jack, who incidentally, lent his own voice to the recording). His songs became increasingly eccentric, ranging from the anti-drug "Les Enfants de la Chance" to the questionable duet with Charlotte "Lemon Incest". Group differences led Randy Bachman to leave the group, return to Winnipeg, and form Brave Belt, which eventually evolved into the hit group Bachman Turner Overdrive. Towards the end of his life, Gainsbourg became a regular feature on French talk shows, with perhaps the most famous outburst coming when he told Whitney Houston "I want to fuck you". By the beginning of the 1970s, the group moved towards an edgier hard-rock sound with the album "American Woman", which featured among its tracks the title song (the only Number One hit the group had in the U.S.), "When Friends Fall Out" (a short ditty that was sort of a cross between Strawberry Alarm Clock, Jefferson Airplane and the Lennon Sisters), and the Top Ten hit "No Time".

During this period he released Love On The Beat and his last studio album You're Under Arrest, as well as two live recordings. 1969's "These Eyes" was the group's first Top Ten hit under new group leader Burton Cummings. During this last decade he made a lot of TV appearances devoted to his controversial sense of humour and provocation. As the group lineup changed, so did their sound. Next year saw him in the new look of Gainsbarre officially introduced in the song "Ecce Homo". The band was originally known as "Chad Allan & The Expressions" before their record label tried a stunt of hiding the name of the band with the words "Guess Who?" The reception proved so positive that the name stuck. He was able to reply to his critics that his version was in fact closer to the original as the manuscript clearly shows the words "Aux armes et cætera..." for the chorus. They were the first Canadian rock group to have a No.1 hit on the American Music Charts.

Shortly afterwards, Gainsbourg bought the original manuscript of La Marseillaise. The Guess Who is a Canadian rock music band from Winnipeg, Manitoba that was one of the first to establish a major successful following in their own country as well as abroad in the late 1960s and early 1970s. This song earned him death threats from right wing veterans of the Algerian War of Independence. The Guess Who's iTunes Music Store album list  (http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewArtist?artistId=216203) (requires iTunes to be installed). In 1978 he recorded a reggae version of the French national anthem "La Marseillaise", "Aux Armes et cetera" in Jamaica, with Bob Marley's band, The Wailers. Excellent Guesswhooligan web site (http://guesswhofans.com). Next year saw the release of another major work L'Homme à la Tête de Chou (Cabbage-Head Man) featuring Marilou as a new character and somptuous orchestral themes. Steiss's Guess Who Site (includes lyrics of most Guess Who songs) (http://www.ghg.net/bnsteiss).

Serge had worn the yellow star as a child in Paris. Mark Chadbourne's All Hashed Out Guess Who web site (http://community-2.webtv.net/mmchadbourne/AHO). In 1975, he released the album Rock Around the Bunker the only rock album entirely written on the subject of the Nazis, recalling with black humour of how he and his family suffered during World War II. Vance Masters' website (http://www.members.shaw.ca/vancemasters). It has proven exceptionally influential with artists such as Air, David Holmes and Beck. Greg Leskiw's website (http://www.swingsoniq.com/). This concept-album arranged by Jean-Claude Vannier was mainly based on Nabokov's novel Lolita. Donnie McDougall's website (http://www.duckrecords.com).

His most influential work Histoire de Melody Nelson was released in 1971. Bill Wallace's website (http://www.beancakes.com). 1 in the UK chart. Randy Bachman's official website (http://www.randybachman.com). Its notoriety led to it reaching no. 2004 The Best of Running Back Thru Canada. Considered too "hot", the song was censored in various countries and in France even the toned-down version was suppressed. 2004 Road Food/Power in the Music (Remastered, The Guess Who x2).

Originally recorded with Brigitte Bardot, it was released with a different female singer, future girlfriend Jane Birkin, when Bardot backed out. 2004 Rockin'/Flavours (Remastered, The Guess Who x2). moi non plus, was vocally very erotic. 2004 So Long Bannatyne/#10 (Remastered, The Guess Who x2). His most famous song, Je t'aime.. 2004 Wheatfield Soul/Artificial Paradise (Remastered, The Guess Who x2). moi non plus, Equateur, Charlotte For Ever and Stan The Flasher. 2003 The Guess Who: Anthology.

He directed himself four movies : Je t'aime.. 2003 Platinum & Gold Collection: The Guess Who. During his career, he wrote the soundtracks for more than 40 movies. 2001 This Time Long Ago. Gainsbourg wanted to break free from old-fashioned chanson and explore new musical grounds, influenced by British and American pop. 2000 Running Back Thru Canada (Live). His early songs were influenced by Boris Vian. 2000 Share the Land (Remastered).

moi non plus. 1995 Liberty. Je t'aime.. 1988 Track Record: The Guess Who Collection. Lemon Incest. 1986 The Best Of The Guess Who Live. Les Sucettes. 1984 Together Again.