Editing Serge Gainsbourg (section)

=== 1982–1991: Final years, Eurovision Again and death ===
[[File:Gainsbourgb.jpg|thumb|Gainsbourg in 1982]]
In 1982, Gainsbourg contributed his songwriting to French rock singer [[Alain Bashung]]'s fourth studio album ''[[Play blessures]]'', which was a left turn creatively for Bashung and is often considered a [[cult classic]] despite negative contemporary reviews.<ref name="Telerama">{{cite web |last1=Porte |first1=Sébastien |title=Gaetan Roussel : 'Play blessures est l'album le plus risqué de Bashung' |url=https://www.telerama.fr/sortir/gaetan-roussel-play-blessures-est-l-album-le-plus-risque-de-bashung,128842.php |website=[[Telerama]] |access-date=11 March 2022 |date=4 July 2015 }}</ref> His second film as a director, ''[[Équateur (film)|Équateur]]'' (1983), was adapted from the 1933 novel ''[[Tropic Moon]]'' by Belgian writer [[Georges Simenon]] and is set in colonialist [[French Equatorial Africa]].<ref name="Équateur">{{cite web |last1=Siclier |first1=Jacques |title='ÉQUATEUR', de Serge Gainsbourg Les Blancs malades de l'Afrique noire |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/archives/article/1983/08/20/equateur-de-serge-gainsbourg-les-blancs-malades-de-l-afrique-noire_3076353_1819218.html |website=[[Le Monde]] |access-date=11 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220311005547/https://www.lemonde.fr/archives/article/1983/08/20/equateur-de-serge-gainsbourg-les-blancs-malades-de-l-afrique-noire_3076353_1819218.html |archive-date=11 March 2022 |date=20 August 1983 |url-status=live}}</ref>

''[[Love on the Beat]]'' (1984) saw Gainsbourg move on from reggae and onto a more electronic, [[New wave music|new wave]] inspired sound.<ref name="LoveOnTheBeat">{{cite book |last1=Anderson |first1=Darran |title=Serge Gainsbourg's Histoire de Melody Nelson |date=24 October 2013 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing USA |isbn=978-1-62356-597-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PZXFAgAAQBAJ |access-date=11 March 2022 |language=en}}</ref> The album is known for addressing taboo sexual subject matters, with Gainsbourg dressed in drag on the cover and the highly controversial duet with his daughter [[Charlotte Gainsbourg|Charlotte]], "[[Lemon Incest]]", which seemed to clearly refer to his fantasy of wanting to make love to his child.<ref name="LoveOnTheBeat" /><ref name="Scandals" /> The music video for the song featured a half-naked Gainsbourg lying on a bed with Charlotte, leading to further controversy.<ref name="Scandals" /> Nevertheless, it was Gainsbourg's highest-charting song in France. In March 1984, he illegally [[money burning|burned]] three-quarters of a 500-[[French franc|French-franc]] bill on television to protest against taxes rising up to 74% of income.<ref name="vanityfair.com" /> In April 1986, on [[Michel Drucker]]'s live Saturday evening television show ''Champs-Élysées'', with the American singer [[Whitney Houston]], he objected to Drucker's translating his comments to Houston and, in English, stated: "I said, I want to fuck her"—Drucker, utterly embarrassed, insisted that this meant "He says you are great..."<ref name="guardian je t'aime">{{cite web |last1=Chrisafis |first1=Angelique |title=Gainsbourg, je t'aime |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2006/apr/14/7 |website=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=9 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210717072523/https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2006/apr/14/7 |archive-date=17 July 2021 |date=14 April 2006 |url-status=live}}</ref> That same year, in another talk show interview, he appeared alongside [[Les Rita Mitsouko]] singer [[Catherine Ringer]]. Gainsbourg spat out at her, "You're nothing but a filthy whore" to which Ringer replied, "Look at you, you're just a bitter old alcoholic... you've become a disgusting old parasite."<ref name="GuardianDrag">{{cite web |last1=Kent |first1=Nick |title=What a drag |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2006/apr/15/popandrock |website=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=12 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210614224912/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2006/apr/15/popandrock |archive-date=14 June 2021 |date=15 April 2006 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Gainsbourg's final partner until his death was the model [[Caroline Paulus]], better known by her stage name Bambou.<ref name="Wives" /> They had a son, Lucien (b. 5 January 1986), who now goes by the name Lulu and is a musician.<ref name="Wives" /><ref name="ALLMUSIC">{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/serge-gainsbourg-gmn0000174822/biography|title=Serge Gainsbourg Biography, Songs, & Albums|website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=2 September 2021}}</ref> His 1986 film ''[[Charlotte for Ever (film)|Charlotte for Ever]]'' further expanded on the themes found in "Lemon Incest". He starred in the film alongside Charlotte as a widowed, alcoholic father living with his daughter.<ref name="Scandals" /> An [[Charlotte for Ever|album of the same name]] by Charlotte was also written by Gainsbourg.<ref name="CForever">{{cite web |last1=Hunter-Tilney |first1=Ludovic |title='I like being manipulated' |url=https://www.ft.com/content/97796e0a-3bb2-11e1-bb39-00144feabdc0 |website=[[Financial Times]] |access-date=12 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210610103249/https://www.ft.com/content/97796e0a-3bb2-11e1-bb39-00144feabdc0 |archive-date=10 June 2021 |date=13 January 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Serge Gainsbourg, cimetière Montparnasse.jpg|thumb|180px|left|Tributes left at his gravesite]]

His sixteenth and final studio album, ''[[You're Under Arrest (Serge Gainsbourg album)|You're Under Arrest]]'' (1987), largely retained the funky new wave sound of ''Love on the Beat'', but also introduced [[hip hop music|hip hop]] elements.{{sfn|Simmons|2001|p=115-116}} A return to concept albums for Gainsbourg, it tells the story of an unnamed narrator and his drug-addicted girlfriend in New York City. The album's anti-drug message was exemplified by the single "Aux enfants de la chance".

In November 1988, Gainsbourg appeared on the show ''Sébastien c'est fou !'' on [[TF1]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chartsinfrance.net/Serge-Gainsbourg/news-125749.html|title=Mais c'est quoi cette vidéo de Serge Gainsbourg, devenue virale dans le monde entier ?|date=13 August 2023|website=www.chartsinfrance.net}}</ref> and was surprised by the Petits Chanteurs d'Asnières boys' choir, who dressed up as him, with sunglasses, [[sport coat]]s, jeans, painted-on stubble, and [[prop]] cigarettes and whiskey glasses;<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://magnonsmeanderings.blogspot.com/2023/07/les-petits-chanteurs-dasnieres-rendent.html|title=Magnon's Meanderings: Les Petits Chanteurs d'Asnières rendent hommage à Serge Gainsbourg|first=Cro|last=Magnon|date=20 July 2023}}</ref> they sang "Je suis venu te dire que je m'en vais" ('I came to tell you that I’m leaving'), changing the words to "On est venu te dire qu’on t’aime bien" ('We came to tell you that we love you').<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/serge-gainsbourg-hommage-les-petits-chanteurs-dasnieres-rendent-hommage-a-serge-gainsbourg|title=Serge Gainsbourg Hommage / Les Petits Chanteurs d'Asnières Rendent Hommage À Serge Gainsbourg|date=27 September 2023|website=Know Your Meme}}</ref> A clip of the performance, in which Gainsbourg appeared to be deeply [[wikt:moved|moved]] by the children's tribute,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fulguropop.com/en/2020/10/12/fulgurotube-on-est-venu-te-dire-quon-taime-bien/|title=FulguroTube : "On est venu te dire qu'on t'aime bien''|date=12 October 2020}}</ref> went [[Viral video|viral]] on the Internet in 2023–24, inspiring [[Halloween costumes]] and [[Internet memes]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2286415/this-fall-were-dressing-as-french-children-paying-tribute-to-serge-gainsbourg-on-an-80s-tv-show/news/|title=This Fall We’re Dressing As French Children Paying Tribute To Serge Gainsbourg On An ’80s TV Show|date=4 November 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/article/serge-gainsbourg-childrens-choir-halloween-costume.html|title=Zut Alors! We Did Not See 2024’s Most Online Costume Coming|first=Bethy|last=Squires|date=3 November 2024|website=Vulture}}</ref>

In December 1988, while a judge at a film festival in [[Val d'Isère]], he was extremely intoxicated at a local theatre where he was to do a presentation. While on stage he began to tell an obscene story about [[Brigitte Bardot]] and a champagne bottle, only to stagger offstage and collapse in a nearby seat.<ref name="GuardianDrag" /> Subsequent years saw his health deteriorate, undergoing liver surgery in April 1989.<ref name="LAObit">{{cite web |author1=''Los Angeles Times'' Staff & Wire Reports |title=S. Gainsbourg; French Singer and Composer |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-03-06-mn-291-story.html#:~:text=Gainsbourg%2C%2062%2C%20a%20heavy%20drinker,and%20sang%20scores%20of%20songs. |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date=13 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220313165505/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-03-06-mn-291-story.html |archive-date=13 March 2022 |date=6 March 1991 |url-status=live}}</ref> In his ill health, he retired to a private apartment in [[Vézelay]] in July 1990, where he would spend six months.<ref name="Vezelay">{{cite web |last1=Mathieu |first1=Clement |title=Gainsbourg, his last days of happiness |url=https://www.parismatch.com/Culture/Musique/Serge-Gainsbourg-derniers-jours-hotel-restaurant-Marc-Meneau-1726995 |website=[[Paris Match]] |access-date=13 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417120348/https://www.parismatch.com/Culture/Musique/Serge-Gainsbourg-derniers-jours-hotel-restaurant-Marc-Meneau-1726995 |archive-date=17 April 2021 |date=2 May 1991 |url-status=live}}</ref> He continued to write for other artists, including the lyrics to "[[White and Black Blues]]" by [[Joëlle Ursull]], the [[France in the Eurovision Song Contest|French]] entry in the [[Eurovision Song Contest 1990]], coming in second place.<ref name="JewishRenaissance" /> He similarly wrote all of the lyrics for popular singer [[Vanessa Paradis]]'s album ''[[Variations sur le même t'aime]]'' (1990), declaring "Paradis is hell" after its release.<ref name="Paradis">{{cite web |last1=Whitman |first1=Chloe |title=Vanessa Paradis rétablit sa vérité sur sa relation avec Serge Gainsbourg |url=https://www.gala.fr/l_actu/news_de_stars/vanessa-paradis-retablit-sa-verite-sur-sa-relation-avec-serge-gainsbourg_476327 |website=[[Gala (magazine)|Gala]] |access-date=14 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220309104459/https://www.gala.fr/l_actu/news_de_stars/vanessa-paradis-retablit-sa-verite-sur-sa-relation-avec-serge-gainsbourg_476327 |archive-date=9 March 2022 |date=13 September 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> His final film, ''Stan the Flasher'', starred [[Claude Berri]] as an English teacher who engages in [[exhibitionism]].<ref name="STF">{{cite web |title='Stan the Flasher', la débandade d'une vie avec Claude Berri |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/a-la-une/article/2011/03/02/stan-the-flasher-la-debandade-d-une-vie-avec-claude-berri_1487475_3208.html |website=[[Le Monde]] |access-date=14 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200419040453/https://www.lemonde.fr/a-la-une/article/2011/03/02/stan-the-flasher-la-debandade-d-une-vie-avec-claude-berri_1487475_3208.html |archive-date=19 April 2020 |date=2 March 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> Gainsbourg's last album of original material was Birkin's ''[[Amours des feintes]]'' in 1990.<ref name="UnfinishedSympathy">{{cite web |title=Unfinished sympathy: Jane Birkin on Serge Gainsbourg |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/28mhhzgbRJCLNNqCZSB5HCY/unfinished-sympathy-jane-birkin-on-serge-gainsbourg |publisher=[[BBC]] |access-date=14 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190612021605/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/28mhhzgbRJCLNNqCZSB5HCY/unfinished-sympathy-jane-birkin-on-serge-gainsbourg |archive-date=12 June 2019 |date=20 June 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Gainsbourg, who smoked five packs of unfiltered [[Gitanes]] cigarettes a day,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/20/french-smokers-fume-france-plans-ban-gitanes-gauloises-cigarettes|title=Smokers fume as France mulls ban on 'too cool' Gitanes and Gauloises|first=Kim|last=Willsher|date=20 July 2016|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> died from a heart attack at his home on 2 March 1991, aged 62.<ref name="Scandals" /> He was buried in the Jewish section of the [[Montparnasse Cemetery]] in Paris.<ref name="Haaretz" /> French President [[François Mitterrand]] paid tribute by saying, "He was our [[Charles Baudelaire|Baudelaire]], our [[Guillaume Apollinaire|Apollinaire]]&nbsp;... He elevated the song to the level of art."<ref name="SimmonsGuardian"/> In her first interview after her father's death, his daughter Charlotte told Vanity Fair: "He was a poet. What he did was way ahead of its time. You can just read his lyrics—he plays with words in such a way that there are double meanings that don't work out in English. He was just so very authentic. He was so shy, and very touching. And he was very generous. Every time I get into a taxi [in Paris] I hear a story about my father, because he used to take taxis all day long and [the drivers] tell me how sweet he was. One day a taxi driver told me my father had paid for his teeth to be mended; somebody else's roof needed to be mended and he paid for that. He just had real relationships with people from the street. He was selfish in ways that artists can be, but there was no snobisme. He was always amazed at the fact that he had money. I remember going to lovely hotels with him and he was like . . . ‘Oooh, how fun this is.' He had the eyes of a child."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2007/11/gainsbourg200711 | title=The Secret World of Serge Gainsbourg | website=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]] | date=15 October 2007 }}</ref>