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Serge Gainsbourg was a French singer-songwriter, composer, poet, actor, and director, renowned as one of the most influential and provocative figures in French popular music.Born in Paris to Russian-Jewish immigrants, Gainsbourg initially pursued painting before turning to music in the late 1950s. He achieved initial success writing songs for others (Piaf, Gréco) before launching his own singing career. Known for his gravelly voice, sophisticated wordplay, and genre-hopping compositions (chanson, jazz, pop, reggae, funk), he courted controversy throughout his career. His provocative lyrics, public persona, and relationships with iconic muses like Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin cemented his status as a cultural icon. He composed film scores and directed films. Gainsbourg died of a heart attack in Paris.

• His song "Je t'aime... moi non plus," a duet with Jane Birkin featuring simulated orgasms, was banned by the BBC, Vatican Radio, and several countries but became a huge international hit.
• He notoriously burned a 500-franc note on live television in 1984 to protest high taxes, causing a national scandal.
• He had a highly publicized and tumultuous romantic relationship with actress and singer Jane Birkin, who inspired many of his most famous songs; they had a daughter, singer Charlotte Gainsbourg.
• Earlier in his career, he also had a significant affair with Brigitte Bardot, for whom he wrote some songs, including an initial version of "Je t'aime... moi non plus" which she asked him not to release.
• In 1979, he released the reggae album "Aux armes et cætera," featuring a controversial reggae version of the French national anthem "La Marseillaise," which led to protests and threats from military veterans.
• He struggled with lifelong insecurities about his appearance and heavy smoking and drinking, which contributed to his declining health and iconic, disheveled look.
• His death at 62 was caused by a second heart attack.