1963 single by , Serge Gainsbourg or , Juliette Gréco
"La Javanaise" is a song written and composed by Serge Gainsbourg originally for Juliette Gréco, and interpreted by both her and Gainsbourg in 1963. The first recordings of both artists constituted the B-sides of each of the two 45s. The title is a pun playing on the Parisian java dance and the javanais argot. The song heavily employs unaltered French words that naturally have an ⟨av⟩ sequence; thus the lyrics resemble the argot.
Background
In 1962, Gréco and Gainsbourg spent a summer's evening listening to records and drinking champagne in the huge lounge at 33, rue de Verneuil. The next day, he sent her La Javanaise. Gréco had debuted it in March 1963 by placing it at the beginning of her cabaret tour La Tête de l'art.[1]
Recording information
- Gainsbourg recording:
- Recording date: January 1963 at Studio Fontana (London)
- Arrangements and conducting: Harry Robinson
- Producer: Jacques Plait
- Format: 45 rpm EP Philips 432-862 (Title: "Vilaine fille mauvais garçon")
- Duration: 2:29
- Release date: March 1963[1]
- Gréco recording:
- Recording date: 4 April 1963 at Studio Blanqui (Paris)
- Arrangements and conducting: Jean-Michel Defaye
- Format: 45 rpm S Philips 373-156
- Duration: 2:30
- Release date: May 1963[1]
- Publishers: Warner Chappell Music Publishing, Melody Nelson Publishing
In films
References
- ^ a b c Source: volume 6 of L'Éternel Féminin by Juliette Gréco (Mercury, 2003).
External links
- Serge Gainsbourg - La Javanaise (1968), Les archives de la RTS at YouTube.