Serge Gainsbourg

Notorious for his facial stubble, ponderous poses with cigarettes, and pop hits with explicit sexual themes, Serge Gainsbourg was a hero to many French people who followed his career with avid interest. Ever-changing, Gainsbourg adapted to new musical styles with ease. His exploration of marginal lifestyles, documented in his songs, was accepted by the all segments of the French population in a way impossible to imagine here in the states. He died in 1991.

A nine-disc retrospective of Gainsbourg's career is available on Phonogram records, France.