Vu de l'extérieur
Encyclopedia
Vu de l'extérieur is a studio album
by French
musician Serge Gainsbourg
, released in 1973.
, a first-person rock opera
depicting the meeting and eventual seduction of doomed English
teenager Melody Nelson, was Gainsbourg's first major success in the LP market and helped form his reputation as a controversial figure. Not one to shy away from controversy, Gainsbourg had formed the nucleus of what would become Vu de l'extérieur when he suffered a heart attack at the age of 45. By the time he was back to health, he resumed composing the songs for the new album, among them one of his biggest hits, "Je suis venu te dire que je m'en vais".
While not quite a concept album
, especially when compared to other Gainsbourg albums such as Histoire de Melody Nelson, Rock Around the Bunker
and L'Homme à tête de chou, certain thematic elements–such as scatology
and childishness–do run through the album.
The album sold approximately 20,000 copies upon release in France.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
musician Serge Gainsbourg
Serge Gainsbourg
Serge Gainsbourg, born Lucien Ginsburg was a French singer-songwriter, actor and director. Gainsbourg's extremely varied musical style and individuality make him difficult to categorize...
, released in 1973.
Overview
1971's Histoire de Melody NelsonHistoire de Melody Nelson
Histoire de Melody Nelson is a 1971 concept album by French songwriter Serge Gainsbourg. The Lolita-esque pseudo-autobiographical plot involves the middle-aged Gainsbourg unintentionally colliding his Rolls Royce Silver Ghost into teenage nymphet Melody Nelson's bicycle, and the subsequent...
, a first-person rock opera
Rock opera
A rock opera is a work of rock music that presents a storyline told over multiple parts, songs or sections in the manner of opera. A rock opera differs from a conventional rock album, which usually includes songs that are not unified by a common theme or narrative. More recent developments include...
depicting the meeting and eventual seduction of doomed English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
teenager Melody Nelson, was Gainsbourg's first major success in the LP market and helped form his reputation as a controversial figure. Not one to shy away from controversy, Gainsbourg had formed the nucleus of what would become Vu de l'extérieur when he suffered a heart attack at the age of 45. By the time he was back to health, he resumed composing the songs for the new album, among them one of his biggest hits, "Je suis venu te dire que je m'en vais".
While not quite a concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
, especially when compared to other Gainsbourg albums such as Histoire de Melody Nelson, Rock Around the Bunker
Rock Around the Bunker
Rock Around the Bunker is a 1975 album by French singer andsongwriter Serge Gainsbourg, containing songs which combined pseudo-1950smusical arrangements with lyrics relating to Nazi Germany and World War II and drawing from Gainsbourg's experiences as a Jewish child in occupied France.-Track...
and L'Homme à tête de chou, certain thematic elements–such as scatology
Scatology
In medicine and biology, scatology or coprology is the study of feces.Scatological studies allow one to determine a wide range of biological information about a creature, including its diet , healthiness, and diseases such as tapeworms. The word derives from the Greek σκώρ In medicine and biology,...
and childishness–do run through the album.
The album sold approximately 20,000 copies upon release in France.
Track listing
All songs written and composed by Serge Gainsbourg.- "Je suis venu te dire que je m'en vais" - (3:23)
- "Vu de l'extérieur" - (3:40)
- "Panpan cucul" - (2:41)
- "Par hasard et pas rasé" - (2:28)
- "Des vents des pets des poums" - (2:55)
- "Titicaca" - (2:57)
- "Pamela Popo" - (2:24)
- "La poupée qui fait" - (3:01)
- "L'hippopodame" - (1:45)
- "Sensuelle et sans suite" - (3:01)
Personnel
- Serge GainsbourgSerge GainsbourgSerge Gainsbourg, born Lucien Ginsburg was a French singer-songwriter, actor and director. Gainsbourg's extremely varied musical style and individuality make him difficult to categorize...
: Words and music. - Alan ParkerAlan Parker (musician)Alan Parker is a British guitarist and composer. Parker was trained by Julian Bream at London’s Royal Academy of Music....
, Judd Proctor: Acoustic guitar. - Brian Odgers, David Richmond: Bass guitar.
- Dougie Wright: Drums.
- Alan ParkerAlan Parker (musician)Alan Parker is a British guitarist and composer. Parker was trained by Julian Bream at London’s Royal Academy of Music....
: Lead guitar. - Alan HawkshawAlan HawkshawAlan Hawkshaw is a British composer and performer, particularly of themes for movies and television programmes...
: Keyboards, electric piano and organ. - Chris KaranChris KaranChris Karan is a jazz percussionist, primarily a drummer, of Greek descent from Melbourne. He played in Mike Nock's trio in Sydney in the early 1960s...
: Percussion.
External links
- [ Vu de l'extérieur] on AllMusic.