Serge Gainsbourg lists 44 of his masterpieces. Hôtel Raphaël. 1988.

Serge Gainsbourg (1928.1991)

Autograph manuscript.

Two quarto pages on Hôtel Raphaël letterhead.

[Paris. February or March 1988]

 

Extraordinary document of the artist in preparation for his concerts at the Zenith.

Gainsbourg draws up a list of 44 songs to perform on stage.

Opening with La Javanaise and closing with La Valse de Melody, this list takes on the appearance of a musical testament and features a self-portrait of the poet in filigree.

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Javanese

to arms and so forth

ugly people, ugly people

 old scoundrel

lola rastaquouere

Water and gas on all floors

 you're under arrest

 five easy pissers

 yawn yawn Samantha

suck baby suck

 gloomy Sunday

to the lucky children

 shotgun

 safety glass

dispatch box

 my legionnaire

What

under the sun exactly

 lord and bloodletter

Jocelyn's lullaby

love on the beat

 initials bb

 Harley Davidson

sorry angel

Johnny Jane's ballad

 Bonnie and Clyde

 depression above the garden

 Mickey Maousse

 my lady heroine

 I came to tell you that I'm leaving

 mouthwatering

 Marilou in the snow

 Harley David, son of a bitch

 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

 Manon

 nostalgia, comrade

 baby lou

chic lingerie

my love

 the aquabonist

bei mir bist du schoen

 Hey man, amen

once again sbourg

waltz of melody

 

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The manuscript brings together 44 titles mixing his own compositions and some emblematic covers, such as Bei mir bist du schoen and La berceuse de Jocelyn (ultimately not included in the concerts).

All the tracks from his last album You're under arrest (1987) are listed consecutively and in the order to be played on stage.

Listed of course are many pillars of his repertoire, from all periods, such as La Javanaise, Aux armes et cætera, Initials BB, Les dessous chics or Je suis venu te dire que je m'en vais, sketching a retrospective picture of his creative life.

Written on the letterhead of the Hôtel Raphaël, his favorite Parisian refuge, this list thus takes on the appearance of a musical testament.