Serge Gainsbourg – Variations on the same theme. Unpublished manuscript

Serge Gainsbourg (1928-1991)

Autograph manuscript – Variations on the same theme, I love you.

Two quarto pages on watermarked paper.

Slnd [Paris. Spring 1990]

Important manuscript, first draft, of the title song of the album Vanessa Paradis, Variations sur le même t'aime recorded from February to April 1990 in the Guillaume Tell Studios in Paris.

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Variations on the same theme

Variations on the same

On the same "I love you"
theme, always the same theme:
I love you, yes I love you.
Against that, I don't know what to do.
Of course I love you.

It's the same problem
we create for ourselves,
where we go to extremes.
It's enough to drive you crazy.
But still, I love you.

We could make endless variations of it,
all night long, day and night.

We always ask ourselves the same questions,
enough to drive you mad.
Between love and hate
, I hate you, I love you.

I'm coming in umpteenth
  place, that's what bothers me.
Who will be the next one
you fall madly in love with?
No, I don't know who.

Infinite variations.
Is it today
that you'll tell me yes or no?
Enough to drive
. Perhaps it's not worth the trouble
to make such a fuss.

Infinite variations.
Is it yesterday, tomorrow, today?
Enough to drive you mad.
On the theme of "I love you," variations.

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The album was released on May 28, 1990, and was a tremendous success. It sold 400,000 copies and was certified gold and platinum. The singles " Tandem , " "Dis-lui toi que je t'aime," and "L'Amour en soi" also became huge hits.

This album is the last one Serge Gainsbourg worked on. He died 9 months after its release.

To pay tribute to Gainsbourg, on the 10th anniversary of his death, the album was reissued and sold another 400,000 copies.