Serge Gainsbourg’s Histoire de Melody Nelson

Histoire de Melody Nelson (1971), quintessential French musician Serge Gainsbourg's 11th studio album, turns a Lolita-esque story into a beautiful concept album. In thirty minutes, the album tells the story of Gainsbourg’s narrator’s affair with the English fifteen-year-old girl, Melody Nelson, as portrayed by Gainsbourg’s real life lover, the iconic Jane Birkin. The narrator’s use of the French storytelling tense, passé simple, and incredibly descriptive adjectives illustrate the scenes delicately, making this album more than music. It is a movie within itself. 

The first track, “Melody”, sets the scene introducing Gainsbourg’s character. The improvised, melodic bassline performed by the esteemed Herbie Flowers, laid-back drums, and rhythmic guitar provide the perfect backing-track for Gainsbourg’s deep spoken word narration of his character’s first encounter with Melody. As the narrator approaches Melody in his Rolls Royce, the introduction of strings that can be found throughout the album and a more complex funk rhythm on the drums increase the tension just before the two characters collide and Melody is introduced. 

Throughout the album, there is a sense of unease evoked by strings and staccato guitar riffs which emphasizes the unseemly nature of the narrator and Melody’s relationship. “En Melody”, the penultimate track, begins as a rock jam into which Gainsbourg gradually incorporates snippets of Birkin laughing, which makes the listener feel like they are witnessing the story unfold. Until the sound of wind cuts out the other instruments, and the narrator explains that Melody’s plane back to England crashed. The last track on Histoire de Melody Nelson, “Cargo Culte”, reintroduces “Melody” as the narrator describes the heartache caused by Melody’s death. Disturbingly enough, the operatic vocals near the end of “Cargo Culte” allow the listener to empathize with the narrator’s anguish, which speaks to Gainsbourg’s incredible production and storytelling abilities.