Histoire De Melody Nelson

Before I talk about the album itself, let me share about the rabbit hole I fell down. I was about halfway through the first track, Melody, when I thought, “Man, this song *really* sounds like Beck’s song Paper Tiger. Then I remembered that Beck once produced an album for a French Singer named Charlotte Gainsbourg… I look it up, and sure enough, Charlotte is Serge’s daughter. Just an interesting couple of facts (I think this is what happens when an INTP is a big fan of music) . By the way, I looked it up and Beck actually sampled the Serge Gainsbourg track on Paper Tiger, which explains their startling similarity. The article in which I found that information about Beck sampling Serge pointed something out that hit home for me. It said that the two are rare amongst singer-songwriters in that they are as attracted to sound as they are to song. That really spells out why I don’t like most singer-songwriter music, it seems like for many of them the music is merely a vehicle for them to present their lyrics. One could say they are just poets masquerading as musicians. But there is an album of the day to talk about! To borrow a word from the succeeding generation, this album slaps. I didn’t know I needed an album that sounds like George Baker’s Little Green Bag overlaid with whispered, French, spoken-word vocals and orchestral blasts, but here I am. Serge is apparently considered the greatest musician France ever produced, and has influenced many that came after him, so he definitely belongs on the list My personal enjoyment: 4/5 Did it belong on this list: 5/5

I would say that I enjoyed the music behind this one. But knowing my history of the nation of France, I decided to look up what this album is about and boy did I find another reason to not like the french. This album is about a man hitting a 15ish year old girl on her bike with his Rolls Royce, who he then promptly falls in love with and seduces. I don’t care about the artistic intent and all that when the subject is pedophilia. Not a fan

wtf, this is absolute crap. like an even less interesting, less musical version of that moby turd. singer just whispers in french with the mic INSIDE his mouth, music is just sporadic jazzy numbers. I'm sure artists think it's cool, but i think it fucken sucks.

Non-content de nous proposer une ribambelle d'albums rock de merde. Robert Dimery, l'emminent créateur de cette liste scandaleuse n'a selectionné que deux albums français au sein des 1001. Parmi eux donc, cet album de Serge Gainsbourg, figure emblématique de la chanson française. Mais là encore, Robert avait tout faux. En effet, malgré la ribambelle d'albums comprennant au moins un titre classique de Serge Gainsbourg, Robert a trouvé le moyen de choisir un album experimental racontant une histoire dont tout le monde se fout, d'autant plus que les décérébrés votants du générateurs ne pipent pas un mot de français (ce qui vous en conviendrait, démontre une fois de plus leur manque flagrant de culture). La France est donc representee par cet album ridicule ou le Serge s'amuse a nous susurrer des mots a l'oreille, ce qui me plaça dans un inconfort palpable. Le pire dans tout ça, c'est que celui sur qui nos derniers espoirs reposent n'est autre que le hautement surcoté MC Solaar, que je me devrai de sanctionner d'une note assassine pour l'ensemble de son oeuvre. Ce mercredi matin ne démarre clairement pas de la meilleure des manières, d'autant plus que comme vous le savez, il semblerait que je n'ai plus d'eau chaude a mon domicile.

I saw a documentary about Serge Gainsbourg maybe a dozen years ago, and that made me a fan. Fascinating person and artist. This album is great. It's very, well, Serge Gainsboug. Weirdly accessible, even in the 2020's, and even though I don't understand any of the lyrics because I know maybe a dozen words in French (nearly all food, my fellow fromage-heads). The musical arrangements are fantastic, and, wow, that guitarist can play! Somehow, with the music playing underneath the spoke French dialogue, it just works. This is one I'll listen to again.

Who is ̶K̶e̶y̶s̶e̶r̶ ̶S̶o̶z̶e̶ Melody Nelson? Had I the fluency required to understand this album I might have enjoyed it more (the Wikipedia certainly didn't help), but it's just not something I'd ever want to return to. It wasn't half bad, and I actually enjoyed the background music and chords that played throughout, but by god it sounded like this man was recording post mic-consumption, and I just couldn't get past that.

no, no, no. absolutely not. i don't care if many music critics and personnel find this influential and life changing. this album is about statutory rape! i was going to give it 2 stars because musically, it wasn't too bad of an album, but that was until i got to the sex noises in "en melody". what on earth is this album? i wish i could give 0 stars.

Sauvegarder Avant: Rien Dès Le Début: Melody, Ballade De Melody Nelson, Valse de Melody, Ah Melody, L'hôtel particulier, En Melody, Cargo culte (c'est à dire tout l'album) Presque Sauvegarder: Rien Notes Générales: As someone who speaks French, I figure my two-cents is valid here. In terms of the "Lolita" part of the wikipedia page, that's really not a big part of the narrative and the whole narrative is clearly not meant to be taken seriously as the guy meets her after hitting her with his Rolls Royce as he's driving on the sidewalk. The music is the most important part, and once you let Gainsbourg's mic-swallowing exist in the atmosphere of the tracks it's not so jarring. Would've been a 5 if it was longer, I just wish it had more time to develop some of those songs. But I guess that's the point of the album, it's a short fling from car crash to plane crash. 4.5 that gets rounded to a 4 for length.

No thanks. I actually hear the air from his mouth. Grosses me out

Pretty groovy. Really dope precision bass tone. Sexy French lyrics I don’t understand at all. Super simple drums. And a throaty blues guitar. Kind of a perfect 70’s rock album

the instrumentation and production are impressive, but the concept is cringey AF

C'est en lisant dans le livre des 1001 la critique d'un certain JiH dans le grimoire de Robert que j'ai enfin ouvert les yeux ; cette compilation des 1001 albums ne s'adresse qu'à la communauté hipster. Pas question pour l'éditeur et ses complices de sélectionner un album à succès, non, jamais. Il est ici question de choisir l'un des albums les moins connus de l'artiste afin de jouer au connaisseur et pisser sur le mainstream. Une bien triste vision des choses que je dénoncerai en message privé à l'intéressé, puisque je le connais.

While I would not go back and listen again, I definitely felt cool while listening 😆

Tre merde !

Fuck this ode to pedophilia.

1971 concept album by French songwriter Serge Gainsbourg. Histoire de Melody Nelson is considered by many critics and fans to be Gainsbourg's most influential and accomplished work, as well as one of the greatest French-language albums in popular music. Its Lolita-esque pseudo-autobiographical narrative follows the illicit romance that develops between the middle-aged Gainsbourg and 15-year old girl Melody Nelson. While it became a pivotal album of the 1970s and was instrumental in the development of French rock music and trip hop genre... Thanks, Wiki! I was surprised by the sound of this album. Spoken word "whispering" vocal... The funky bassline is cool! Since I like trip-hop it was interesting to hear the music that influenced some representatives of this genre... French female voice pronouncing "Melodie Nelson" is sitting in my head all the day :)))

How come I didn't even know about this album before? I've heard of Serge Gainsbourg, but never in context of music. And now I know what a mistake that was. Histoire De Melody Nelson is a really well crafted album (although very short, just 27 minutes), that combines four main pillars, that could stand on their own anywhere else: - a funky bass line, that welcomes us to the album and doesn't leave us until the last notes - guitar with incredibly psychedelic solos, you could easily mistake it for a Pink Floyd part - orchestral elements added by Jean-Claude Vannier, adding another dimension to the album - and finally the vocal of Gainsbourg, soft and very deep voice, mostly just talking, is like a perfect topping for this musical cake. The whole album feels like a jam session of four musicians playing different genres of music, but somehow not only it works well, but is absolutely amazing. One of the easiest 5 stars on this list, especially among the albums I have never heard of.

The french lyrics and slow melody is reminiscent to beatnik spoken word sessions in a cafe shrouded in cigerette smoke. Overall, a mysterious and alluring mix of rock and jazz.

Not the masterpiece it is usually hailed as, but very original and atmospheric. An album where to come back from time to time.

Really enjoyed this! Epic orchestral moments along with some good ol’ rock music that felt like a bit of a jam session. Felt really modern too. Maybe lots of people have been influenced by him but it all just felt really familiar. A couple of tracks properly sounded so much like Nick Cave & Kylie’s ‘Wild Rose’ track, I’d be shocked if they weren’t straight up trying to make a Serge Gainsbourg track when they made it. Will defo revisit this album.

Just an effortlessly cool album, you can hear how much it influenced another great French artist, AIR. I will be digging through his catalog. Love the jazz influence and just really solid guitar and bass.

If soft core porn were an album. This would be it. The male voice trying to be sultry gave me a bit of cringe thinking that he was talking to the 15 year old girl on the album cover. It's the kind of album you listen to at night after your wife has gone to bed. All that aside, the music had nice get high and relax feel to it. It seemed almost timeless considering it's from 1971. It could easily have fit into any decade. Scale: 5 - My absolute favorites. 4 - Albums I like. 3 - It was ok to listen to but I wouldn't seek it out. 2 - Didn't like. 1 - Absolute shit.

I thought his voice sounded so creepy so I looked up what the album was actually about: “Its Lolita-esque pseudo-autobiographical narrative follows the illicit romance that develops between the middle-aged Gainsbourg and 15-year old girl Melody Nelson.” Yeah, no. This was gonna be a 2 based off what I initially heard and now it’s a 1.

French music is already way overrepresented in this list, but now you want me to listen to an album about a lecherous old pedophile "romancing" an underage girl? FUCK NO! "Oh this album is so influential" say sexual predators, creepy old bastard men and rape apologists because it gives their sick and disturbed predilections validation. This album is garbage and should be wiped from the cultural landscape.

Damn. Chicago 2012. Yup

Absolute surprise - Loved it

Total revelation, never knew of this album’s existence and yet it has influenced so much music that I love!

I would have never listened to this album if It weren't for this project. This is why I'm doing it. What a vibe this thing has.

It's like opera... I don't understand it, but it sounds amazing.

There are flaws, to be sure, but I adore this.

I really liked this album. I had never heard it before, but I listened to it like 4 times. and I didn't understand a word of the lyrics.

Loved it, very very french

the instrumentals are fucking phenomenal, tho I don’t really care for the vocals feels like i’m in a Ghirardelli commercial with some of these songs still super impressive that an album like this came out in 1971 - 9/10

Clairement un chef d'oeuvre cet album Un peu cringe par le propos et cet éternelle obsession des français pour les filles de 15 ans🙄 mettons ça sur le dos de l'époque ... Cela dit, La bass est juste malade sur cet album ! Le tone, les grooves. Fondateur du trip hop bien évidemment. Les arrangements de cordes sont sublimes

Tre cool. I've not listened to a lot of French music (outside of rap and whatever they play on Lupin) but this was good.

This was a great listen, and surprising that it was made in 1971.

This was a fascinating album. Loved the ebbed and flow of it.

Surprisingly delightful!

In an alternative, dystopian world, I could have lived and died without ever having heard this 28 minutes of sublime music. Fortunately, I do not live in such a world, so I have heard it, and my life is enhanced by having done so.

This is a really fascinating album and piece of art. It's disturbing, perverted, poetic and sonically unique. I really enjoyed it.

This is a great album; you can hear how Jean-Claude Desmarty has inspired producers like Nigel Godrich (check out "Paper Tiger" by Beck to hear what I'm talking about).

I have always wanted to learn French, and after hearing this album for the first time, I enrolled so that I could understand the lyrics on my own. I love this album so much!

Gainsbourg is the epitome of cool. This album is rocking and sexy and suave, and doesn't outstay its welcome.

Banger after banger after banger. The only downside is it is a short album at 30 minutes.

Incredible

Groovy.

fuckig brilliant

oh, yeah, smooo-ooth, lush and pure 1970s. Quelle Poesie decontracte, esprit de reves. This is so different & new to me. I do like a concept album from time to time.... (But if I had to guess, the its Francoise Hardy, (but I'm wrong, its Jane Birkin) and yes zeh eenglish weeel be geluwss that a french man can spend an album in admiring contemplation of a single, fascinating woman while sustaining our rapt attention.

Serge! You sexy man! Ooo lala. His voice is like liquid chocolate... I'm loving this ganache of sweet tunes, littered with the sweet voice of an angel. Influential and sampled by many and reviled by an army of angry liberals I just yearn for his yellow stained fingers to stroke the nape of my neck.

Gillar Serge. Har lyssnat mycket på honom de senaste 10 åren men inte så mycket på just denna platta. Klart som fan att det är bra.

5 stars, and I’m only on the first song.

Well, my years of high school French weren’t enough for me to follow the details of this story, but the music was sure groovy. I can very much appreciate its influence. Now reading about the theme creeps me out, so I am going to try to ignore that…

It's a classic story. Man runs over teenage girl with a Rolls Royce, has an illicit affair with her in a sketchy hotel, and then she dies in a plane crash. I've been a fan of Serge Gainsbourg's songs for a long time, including "Ballade de Melody Nelson," but I'd never listened to this concept album of his. I quite enjoyed the progression of movements, incorporating orchestra and chorus along with sultry bass and funky guitar. It's a unique and compelling sound.

This is what this whole 1001 greatest albums process is all about. Completely left-field choice, something I'd never even heard of before, a concept album in a different language - and it's a real, genuine hidden gem. What an atmosphere this album has. It's quite dark and dangerous and sexy and seductive. The music and production is incredible. I love the violins, the sudden explosion of drums, that deep driving bass. Very very good. I've given it about 3-4 listens now, and it'll definitely be one I go back to a fair bit. There's something really compelling about this. Album 192 and I've finally found my first 5 star album from an artist who was completely unknown to me beforehand - thank you!

Close to being perfect in my mind. A bizarre mix of rocky riffs, orchestral bites, jazzy interludes and almost spoken word lyricism. It's clearly an inspiration for some of my favourite artists, beck, Alex Turner, and so on, but the overall theme leaves a gross taste in my mouth. It's so incredibly French, the sound of a cigarette and adultery in a bohemian hotel room. 09/07/23

Deeply unsettling

Who knew French music could be so fascinating? Fun album that holds up remarkably well for 50+ years.

The mixture of overdrive guitar funk sound with the orchestra/choir, as well as that smooth ass french voice (I have no idea what they're saying). Makes this one of the most unique albums I've listened to.

French concept album, which was to be expected to be included in the 1001 list. Apart from a (great) compilation album, it is the only Serge Gainsbourg album in my cd collection. The plot is pretty stupid, but I am not able to understand the lyrics anyway, and the music is great, especially the final song, Cargo Culte. Score: 5 stars (9/10)

that was interesting af

With Histoire de Melody Nelson, Gainsbourg creates the first true (and perhaps only) concept album. Precursors first linked tracks thematically, then sonically, then historically, but the tracks were always separable from the whole; the music stood up by itself. Later attempts at concept albums have culminated in epic feats of navel-gazing. Histoire de Melody Nelson is the first album where the music is incidental to the story, and the story is incidental to a deeper philosophy of life. Gainsbourg wields rock music to pose us questions on sex and violence, to challenge us to confront the ideas posed by Nabakov, Ballard and Bataille. And before we know it, the music boils over, leaving us more stranded than we were before.

Very cool precursor to Lou Reed

beautiful

I don’t like the concept for this concept album, but this is by far the best concept album I’ve heard. Maybe if I was French and understood the nuance of the lyrics I could take a better stance. But musically it’s phenomenal.

Un grand grand classique, orchestral, drôle et sensuel.

Between a four and a five. Leant the generous side due to its influence on Tranquility Hotel. And to mildly irk Myfanwy.

This was a surprise, I love this. That last track really hits. Cinematic, those cellos absolutely ripp

Listen this at: 05/02/2024

It's rare to get a 5 star album from an artist you've never heard of. The bass playing on this is killer, especially the first track. The music on this album is a pleasant surprise. I don't understand anything that's being said, I almost prefer it. Most lyrics are pretty droll to me.

A mí en particular me a encantado, un adelantado a su tiempo.

Well. What a conflicting album this is. On the one hand, it's brilliant. Musically, lyrically, stylistically it is genuinely one of the most compelling, captivating and consuming albums I think I've ever heard. The production of it is great. On the other - the subject matter is a bit icky. I guess it's meant to be. Brilliant album. And L'hotel Particulier is absolutely stand-out. Can clearly see how it influenced Jarvis Cocker for F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E.

Very unusual, liked it!

Beautiful

This album exceeded all my expectations. What a concept album! An album with a theme that could almost no longer be made these days; social media would explode. Now it was also quite provocative in 1971, but 2 years earlier the big hit "je 't aime, .....moi non plus" was released by this Serge Gainsbourg and his muse and partner Jane Birkin, which already caused quite a stir. Now Serge liked provocations and the more reactions that generated, the better. Much later he managed to shock half of France with 'Lemon Incest' sung by him and his very young daughter Charlotte, accompanied by a clip that again caused quite a stir. In any case, the story of 'Histoire de Melody Nelson' is not complicated. A 40-year-old man drives a Rolls Royce in a somewhat seedy neighborhood and muses about his life. Not paying attention, he runs over a young, doll-like girl on her bicycle. He seduces her and after a short passionate relationship (a cooing Jane Birkin in L'Hotel Particulaire) Melody leaves back for England, but her plane crashes. The record is first and foremost an ode to Serge's muse and long term partner Jane Birkin: Melody is a conjugation of Jane Birkin's middle name and Nelson was a national war hero and also a hero of Jane's father. You will of course also recognize 'Lolita' by Nabakov, a book that immediately appealed to Serge Gainsbourg. The music, especially the first song of 7.5 minutes, is particularly sultry with the languid, lazy bass, the organ and the unruly guitar. It's easy to imagine why this record was such a source of inspiration for the trip hop movement from the 90s (Tricky, Portishead et al). Serge talks sometimes, then sings, and musically it is almost impossible to imagine what comes next. It's a complete musical spectrum of funk, soul, jazz rock, but also strings and a whole choir. The music was not written by Serge, but by his friend Jean Claude Vannier who might've made his best work of a lifetime. Superb

Getting mad at the story presented here is a bit like getting upset over Nabakov’s Lolita. By dismissing it totally, you kind of miss the point. It is a work of art, from the viewpoint of the bad guy. Nobody likes a pedo. Doesn’t mean you can’t tell a good story about one. And, at the time of its release, the subject of middle aged men having a mid-life crisis and chasing after ridiculously young women, was kind of the zeitgeist. Context helps when it comes to art. Musically, this is really lovely. It’s even better if you don’t understand French. The twanging guitar and rhythmic drums of En Melody can be heard decades later in bands like Stone Roses and Ride. The low driving sound of Cargo Culte could have come from a Soundgarden song. The influence of this record is everywhere.

I have the joy of appreciating both the lyrics and the music. The orchestration is great, he's a master lyricist, and has a masterful delivery

5/5

This one is for the pervs and the rhythm section! Gorgeous and lush, the production of this record has been imitated many times, but this is kind of singular. My only complaint is that the record is a little short.

Narratively, this album is a strange, transgressive Lolita-esque tragedy. It is purposefully repulsive and obsessive. Musically, it is phenomenal. It is delivered via spoken word and sung portions. The music features lush orchestration and great funk guitar work. It sounds very much ahead of its time and I feel like Serge Gainsbourg’s discography could be a rabbit hole for me. This album has also been incredibly influential among Beck, Portishead and others.

quite nice even if i cant understand the lyrics much nothing much like it

Very sultry music about an underage romance. Very evocative.

This was pretty good. Definitely a different kind of album for the time it was released.

got into the guitar riffs on some of the track, also following along with the english translation was an interesting story

Definite headphone album, love how forward the vocals and bass are. Wish I spoke french. Girl on the cover reminds me of Lor. Melody - Prise Complete is my highlight.

soothing and nice and cool and short and cute

great bass + really well orchestrated. almost cinematic with a narrative. reminded me of portishead. this grew on me.

Strange French man says melody a lot then sings a song and then says melody a lot again. Pretty good though

This couldn’t be more stereotypically French if it hit you over the head with a baguette while smoking a Gauloises. I need to revisit this. That was pretty damn fun to listen to. I felt like I could almost understand it at parts too.

I don't speak French so I have no clue what was being sung, but I could listen to this all the time

Cool as hell. 7/10

Wow. What a surprise. Particularly loved the first and last one. Excellent psychedelic. Can't believe wiki told me this was pop

If Quentin Tarantino and Wes Anderson made a movie together, this would be the soundtrack.

So sexy and cool

Groovy late 60s/early 70s psychedelic/blues jam vibe with some awesome bass work. Jean-Claude Vannier knows his to write some lovely melodies (pun not intended)

Very enjoyable. Something a bit different but very easy on the ears. 3.5

een beetje donker en een beetje warm. you want it darker vibes

Really Cool. Epic opening track and was short and sweet. An eclectic mix of sounds - really liked the strings. Vocals very loud!

.

Heavily sampled by David Holmes, hard to hear it without that context - bit hit & miss but extra star for Don't Die Just Yet

instrumentals are groovy as all hell wow