UPDATE: Attempted Burglary At Paris Home Of Jane Birkin Just Days After Her Death

Wednesday, July 19 at 4:30 pm

An attempted burglary allegedly occurred at her Paris home, just days after the British singer and actress Jane Birkin passed away.

According to BFMTV, the news outlet was informed this Wednesday 19 of the incident by French police sources. It is thought to have occurred in the early hours.

A friend of the deceased star claimed to have heard noises outside the front door at around 4 am. Police officers were  subsequently deployed to the property where they allegedly found evidence of an attempted break-in.

Damage was visible on the metal door frame and the wooden door itself, with pieces of wood apparently found on the floor. Some days earlier, three people were allegedly scared away by residents after they attempted to enter the building.

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Sunday, July 16 at 3:41 pm

The British actress and singer Jane Birkin passed away this Sunday, July 16, at the age of 76.

Although born in Marylebone, London, she spent almost her entire professional career in France since the late 1960s. Her death was reported by Le Parisien who said Birkin was found dead at her home.

She suffered a stroke in 2021 but after returning to work, health problems caused the cancellations of planned performances. In a recent statement, she told her fans: ‘I remain very optimistic, as always. Having said that, I am aware that I need a few days to be able to be on stage again, with you’.

‘Je t’aime…moi non plus’

She will be best remembered for the hit song ‘Je t’aime…moi non plus’ which topped the music charts around the world in 1969. Due to its sexual innuendo, featuring the sound of heavy breathing, the song was banned by the BBC and other radio stations.

French singer-songwriter, actor, composer and director, Serge Gainsbourg – widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in French pop music –  originally wrote the song for Brigitte Bardot in 1967.

After a failed date with the legendary actress, she apparently called him up and demanded that he wrote a song for her as ‘penance’ for the disastrous date the previous evening.

As a result, Gainsbourg penned the famous tune that same day. He then rented a studio in Paris where the pair recorded a version arranged by Michel Colombier. Recalling the session, William Flageollet, who engineered the track, said there was ‘heavy petting’ going on during the recording.

When Bardot’s German husband Gunter Sachs got wind of the situation, he demanded that the record should not be released. The actress also pleaded with Gainsbourg and finally, he complied. ‘The music is very pure. For the first time in my life, I write a love song and it’s taken badly’, he remarked at the time.

She spent her formative years in ‘swinging’ London during the 1960s

Her early years in London saw Birkin enjoying the ‘swinging sixties’ scene. It was an era of cultural revolution in Britain, driven by youth, and characterised by hedonism, fun, pop culture and everything considered modern.

In this context, she began her career as an actress at the age of 17. Soon after, she met John Barry, the composer famous for, among other tunes, his definitive arrangement of Monty Norman’s ‘James Bond‘ theme.

The couple married when she was 19, with Barry encouraging his wife to pursue a singing career. In 1966 Birkin featured in a controversial nude scene in the film ‘Wish on a Summer Morning’, made by Michelangelo Antonioni.

Despite giving birth to their daughter Kate Barry, her marriage failed and the young actress headed to France. She subsequently found herself in a relationship with Serge Gainsbourg, becoming his mentor and artistic partner. Together, they remade the erotic song in 1969 that would immortalise them in music.

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