Mister Iceberg
Serge Gainsbourg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning | Line by Line Meaning
Une petite aux boucles d'or
Et sur l'épaule Sud
Une grande Solitude
Mister Iceberg hausse l'épaule Nord
Pour secouer la fille qui dort
Puis hausse l'épaule Sud Comme à l'habitude
Mister Iceberg a sur l'épaule Nord
Une petite fille incolore
Et sur l'épaule Sud
Comme un interlude
Mister Iceberg hausse l'épaule Nord
Pour rayer son disque d'or
Et son épaule Sud
Esquisse un prélude
Mister Iceberg a sur l'épaule Nord
Une petite qui dit encore
Et sur l'épaule Sud
Un peu d'lassitude
Mister Iceberg hausse l'épaule Nord
Pour lui faire voir qu'il est mort
Puis hausse l'épaule Sud
C'est son attitude
Mister Iceberg aime l'amour on the rocks
Mister Iceberg aime les petites filles en socks
The lyrics of Serge Gainsbourg's song "Mister Iceberg" are enigmatic and open to different interpretations, but they evoke a sense of duality and detachment that is reflected in the imagery of an iceberg and its northern and southern sides. The persona of Mister Iceberg is depicted as a cold and distant figure who carries on his shoulders a small blonde girl on the north, and a great solitude on the south. This indicates a split personality, with one side bearing an innocent and vulnerable child, and the other a vast emptiness and melancholy.
As the song progresses, Mister Iceberg lifts up his shoulders to shake the girl who sleeps on his shoulder, then he scratches his golden record on the north, and hints at a prelude on the south. The repetition of these actions suggests a habitual and mechanical behavior, devoid of emotional involvement or empathy. When the girl on the north speaks again, Mister Iceberg raises his shoulder to show her that he's dead, and then raises the south as an attitude. This reinforces the sense that the persona has lost touch with his feelings and humanity, and only embodies a frozen and impassive shell.
The last two lines of the lyrics add a touch of irony and humor, as Mister Iceberg declares his liking for love on the rocks, meaning both the alcoholic drink and the emotional state of detachment, and for little girls in socks, which can be seen as a fetish or a childlike innocence that he desires but cannot connect with. Overall, "Mister Iceberg" conveys a haunting and surreal mood through its cryptic lyrics and sparse instrumentation, highlighting the alienation and fragmentation in the human psyche.
Line by Line Meaning
Mister Iceberg a sur l'épaule Nord
Mister Iceberg has on his north shoulder
Une petite aux boucles d'or
A small one with golden curls
Et sur l'épaule Sud
And on the south shoulder
Une grande Solitude
A great loneliness
Mister Iceberg hausse l'épaule Nord
Mister Iceberg lifts his north shoulder
Pour secouer la fille qui dort
To shake the sleeping girl
Puis hausse l'épaule Sud
Then lifts the south shoulder
Comme à l'habitude
As usual
Mister Iceberg a sur l'épaule Nord
Mister Iceberg has on his north shoulder
Une petite fille incolore
A colorless little girl
Et sur l'épaule Sud
And on the south shoulder
Comme un interlude
Like an interlude
Mister Iceberg hausse l'épaule Nord
Mister Iceberg lifts his north shoulder
Pour rayer son disque d'or
To scratch his gold record
Et son épaule Sud
And his south shoulder
Esquisse un prélude
Sketches a prelude
Mister Iceberg a sur l'épaule Nord
Mister Iceberg has on his north shoulder
Une petite qui dit encore
A little one who says again
Et sur l'épaule Sud
And on the south shoulder
Un peu d'lassitude
A bit of weariness
Mister Iceberg hausse l'épaule Nord
Mister Iceberg lifts his north shoulder
Pour lui faire voir qu'il est mort
To make her see that he is dead
Puis hausse l'épaule Sud
Then lifts the south shoulder
C'est son attitude
It's his attitude
Mister Iceberg aime l'amour on the rocks
Mister Iceberg likes love on the rocks
Mister Iceberg aime les petites filles en socks
Mister Iceberg likes little girls in socks
Contributed by Alaina C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
He was born Lucien Ginzburg in Paris, France, the son of Jewish Russian parents who fled to France after the 1917 Bolshevik uprising. His childhood was profoundly affected by the occupation of France by Nazi Germany, during which he and his family, as Jews, were forced to wear the yellow star and eventually flee from Paris. He had a daughter, Charlotte Gainsbourg, with English singer and actress Jane Birkin; and a son, Lulu, with his last partner, Bambou (Caroline Von Paulus, who is related to Friedrich Paulus). Before he was 30 years old, Lucien Ginsburg was a disillusioned painter but earned his living as a piano player in bars. Daughter Charlotte would later become an actress and singer.
His early songs were influenced by Boris Vian and were largely in the vein of "old-fashioned" chanson. Very early, however, Gainsbourg began to move beyond this and experiment with a succession of different musical styles: jazz early on, English pop in the 60's, reggae in the 70's, even hip-hop in the 80's.
Success began to arrive when, in 1965, his song "Poupée de cire, poupée de son" was the Luxembourg entry in the Eurovision Song Contest. Performed by French teen singer France Gall, it won the grand prize. (The song was covered in English as "A Lonely Singing Doll" by British teen idol Twinkle.) He arranged other Gall songs and LPs that were characteristic of the late 1960s psychedelic styles, among them Gall's '1968' album. Another of Serge's songs "Boum Bada Boum" was entered in by Monaco in the 1967 contest, sung by Minouche Barelli; It came 5th.
In 1969, he released what would become his most famous song in the English-speaking world, "Je t'aime... moi non plus", which featured simulated sounds of female orgasm. The song appeared that year on an LP, "Jane Birkin/Serge Gainsbourg". Originally recorded with Brigitte Bardot, it was released with future girlfriend Birkin when Bardot backed out. While Gainsbourg declared it the "ultimate love song," it was considered too "hot"; the song was censored in various countries, and in France, even the toned-down version was suppressed. Even the Vatican made a public statement citing the song as offensive. Its notoriety led it to reaching no. 1 in the UK singles chart. A long-standing rumor maintains that Gainsbourg and Birkin were actually having sex during the recording session (asked about it in an interview, Gainsbourg answered that if this was true, the song would have lasted longer than 4 minutes).
The seventies
His most influential work came near the start of the seventies with Histoire de Melody Nelson, released in 1971. This concept album, produced and arranged by Jean-Claude Vannier, tells the story of a Lolita-esque affair, with Gainsbourg as the narrator and Jane Birkin as the eponymous English heroine. It features prominent string arrangements and even a massed choir at its tragic climax. At the time, sales were poor, but the album has proven influential with artists such as Air, David Holmes and Beck.
In 1975, he released the album Rock Around the Bunker, a rock album written entirely on the subject of the Nazis. Gainsbourg used black humour, as he and his family suffered during World War II. While a child in Paris, Gainsbourg himself had worn the Yellow badge as the mark of a Jew.
The next year saw the release of another major work, L'Homme à la Tête de Chou (Cabbage-Head Man), featuring the new character Marilou and sumptuous orchestral themes.
In Jamaica in 1978 he recorded "Aux Armes et cetera," a reggae version of the French national anthem "La Marseillaise", with Robbie Shakespeare, Sly Dunbar and Rita Marley. This song earned him death threats from right-wing veterans of the Algerian War of Independence who were opposed to certain lyrics. Shortly afterwards, Gainsbourg bought the original manuscript of La Marseillaise. He was able to reply to his critics that his version was, in fact, closer to the original as the manuscript clearly shows the words "Aux armes et cætera..." for the chorus.
The next year saw him in the new look of Gainsbarre, officially introduced in the song "Ecce Homo."
Final years
In the 1980's, approaching the end of his life, Gainsbourg became a regular figure on French TV. His appearances seemed devoted to his controversial sense of humour and provocation. He would frequently show up drunk and unshaven on stage. Perhaps his most famous incident came when, on Michel Drucker's live Saturday evening show with the American singer Whitney Houston, he exclaimed, "I want to fuck her."
During this period he released Love On The Beat and his last studio album, You're Under Arrest, (which saw him adapt his style to the hip-hop genre), as well as two live recordings. His third and last Eurovision Song Contest entry came in 1990 with the French entry "White and Black Blues", sung by Joëlle Ursull. It came second in a tie with Ireland. His songs became increasingly eccentric in this period, ranging from the anti-drug "Les Enfants de la Chance" to the duet with his daughter Charlotte called "Lemon Incest (Un zeste de citron)." The title of the latter demonstrates Gainsbourg's love of puns (another example is "Bowie, Beau oui comme Bowie").
Discography :
1958 : Du Chant À La Une !
1959 : Serge Gainsbourg N°2
1961 : L'étonnant Serge Gainsbourg
1962 : Serge Gainsbourg N° 4
1963 : Gainsbourg Confidentiel
1964 : Gainsbourg Percussions
1968 : Initials B.B.
1968 : Bonnie And Clyde ( with Brigitte Bardot )
1969 : Jane Birkin-Serge Gainsbourg
1971 : Histoire de Melody Nelson ( with Jane Birkin )
1973 : Vu de l'extérieur
1975 : Rock around the bunker
1976 : L'Homme à tête de chou
1979 : Aux armes et cætera
1981 : Mauvaises Nouvelles Des Étoiles
1984 : Love on the Beat
1987 : You're Under Arrest
M
Mister Iceberg a sur l'épaule nord
Une petite aux boucles d'or
Et sur l'épaule Sud
Une grande Solitude
Mister Iceberg hausse l'épaule Nord
Pour secouer la fille qui dort
Puis hausse l'épaule Sud Comme à l'habitude
Mister Icberg (×2)
Mister Iceberg aime l'amour on the rocks
Mister Iceberg (×2)
Mister Iceberg aime les petites filles en socks
Mister Iceberg a sur l'épaule Nord
Une petite fille incolore
Et sur l'épaule Sud
Comme un interlude
Mister Iceberg hausse l'épaule Nord
Pour rayer son disque d'or
Et son épaule Sud
Esquisse un prélude
Mister Iceberg a sur l'épaule Nord
Une petite qui dit encore
Et sur l'épaule Sud
Un peu d'lassitude
Mister Iceberg hausse l'épaule Nord
Pour lui faire voir qu'il est mort
Puis hausse l'épaule Sud
C'est son attitude
Mister Iceberg (×2)
Mister Iceberg aime l'amour on the rocks
Mister Iceberg (×2)
Mister Iceberg aime les petites filles en socks
Mister Iceberg (×8)
MrGalagomusic
Ce morceau est tout simplement génial !!
nomis33
Eric! Merci pour tes tutos avec ta bonne humeur. Je fais de la guitare depuis 4ans et tu est le tous premier youtubeur tuto que je regardais , j'ai appris beaucoup de morceaux grâce à toi donc un grand merci !!
yahoo 98
Un grand auteur un génie de la langue française
M
Mister Iceberg a sur l'épaule nord
Une petite aux boucles d'or
Et sur l'épaule Sud
Une grande Solitude
Mister Iceberg hausse l'épaule Nord
Pour secouer la fille qui dort
Puis hausse l'épaule Sud Comme à l'habitude
Mister Icberg (×2)
Mister Iceberg aime l'amour on the rocks
Mister Iceberg (×2)
Mister Iceberg aime les petites filles en socks
Mister Iceberg a sur l'épaule Nord
Une petite fille incolore
Et sur l'épaule Sud
Comme un interlude
Mister Iceberg hausse l'épaule Nord
Pour rayer son disque d'or
Et son épaule Sud
Esquisse un prélude
Mister Iceberg a sur l'épaule Nord
Une petite qui dit encore
Et sur l'épaule Sud
Un peu d'lassitude
Mister Iceberg hausse l'épaule Nord
Pour lui faire voir qu'il est mort
Puis hausse l'épaule Sud
C'est son attitude
Mister Iceberg (×2)
Mister Iceberg aime l'amour on the rocks
Mister Iceberg (×2)
Mister Iceberg aime les petites filles en socks
Mister Iceberg (×8)
William Gilles
Fun!!
Carlos B.
It would be great to see this program by Michel Berger complete.
Léo Marsal
Carlos B. Please respect sir Gainsbourg also
Prof Marcello M Gabbay
J'aime ce video terriblement! Ça me amene aux jours vécus à Paris
Наталия Трубчанинова
Wow! Simply splendid!
Prof Marcello M Gabbay
Merci INA pour avoir publlié ça. Je cherchais le video de Mister Iceberg il y a longtemps :)))