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Aux armes et cætera

 
Album Review: Aux Armes et Cætera

  • Artist: Serge Gainsbourg
  • Rating: StarStarStar
  • Release Date: 1979
  • Total Time: 33:08
  • Type: Lyrics are included with the album
  • Genre: Rock

Review

This is one messed up set. Dig the fact that this is Serge Gainsbourg in dread beat and booze. Aux Armes et Cætera is literally Gainsbourg on the rocksteady tip with Sly and Robbie, Flabba Holt, Michael "Mao" Chung, Ansel Collins, I-Threes, Rita Marley, Marcia Griffiths, and Judy Mowatt, Sticky Thompson, Leroy "Horsemouth" Wallace, and a bunch of French folks playing puff-the-ganja and help the white man in Kingston. Gainsbourg knew what he wanted -- a Lee Perry-styled dubber and dread outing -- and he knew the cats to hire to get it. It contains 15 cuts; some, such as "Javanise," are remakes, while others, ("Des Laids, Des Laids") were written for the session. The Jamaican studio musicians are solid, rocking it down the pipe dark, smoky, and deadly in their grooves. While Serge would seemingly be at a creative impasse, having been one of the whitest men ever to record a side, his tunes work here because he's allowed them to be completely transformed by the Rastas, and his vocals work because they are chanted rather than sung. This is weird, dangerous, and campy music, but it works like a charm. In its day this album was reviled: now it's the work of a visionary. Go figure, but if you dig Gainsbourg, this is for you. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Javanaise Remake Serge Gainsbourg Serge Gainsbourg (3:08)
Aux Armes et Caetera Serge Gainsbourg Serge Gainsbourg (3:06)
Les Locataires Serge Gainsbourg Serge Gainsbourg (2:10)
Des Laids des Laids Serge Gainsbourg Serge Gainsbourg (2:37)
Brigade des Stups Serge Gainsbourg Serge Gainsbourg (1:58)
Veille Canaille (You Rascal You) Jacques Plante, Sam Theard Serge Gainsbourg (3:02)
Lola Rastaquouère Serge Gainsbourg Serge Gainsbourg (3:41)
Relax Baby Be Cool Serge Gainsbourg Serge Gainsbourg (2:31)
Daisy Temple Serge Gainsbourg Serge Gainsbourg (3:55)
Eau et Gaz À Tous Les Étages Serge Gainsbourg Serge Gainsbourg (:36)
Pas Long Feu Serge Gainsbourg Serge Gainsbourg (2:37)
Marilou Reggae Serge Gainsbourg Serge Gainsbourg (3:48)

Credits

The Wailers (Vocals), Geoffrey Chung (Engineer), Jean-Yves Billet (Editing), Serge Gainsbourg (Guitar), Ansel Collins (Organ), Robbie Shakespeare (Bass), Philippe Lerichomme (Photography), Marcia Griffiths (Vocals (Background)), Jean Guerin (Mastering), Serge Gainsbourg (Vocals), Michael "Mao" Chung (Guitar), Rita Marley (Vocals (Background)), Serge Gainsbourg (Piano), Philip Ziadie (Assistant Engineer), Michael "Mao" Chung (Piano), Lord Snowdon (Photography)
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Wikipedia: Aux armes et cætera (album)
Top
Aux Armes et Cætera
Studio album by Serge Gainsbourg
Released 1979
Recorded Kingston, Jamaica
Genre Reggae, French song, dub poetry
Length 32:55
Language French
Label Universal
Producer Philippe Lerichomme
Serge Gainsbourg chronology
L'Homme à tête de chou
(1976)
Aux Armes et Caetera
(1979)
Enregistrement public au Théâtre Le Palace
(1980)

Aux armes et cætera is the thirteenth album by Serge Gainsbourg, released in 1979. It is recognised as the first appearance of reggae in French music and was re-released as a deluxe version in 2003 as Aux Armes et Cætera - Dub Style The title track is a reggae adaptation of "La Marseillaise" otherwise known as the French National anthem.

Contents

Track listing

  1. "Javanaise Remake" - 3:05
  2. "Aux armes et cætera" - 3:05
  3. "Les Locataires" - 2:09
  4. "Des Laids Des Laids" - 2:36
  5. "Brigade Des Stups" - 1:57
  6. "Vieille Canaille" - 3:02
  7. "Lola Rastaquouère" - 3:40
  8. "Relax Baby Be Cool" - 2:30
  9. "Daisy Temple" - 3:53
  10. "Eau Et Gaz A Tous Les Etages" - 0:37
  11. "Pas Long Feu" - 2:33
  12. "Marilou Reggae Dub" - 3:48

Lyrics and Music : Serge Gainsbourg except "Aux Armes Et Caetera" (Lyrics : Rouget de l'Isle - Music : Serge Gainsbourg) and "Vieille Canaille" (Sam Theard - Jacques Plante)

Arrangements : Robbie Shakespeare - Sly Dunbar - Serge Gainsbourg

Personnel

Singles

  • 1979 : Vieille Canaille / Daisy Temple
  • 1979 : Des laids, des laids / Aux armes et cætera

Trivia

Serge Gainsbourg convinced Rita Marley to sing erotic lyrics upon the album's title track. Which angered her husand, Bob Marley upon discovery. Gainsbourg received death threats upon release of his cover of the French national anthem which also outraged was the French government. Shortly afterward, Gainsbourg went and purchased the original manuscript of "La Marseillaise". He then showed critics that his version was, in fact, closer to the original than any other recorded version as the manuscript clearly shows the words "Aux armes et cætera..." for the chorus.


 
 
Learn More
Aux Armes et Cætera (1979 Album by Serge Gainsbourg)
Aux Armes et Cætera [French Bonus Disc] (2003 Album by Serge Gainsbourg)
Aux Armes et Cætera [US Bonus Disc] (2004 Album by Serge Gainsbourg)

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Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Aux armes et cætera (album)" Read more