"Du chant à la une !" is the debut studio album by French singer-songwriter Serge Gainsbourg, released in 1958. The album marked Gainsbourg's foray into the music industry and laid the foundations for his reputation as a groundbreaking and influential artist in the Francophone music world. One of his initial forays into music, the album reflects Gainsbourg's unique blend of jazz, pop and chanson music styles.
The album contains tracks that showcase Gainsbourg's lyrical finesse and his gift for melody. It includes numbers like "Le Poinçonneur des Lilas" in which Gainsbourg tells the story of a Paris Métro ticket man, and beautifully paints the monotony of everyday life. The album also features the controversial song "Douze Belles Dans La Peau," which stirred considerable debate at the time of its release. The song "Indifférente" stirred a similar controversy, where Gainsbourg's cynical lyrics show a different side from the romantic conventions of songwriting at the time.
Overall, the at times melancholic, at times controversial thematic presentation, combined with Gainsbourg's unique style and charisma, made "Du chant à la une !" an essential album that played a key role in shaping his future musical direction. This marks the album as a significant moment not only in Gainsbourg's career but also in the landscape of French popular music.
