"Mauvaises nouvelles des étoiles" is a music album by French singer-songwriter, Serge Gainsbourg, which was released in 1981. The album is the second to feature a reggae influence, following "Aux Armes et cætera", Serge Gainsbourg's previous album.
This album continues the exploration of reggae music and its culture, notably delving into Rastafari themes, Jamaican creole, Nyabinghi rhythms, and lovers rock. Further, it includes more controversial tracks such as "Juif et Dieu" and "Des Laids Des Laids", where Gainsbourg explored themes around his Jewish identity and the societal pressures of beauty, respectively.
Instrumentally, the band backing Serge Gainsbourg on this album originally performed with Bob Marley as The Wailers. Additionally, The I Threes, featuring Rita Marley, forms a part of the backing vocals as well.
This album was produced by Philippe Lerichomme and recorded at Dynamic Sounds Studios in Jamaica by the engineer, Peter Dodd. It was ultimately re-released and remastered in 2001 for enhanced sound quality and the addition of a few unreleased tracks.
The album is known for its daring and audacious elements infused into a music genre unusual for a major French-speaking artist at that time. Gainsbourg continues to use his iconic subversive lyrics and ironic twists to convey beautiful, often controversial, and provocative meanings. Gainsbourg’s bravery and willingness to tackle such issues have left a lasting imprint on the French music scene.
