225The break between Claude François et France Gall the evening of Eurovision in 1965 has become a famous anecdote in the history of French song. France Gall, which represented the Luxembourg, won the competition with the song “Doll of wax, doll of her", written by Serge GainsbourgThis triumph should have been a moment of joy, but it was overshadowed by tensions in their relationship.
According to the stories, just after his victory, France Gall wanted to share this moment with Claude François. However, consumed by jealousy and the feeling of being eclipsed by his partner's success, Claude François allegedly broke up with her over the phone, telling her: “You won, but you lost me.”This phrase has remained etched in memories as a symbol of their tumultuous relationship.
Despite this dramatic breakup, they later reconciled, but their relationship continued to be marked by ups and downs until their final separation in 1967. This story also inspired Claude François to write the famous song “As usual".
Written and composed by Serge Gainsburg, "wax doll, sound doll" was a song with double entendre lyrics that marked a departure from the more conventional ballads of the time. The lyrics play on the singer's image as a "wax doll“, an artist shaped by her surroundings and the expectations of the public. This added an almost autobiographical and ironic dimension to the performance of France Gall, who was very young at the time. Serge Gainsbourg, for his part, exploited a daring compositional style, inspired by English pop. During theEurovision, Doll of wax, doll of her won a resounding victory, marking a turning point in the career of France Gall and in the perception of Gainsbourg as a composer. This victory also helped to modernize theEurovision by introducing more contemporary songs. It is a song that remains iconic, not only for its success at theEurovision, but also for its innovation and influence on pop music in France.
