"La Collectionneuse" is a song by Charlotte Gainsbourg, a French-British actress and singer. The song's lyrics explore the concept of collecting things and memories. Gainsbourg describes herself as a collector, constantly gathering and keeping various things close to her, which sometimes causes her to trip over them. The first verse mentions pixelated faces playing on a blown-out TV screen, referring to memories or footage from a camera. Gainsbourg admits that she fast-forwards through these moments, possibly indicating a detachment from her own memories. As the song progresses, Gainsbourg reflects on the patterns and emotions that arise from all these collected moments. She compares it to recognizing a familiar face that never says anything—perhaps alluding to the idea that her collections may hold significant meaning, but she struggles to comprehend or express it. Gainsbourg also describes accumulating these moments like entries in a long, narrow ledger. She juxtaposes the decimals of pain with the integers of pleasure, acknowledging that her collections include both positive and negative experiences. However, she confesses her inability to measure the sum of all these parts, emphasizing the difficulty in grasping the true value of her collections. The chorus repeats the phrase "The collector, la collectionneuse" in both French and English, reinforcing Gainsbourg's identification with the role of the collector. The French translation of "la collectionneuse" means "the female collector." Towards the end of the song, Gainsbourg incorporates snippets from other songs and poems. She quotes a verse from a French poem titled "Le Temps" by Paul Verlaine—expressing the fleeting nature of time and the melancholic observation of night and death. The song concludes with the line "Vienne la nuit sonne l'heure, Les jours s'en vont je demeure," which translates to "Let the night come, the hour rings, the days go away, I remain." Overall, "La Collectionneuse" portrays a contemplative and introspective perspective on the act of collecting and the complexity of memories. The lyrics suggest a sense of longing and reflection, as Gainsbourg navigates the significance and meaning behind her amassed experiences.
