Rasé literally means "shaved" or "shaven." It's an interesting word because of its double meaning and how it plays into the song's title and narrative.
In the context of the song, Gainsbourg uses "pas rasé" (not shaved) to describe the protagonist's disheveled appearance, implying a certain carelessness or perhaps a night of debauchery. However, the word also appears in the phrase "en rasant les murs" (skimming the walls), which means to walk close to the walls to avoid being seen, suggesting a sense of shame or wanting to be inconspicuous. This clever wordplay adds depth to the lyrics, making it more than just a simple description.
Gainsbourg turns a bad night into black comedy. Unshaven and restless, the narrator drops in on an old flame — 'Par hasard et pas rasé, j'rapplique chez elle' (By chance and unshaven, I show up at her place) — only to catch her with someone else, 'un para, le genre de mec qui les tombe toutes' (a paratrooper, the type of guy who scores with all of them). Instead of a scene, he takes a walk, and the walk turns morbid: 'Je saute de tombe en tombe' (I jump from grave to grave), pacing a cemetery until the ache passes.
By the second verse the shrug has set in — 'Toutes les mêmes après tout, cette fille je m'en fous' (They're all the same after all, I don't care about this girl) — and the title's own pun closes the loop: a song that opens 'pas rasé' (unshaven) ends on the single word 'à raser' (to shave), as if getting over her is as simple as picking up a razor.
Serge Gainsbourg (1928-1991) was one of France's most influential and provocative singer-songwriters, celebrated for his sharp wit, playful wordplay, and fearless approach to taboo subjects. Born Lucien Ginsburg in Paris to Russian-Jewish immigrant parents, he first made his name writing songs for other French stars before building his own singing career through the 1960s and 1970s.
He moved fluidly between chanson, pop, reggae, and rock, and became internationally known for the breathy 1969 duet "Je t'aime... moi non plus" with Jane Birkin. Songs like "Premiers Symptômes" show his gift for turning dark, personal subject matter, heartbreak and self-destruction, into vivid, darkly funny storytelling. He remains one of the most sampled and studied songwriters in French pop history.