a hymn to oral sex in the guise of innocent praise for lollipops

epub or mobi, with thanks to the original sharer

This is all to show the subterranean influence of French filles de la pop on some of the strongest currents of international pop music. The subjects French women dared to sing about in the 1960s were much more adventurous than those chosen by their English or American counterparts: the pleasures of fellatio, stories of bad LSD trips (Gall’s “Teeny Weeny Boppy”), or more generally speaking, sheer enjoyment of the most sullen moments of existence (nearly all of Hardy’s stuff) ... Rather expectedly, “Je T’Aime” was the one that raised passions. It was banned by the BBC, as well as by other radio stations across the world. The Vatican excommunicated the A&R man responsible for having imported the song into Italy. Its official newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, claimed the song was “obscene and unlistenable by underage kids.” The publisher was even condemned to a two-month sentence. Fontana agreed to stop pressing it, in accordance with Queen of the Netherlands Juliana’s demand (she was a shareholder in the company). Irish label Major Minor took advantage of the situation and bought the licensing back. In France, Philips sold the rights to Gainsbourg, who then negotiated with label AZ. Such controversy was all the more beneficial for the song: in Italy alone, the single was exchanged for 50,000 liras on the black market, hidden under Maria Callas record covers. The ban had the opposite effect of its intention: the song sold by the ton throughout the world. People were proud to say they had conceived their children to that song.