Serge Gainsbourg - Aux Armes, etc.
"The title track is a reggae adaptation of La Marseillaise, the French national anthem. Soon after the song's first appearance on television on April 1, 1979 (a controversial appearance followed as the recording was perceived by some as an insult to the French Republic), it became a big success. Gainsbourg received death threats upon release of his cover of the French national anthem. One journalist, Michel Droit of Le Figaro criticized the song writing that Gainsbourg was feeding antisemitism by "trying to make money with the national anthem". Deeply hurt, in turn the singer published a striking reply. Other critics did not like that the original text was truncated, half of the chorus line (including the most military-oriented section of the song) being edited out.
Some years later in 1981, Gainsbourg purchased the original manuscript of "La Marseillaise" at an auction, which was signed by the composer. He then showed critics that his version was, in fact, closer to the original than any other recorded version as the manuscript clearly shows the words "Aux armes et cætera..." for the chorus as author Rouget de l'Isle did not bother writing the full chorus each time, preferring to shorten it with the word etc."
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Zuowan, Sun 15 Jul 2018, 18:15,
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Antisemitism? In France? I don't believe it.
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Prufrock Lucifer, son of the morning!, Sun 15 Jul 2018, 18:33,
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Yeah, I'd like to think that for all our problems British people wouldn't discourage a half-Jewish British person from making fun of the national anthem in case they "fuel antisemitism"
Muslims, on the other hand...
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Zuowan, Sun 15 Jul 2018, 18:51,
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