Michel Sardou - ‘Les Ricains’

De Gaulle (described as a fascist by both Churchill and Roosevelt) condemned the American war in Vietnam even though it was a continuation of France's war. He duly withdrew France from active participation in NATO. L B Johnson's response was "Ask him about the cemeteries." (Those where the Amercian dead lay). On Michel Sardou's twentieth birthday in January 1967 Barclay released ‘Les Ricains’ (The Yanks). De Gaulle was furious and ordered state radio not to play it.

”Si les Ricains n’étaient pas là
Vous seriez tous en Germanie
A parler de je ne sais quoi
A saluer je ne sais qui.

Un gars venu de Georgie
Qui se foutait pas mal de toi
Est venu mourir en Normandie
Un matin où tu n’y étais pas.”
Jonathan Meades