[citation needed] 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".

[3] Two other singles were taken from the album: "Vieille canaille" (a French version of "You Rascal You" written in the 1920s by Sam Theard) and Gainsbourg's own "Lola Rastaquouère".

A short European tour featuring the Jamaican group The Revolutionaries (see line-up below) but not the I-Three followed in December 1979, culminating in a series of shows in Paris.

Serge Gainsbourg nevertheless came onstage on his own and courageously sang the regular national anthem, stating that he gave "La Marseillaise its original revolutionary meaning back".

The Paris shows at Le Palace were recorded by Philippe Lerichomme, mixed by Bruno Blum and engineer Thierry Bertomeu and issued as a double CD, Gainsbourg et cætera in 2006.

With the same musicians and backing vocalists, Serge Gainsbourg recorded a reggae follow-up studio album in 1981, Mauvaises nouvelles des étoiles.

Jamaican versions include Lone Ranger, Big Youth, Buffalo Bill, Lisa Dainjah, King Stitt and Brady.

Serge Gainsbourg's other two reggae albums were also newly mixed by producer Bruno Blum with engineers Soljie Hamilton and Thierry Bertomeu.

Other previously unreleased versions include "Brigade des Stups", as well as alternate vocal takes of "Marilou Reggae Dub", "Vieille Canaille" (Sam Theard's "You Rascal You") and an incomplete "Lola Rastaquouère".

According to French journalist and Gainsbourg friend Gérard Bar-David (his wife was the singer's press agent for years), who recorded Gainsbourg's vocals months after the music track was recorded, the vocals were added to the music by Bruno Blum on the Sly & Robbie backing track because they fitted the unfinished song title like a glove.