The song culminates in orgasm sounds by Birkin: mostly because of this, it was banned from radio in Spain, Sweden, Brazil, UK, Italy, Poland and Portugal, banned before 11pm in France, not played by many radio stations in the US because it was deemed too risque and denounced by the Vatican and the L'Osservatore Romano.
The Vatican excommunicated the record executive who released it in Italy.
Birkin says Gainsbourg called the Pope "our greatest PR man."