Recently, I heard that this song…at least the instrumental version…was performed by a Frenchman. Apparently, the US and France had strained relations (circa 1960s) and the music from this French artist suffered in air play parallel to the recent events with the Dixie Chicks. What was going on back then? I can only WAG it had something to do with the US getting into the French Indochina (IIRC) mess we now call Viet Nam? What else could it have been? - Jinx
Paul Mauriat went to #1 with the instrumental in 1968.
Al Martino (#57), Claudine Longet (#71), & Manny Kellem (#96) all released versions in 1968 as well.
Of course, that doesn’t speciafically answer your question.
With the French, it could have been anything.