This song was originally recorded by Brigitte Bardot and Serge Gainsbourg in October 1967. Written and composed by Gainsbourg, it was originally slated to be released in 1967. Arrangement was done by Michel Colombier. However, Bardot demanded that it not be released, and so was shelved. In 1986, the song was finally released.
The second version of the song, released in 1969 was done again by Gainsbourg, but was sung by Jane Birkin. It went one to become an international hit, and now is part of the regular Eurosleaze song set.
It has been covered by Sounds Nice in 1970, on their album Love At First Sight, with the song named Love At First Sight. Barry Adamson covered it on The Negro Inside Me in 1993, Judge Dread in 1995 on Big Twenty Four, also in 1995 by Anita Lane on the single The World's A Girl - as "I Love You... Nor Do I." It was a duet with Nick Cave with reversed roles. In 2002, Placebo covered the song, and had actress Asia Argento provide the female vocals. Lastly, Mick Harvey covered in 1997 on Pink Elephant as "I Love You... Nor Do I."
The song, in the original French, with translation, courtesty of the ever-pleasant Siobhan.
Je t'aime je t'aime
Oh oui je t'aime!
- Moi non plus.
- Oh mon amour...
- Comme la vague irrésolue
Je vais je vais et je viens
Entre tes reins
Je vais et je viens
Entre tes reins
Et je
Me re-
Tiens
I love you I love you
Oh yes, I love you!
-Nor/Neither do I.
-Oh my love...
-Like the irresolute wave
I go I go and I come
Between your kidneys
And I
hold myself
back
- Je t'aime je t'aime
- Oh oui je t'aime!
- Moi non plus.
- Oh mon amour...
Tu es la vague, moi l'île nue
Tu vas tu vas et tu viens
Entre mes reins
Tu vas et tu viens
Entre mes reins
Et je
Te re-
joins
I love you I love you
Oh yes, I love you!
-Nor/Neither do I.
-Oh my love...
You are the wave, I am the bare island
You go you go and you come
Between my kidneys
You go and you come
between my kidneys
And I
join you
again
Je t'aime je t'aime
Oh oui je t'aime!
- Moi non plus.
- Oh mon amour...
- Comme la vague irrésolue
Je vais je vais et je viens
Entre tes reins
Je vais et je viens
Entre tes reins
Et je
Me re-
Tiens
I love you I love you
Oh yes, I love you!
-Nor/Neither do I.
-Oh my love...
-Like the irresolute wave
I go I go and I come
Between your kidneys
I go and I come
Between your kidneys
And I
hold myself
back
Tu vas et tu viens
Entre mes reins
Et je
Te re-
joins
You go and come
Between my kidneys
And I
join you
again
- Je t'aime je t'aime
- Oh oui je t'aime!
- Moi non plus.
- Oh mon amour...
L'amour physique est sans issue
-I love you I love you
-Oh yes, i love you!
-Nor do I.
-Oh my love...
Physical love is without exit
Je vais je vais et je viens
Entre tes reins
Je vais et je viens
Entre tes reins
Je me retiens
- Non! main-
Tenant
Viens!
I go I go and I come
Between your kidneys
I go and I come
Between your kidneys
I hold myself back
-No! hand-
holding
Come!
(main-Tenant is a word play. "maintenant" means "now", while when you take it apart is means "holding hand".)