Sardou began recording in the mid-'60s and hit the charts for the first time by the turn of the decade, with a contract for Tréma Records. Despite popular success, Sardou continued to write and sing songs which courted controversy. "Le France" was an open criticism of the government for selling a luxury cruise liner, a national treasure; "Je Suis Pour" featured his views on giving the death penalty to child murderers. By the late '80s, Sardou had sold almost 30 million records, almost all in France. He remained immensely popular into the next decade, routinely selling millions each year. ~ John Bush, Rovi