Conti, an Italian American, was born in Providence, Rhode Island, United States, the son of Lucetta and William Conti. He graduated from North Miami High School in 1959. He is a past winner of the Silver Knight Award presented by the Miami Herald. He is a graduate of Louisiana State University, and also studied and gained honors at the Juilliard School of Music, including a master's degree.
As early as 1971, Bill was orchestrating pop recordings by Italian artists, such as the album "Si .. incoerenza" (yes to incoherence) by Italian singer Patty Pravo. He was also a ghostwriter of the scores for Spaghetti Westerns. Conti's big break into celebrity came in 1976, when United Artists hired him to compose the music for a small film called Rocky. The film became a phenomenon and won three Oscars at the 49th Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The same ceremony was also the first time Conti served as musical director for the telecast, a role he reprised 19 times, more than any other person. His training montage tune, "Gonna Fly Now", topped the Billboard singles chart in 1977, and earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song.
Conti also composed music for the sequels Rocky II (1979), Rocky III (1982), Rocky V (1990) and Rocky Balboa (2006).
Conti also worked for some other films and, eventually, for television series. In 1981, he wrote the music for the James Bond film, For Your Eyes Only, when John Barry was unwilling to return to the United Kingdom for tax reasons, and provided the score for playwright Jason Miller's film version of his Pulitzer Prize winning play That Championship Season the following year.
In 1983, Conti composed the score for HBO's first film, The Terry Fox Story. He then did Bad Boys and Mass Appeal. In 1984, he won an Academy Award for composing the score to 1983's The Right Stuff, after which he wrote the music for the TV series North and South in 1985. He also scored the Masters of the Universe live action film. Another score was the 1987 film Happy New Year.
In 1991, Conti composed for Necessary Roughness, a college football film. In 1993, he wrote the music for The Adventures of Huck Finn starring Elijah Wood and directed by Stephen Sommers. In 1999, he composed the score for The Thomas Crown Affair remake, starring Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo. That year, he scored Inferno, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme.
Conti composed the themes to television's Dynasty, The Colbys, Falcon Crest and Cagney & Lacey. He wrote the theme song to the original version of American Gladiators, worked with CBS on its 1980s film jingle, composed one of the early themes of Inside Edition, and wrote the Primetime Live theme for ABC News. He composed the score to the studio altered American version of Luc Besson's The Big Blue.
Two of Conti's previously composed works were reused for the show Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. These were the love theme "Come with Me Now" from the soundtrack for Five Days from Home (used for the show's main theme), and "Runaway", from For Your Eyes Only (used for in-show content).
Conti has been nominated for three Academy Awards, winning one in the Best Original Score category for The Right Stuff. He also received nominations in the Best Original Song category for "Gonna Fly Now" from Rocky and for the title song of For Your Eyes Only.
He had three Golden Globe nominations; two for Best Original Score for Rocky and An Unmarried Woman, and one for Best Original Song for the title song of For Your Eyes Only.
Conti also received thirteen Emmy nominations, all but one for his role as musical director at the Academy Awards (the exception, his first nomination, was for his music for the 1985 series North and South). He won five Emmy Awards for Outstanding Musical Direction for the 64th, 70th and 75th Academy Award ceremonies.
On April 22, 2008, at the LSU Union Theatre at Louisiana State University, Conti was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.
For Your Eyes Only
Bill Conti Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For your eyes only, I never need to hide.
You can see so much in me, so much in me that's new.
I never felt until I looked at you.
For your eyes only, only for you.
You'll see what no one else can see, and now I'm breaking free.
For your eyes only, only for you.
Only for you, only for you.
For your eyes only, the nights are never cold.
You really know me, that's all I need to know.
Maybe I'm an open book because I know you're mine,
But you won't need to read between the lines.
For your eyes only, only for you.
You see what no one else can see, and now I'm breaking free.
For your eyes only, only for you.
The passions that collide in me, the wild abandoned side of me.
Only for you, for your eyes only.
The song 'For Your Eyes Only' by Bill Conti, originally recorded for the James Bond movie of the same name, is an ode to the power of intimacy and the special connection two people can share. The lyrics suggest that the singer is opening up to the listener in a new way, letting down their guard and revealing aspects of themselves they never knew existed until they met this person. The lines "you can see so much in me, so much in me that's new" and "the love I know you need in me, the fantasy you've freed in me" suggest that this connection has unlocked a deep well of emotions and desires that were previously hidden. The chorus repeats the phrase "only for you" to emphasize that this level of intimacy and vulnerability is for this person alone, and that they have the power to see things in the singer that no one else can.
The verses also suggest that this connection has brought a sense of security and warmth to the singer's life. The lines "for your eyes only, the nights are never cold" and "you really know me, that's all I need to know" suggest that the listener understands the singer on a fundamental level, providing comfort and support during difficult times. The song ends with the phrase "for your eyes only" repeated over and over, emphasizing the exclusivity of this bond and the power it holds.
Overall, 'For Your Eyes Only' is a song that celebrates the transformative power of intimacy and the unique connection that can exist between two people. It suggests that when we let down our guard and allow someone to see us for who we truly are, amazing things can happen.
Line by Line Meaning
For your eyes only, can see me through the night.
Only you have the ability to truly see me and understand me, especially in the darkest of times.
For your eyes only, I never need to hide.
With you, I feel comfortable and safe enough to share my true self without feeling the need to hide any aspect of myself.
You can see so much in me, so much in me that's new.
You have the ability to recognize parts of me that I didn't even know existed, and help me to discover new aspects of myself.
I never felt until I looked at you.
Before meeting you, I didn't even realize that it was possible to feel such a strong connection and love for another person.
For your eyes only, only for you.
Everything that I am and everything that I have to give is exclusively for you.
You'll see what no one else can see, and now I'm breaking free.
As you continue to discover new parts of me that no one else has seen, I feel liberated and free to be my true self.
The love I know you need in me, the fantasy you've freed in me.
I am confident in my ability to provide the love and affection that you desire, and you have given me the freedom to embrace my deepest desires and fantasies.
For your eyes only, the nights are never cold.
Knowing that you are always watching over me and taking care of me fills me with warmth, even during the coldest of nights.
You really know me, that's all I need to know.
Simply knowing that you truly understand who I am and accept me for everything that I am is enough to make me feel complete and content.
Maybe I'm an open book because I know you're mine,
I feel comfortable sharing everything with you because I know that you belong to me and will always be there for me.
But you won't need to read between the lines.
There's no need for you to search for hidden meanings or ulterior motives because everything I say and do is genuine and completely transparent.
The passions that collide in me, the wild abandoned side of me.
You have ignited a fire within me that has brought out the most intense and passionate sides of me, allowing me to embrace my wild and reckless nature.
Only for you, for your eyes only.
Everything that I am and everything that I do is purely for you, and no one else has the ability to experience the depth of my love and affection like you can.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BILL CONTI, MICHAEL LEESON, MICK LEESON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@StuartAlexander-vz2ce
this is so awesome that i bought the soundtrack to the film 15 years ago and still played it in my car up until just last July-22 as i bought a new car and there is no CD players in them now.
so i come on here to listen to it. Bill Conti has created a masterpiece in this.
it is not the only piece of music on the soundtrack that is awesome -
The submarine is good and
The opening part with the helicopter/Blofeld scene with the bond music etc, that is brilliant too.
St Cyrils/climbing when bond accidently grabs the bird and almost falls is so good and intense
A drive in the country is awesome too!!!
Bill is a genius!!! underrated and not talked about enough sorry!!!!
@nuller87
Bill Conti really deserves more praise for his music.
When I was a kid watching this Bond movie, I played to chase over and over again because of this music, and how well it suited the cool stunt-work. Still love listening to it here in 2022!
@TheSmokingDen
Doing that now!
@binnyciment6354
Same 😂
@TangentChaos
🎉❤ Me too lol this is one of the best versions uploaded Thank you for sharing and agreed one of my favorite bond songs It's hard to pick one though, but easy enough to say my favorite Bill Conti song since most of my favorites for Bond are Barry's.
@joshuamcmorrow-hernandez1364
One of the most beautiful instrumental marriages of late 1970s-era disco and early 1980s-era techno I've heard in a long time.
@8dioproductions
Tasteful comment!
@rtghffdfdg
Except this is pre-techno and sounds pure disco to me. Otherwise I agree.
@OneAndOnlyMe
Agree! Runaway and the Bond 77 ski chase in my view.
@ercanSa
the bridges though (00:45s) - killing beauty!
@OneAndOnlyMe
@ercanSa Agree, but I'm willing to forgive because the rest is just so damn good.