Born in New York City, Sager co-wrote her first pop hit, A Groovy Kind of Love, with Toni Wine, while a student at the New York City High School of Music and Art. It was recorded by the British invasion band The Mindbenders, whose version was a worldwide hit, reaching #2 on the Billboard Hot 100). The song was subsequently recorded by Sonny & Cher, Petula Clark, and Phil Collins, whose rendition for the film Buster hit #1 in 1988.
Sager was graduated from New York University, where she majored in English, Dramatic Arts and Speech. Her first recording as a singer was the 1977 album Carole Bayer Sager, which included the #1 international single "You're Moving Out Today", a song which she co-wrote with Bette Midler. (Paul Buckmaster provided horn and string arrangements for the album.) The album went platinum in Japan, Australia, and the United Kingdom. It was followed by ...Too in 1978 and a third and last album, co-produced by Burt Bacharach, entitled Sometimes Late at Night (1981), which included a top 30 hit single "Stronger Than Before", later recorded by Dionne Warwick and Chaka Khan.
Many of Sager's early songs were co-written with her former husband, composer Bacharach. She has also collaborated with Melissa Manchester, Neil Diamond, Marvin Hamlisch, Michael Masser, Peter Allen, Bruce Roberts, Neil Sedaka, David Foster, Albert Hammond, Quincy Jones, Michael McDonald, James Ingram, Donald Fagen, Babyface and Clint Eastwood (for the film True Crime).
Sager has won an Oscar (six nominations), a Grammy (nine nominations), two Golden Globe awards (seven nominations). She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987.
Sager won the Academy Award for Best Song in 1981 for "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)", the theme song from the film Arthur. She shared the award with co-writers Peter Allen, Burt Bacharach, and Christopher Cross.
Sager received the Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 1987 for "That's What Friends Are For", which she co-wrote with Bacharach. The song was originally written for the 1982 film Night Shift and was recorded for the movie by Rod Stewart. The song was honored for its 1986 cover version by Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, and Elton John, which became a number one hit, raising millions of dollars for AIDS research.
Sager now lives in Los Angeles, California, with her husband Robert A. Daly, former chairman CEO of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team and former chairman of Warner Brothers. Daly is currently Chairman (CEO) of the charitable organization Save The Children as well as an advisor to Tom Freston and Brad Grey at Paramount Pictures (Viacom). Sager and Daly co-chair the Los Angeles Advisory Board of DonorsChoose.
Sager has one son from her previous marriage, Cristopher Bacharach.
In May 2006 she was honored at a lunch at NYU's Steinhart School and later that evening received the Distinguished Alumni Award from New York University.
She appeared on the January 24, 2007 episode of American Idol as a judge during the Manhattan auditions.
The Prayer
Carole Bayer Sager Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And watch us where we go
And help us to be wise
In times when we don't know
Let this be our prayer when we lose our way
Lead us to a place
Guide us with your grace
La luce che tu dai
I pray we'll find your light
Nel cuore restera
And hold it in our hearts
A ricordarci che
When stars go out each night
L'eterna stella sei
Nella mia preghiera
Let this be our prayer
Quanta fede c'è
When shadows fill our day
Lead us to a place
Guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we'll be safe
Sognamo un mondo senza piu violenza
Un mondo di giustizia e di speranza
Ognuno dia la mano al suo vicino
Simbolo di pace e di fraternita
La forza che ci da
We ask that life be kind
e il desiderio che
And watch us from above
Ognuno trovi amore
We hope each soul will find
Intorno e dentro a se
Another soul to love
Let this be our prayer
Let this be our prayer
Just like every child
Just like every child
Needs to find a place
Guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we'll be safe
E la fede che
Hai acceso in noi
Sento che ci salvera
Carole Bayer Sager's song "The Prayer" is a heartfelt prayer asking for divine guidance, wisdom, and grace during uncertain times. The song begins by asking God, through prayer, to be the eyes that watch over us and guide us towards wisdom in times when we are lost. The main chorus is a plea that this prayer serves as a guiding light that will lead us to a place of safety with grace. The song then transitions to Italian, with the chorus repeated in a different language, which adds a spiritual and sacred quality to the words. The Italian lyrics translate to the same message: the hope to see a world of peace and love, with a future that is without violence; where everyone is united, holding hands and building peace through fraternity.
The song's lyrics are undeniably beautiful and moving, but the melody is equally powerful. The music, composed by David Foster, is a beautiful blend of classical, pop, and opera genres. Additionally, the song has been performed by many popular musicians, including legendary Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli and pop star Celine Dion, which has helped make it an international hit. Sager and Foster wrote "The Prayer" as a romantic song for the film Quest for Camelot, but the song's powerful lyrics and music have made it a sought-after choice for graduation ceremonies, religious events, and even funerals.
Line by Line Meaning
I pray you'll be our eyes
I hope that you will be the one guiding us with your wisdom
And watch us where we go
Please watch over us wherever we may be headed
And help us to be wise
Assist us in making the right decisions
In times when we don't know
Especially when we are uncertain, we need you most
Let this be our prayer when we lose our way
When we are lost or confused, we turn to you in prayer
Lead us to a place
Direct us to a safe location
Guide us with your grace
Show us the path we need to follow with dignity and compassion
To a place where we'll be safe
To a place where we can find comfort and security
I pray we'll find your light
I pray that we can find your guidance and strength
Nel cuore restera
Your wisdom will remain in our hearts
And hold it in our hearts
We will always keep your teachings close to us
When stars go out each night
During moments of darkness and uncertainty
L'eterna stella sei
You are the eternal light guiding us
Let this be our prayer
May this prayer be our beacon of hope
Quanta fede c'è
There is so much faith within us
When shadows fill our day
During moments of struggle and doubt
Give us faith so we'll be safe
Grant us the strength and trust we need to feel secure
Sognamo un mondo senza piu violenza
We dream of a world without violence
Un mondo di giustizia e di speranza
A world full of righteousness and hope
Ognuno dia la mano al suo vicino
Each person offers their hand to their neighbor
Simbolo di pace e di fraternita
A symbol of peace and brotherhood
We ask that life be kind
Please bless us with a life that is gentle
And watch us from above
Keep a watchful eye over us
We hope each soul will find
May each person discover
Another soul to love
Someone to share their life with
Just like every child
Just like every innocent heart
Needs to find a place
Needs a place to belong
Give us faith so we'll be safe
Empower us with the belief that we are not alone and that safety is within reach
E la fede che
And it's the faith
Hai acceso in noi
That you ignited within us
Sento che ci salvera
I feel that it will save us
Contributed by London P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@MarkBridgett-to6xy
Carol you are really amazing my name is Mark and I love listening to you sing as you have a voice like an angel.
@MarkBridgett-to6xy
What an amazing voice and a very cute lady.
@bogdano.8131
Ein sehr schönes Lied. Ich... übe die zweite Stimme, weil ich sie übermorgen bei einem Benefizkonzert singen soll 😊
@martysouth880
I have to say, Carole is look great, her face, her voice so different, has she had some work done?
David is unrecognisable.