While in his twenties, Lai left home and went to Paris, where he became part of the lively Montmartre music scene. In 1965 he met filmmaker Claude Lelouch and was hired to help write the score for the film A Man and a Woman. Released in 1966, the film was a major international success, earning a number of Academy Awards. The young Lai received a Golden Globe Award nomination for "Best Original Score". This initial success brought more opportunities to work for the film industry both in his native France, where he continued to work with Lelouch on scores to films such as Vivre pour vivre (1967), Un homme qui me plaît (1969), Le voyou (1970) and La bonne année (1973), as well as in Great Britain and the United States. He is known for his support of Mireille Mathieu in many compositions and recordings. In 1970 he wrote the score for director René Clément's film, Rider on the Rain ("Le passager de la pluie"). It sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc in September 1971.
In 1970 Lai won the Academy Award for Best Music, Original Score and the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score for the film Love Story. In the United States, the soundtrack album went to No. 2 in the Billboard album charts and the film's theme, "Where Do I Begin", was a hit single with lyrics by Carl Sigman for traditional pop singer Andy Williams. The song would also be recorded successfully by Lai himself, with a full orchestra, and by Henry Mancini and Shirley Bassey. Lai's "Love Story" theme was heard in the 1978 Love Story sequel titled Oliver's Story, although the main score was composed by Lee Holdridge.
His movie scores include films as diverse as Mayerling, Three into Two Won't Go, International Velvet, Édith et Marcel, and Michael Winner films such as I'll Never Forget What's'isname and Hannibal Brooks. Lai has also had success with music written for softcore erotic films like Emmanuelle 2 (1975) and Bilitis (1977). He earned high praise for the latter film's score and its sound-track sold over a million copies throughout the world.
His composition "Aujourd'hui C'est Toi" (Today It's You) is probably best known in the UK as the theme music for the long-running BBC television current affairs documentary series Panorama.
In a career spanning forty years, Lai has also written music for television programs and alone or in collaboration with others has composed music for more than one hundred films and has personally written more than six hundred songs. Notably, he penned the music for the Perry Como hit "I Think of You" (lyrics by Rod McKuen).
À l'ombre de nous
Francis Lai Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Restera toujours
Au noms de l'amour
Un gout d'eternite
Au nom de notre amour
Une ombre va rester
Cette ombre de nous
Brulant netre ciel
Ont du se concerter
Qu'au nom de ces soleils
Une ombre va rester
Ces soleils...
Ils sont si chauds
Ils sont si forts
Qu'ils nous brulent
Et qu'ils nous devorent
Encore, encore, encore...
Ils ont des noms de pacotille
L'amour, le respect, la folie
C'est la confiance et le courage
C'est le bleu des livres d'images
C'est tout ce que tu attends de moi
C'est tout ce que j'attends do toi
A l'ombre de nous
Ne pourra fleurir
Aux jours a venir
Pien d'autre que beaute
Meme en pensant au pire
Une ombre va rester
Cette ombre de nous
Les mille soleils
D'un amour pareil
N'y pourrant rien changer
Car des premiers soleils
Une ombre va rester
Ces soleils...
Ils sont si chauds
Ils sont si forts
Qu'ils nous brulent
Et qu'ils nous devorent
Encore, encore, encore...
Ils ont des noms qui font sourire
C'est la passion, c'est le delire
C'est la pananche et la tendresse
C'est le bleu de notre jeunesse
C'est tout ce qui, a jamais, vivra...
A l'ombre de nous...
The French song "À l'ombre de nous" by Francis Lai is about the lasting impact of a love that was once shared. The lyrics convey the idea that even though the relationship may have ended, there will always be a shadow or memory of the love that was shared. The chorus repeats the phrase "Au nom de notre amour, une ombre va rester," which translates to "In the name of our love, a shadow will remain." The shadow is described as being the result of the intense heat and strength of the love that once was, and even though it may have faded, it will always be present.
The song also touches on the different aspects of the love that was shared. The lyrics mention "love, respect, madness, trust, courage," and "tenderness" - all of which were a part of their relationship. The chorus repeats the phrase "Ils ont des noms" which means "They have names," referring to these different aspects of love that were a part of their relationship. The song conveys the message that even though this love is gone, the memories of it will last forever.
In conclusion, "À l'ombre de nous" by Francis Lai is a poetic song about the lasting impact of a love that was once shared. It speaks to the idea that even though the relationship may have ended, the memories and emotions of that love will remain a part of us forever.
Line by Line Meaning
A l'ombre de nous
There will always be a shadow of ourselves
Restera toujours
That will remain forever
Au noms de l'amour
In the name of love
Un gout d'eternite
A taste of eternity
Au nom de notre amour
In the name of our love
Une ombre va rester
A shadow will remain
Cette ombre de nous
This shadow of ourselves
Combien de soleils
How many suns
Brulant netre ciel
Burning in the sky
Ont du se concerter
Had to coordinate
Qu'au nom de ces soleils
So that in the name of these suns
Une ombre va rester
A shadow will remain
Ces soleils...
These suns...
Ils sont si chauds
They are so hot
Ils sont si forts
They are so strong
Qu'ils nous brulent
That they burn us
Et qu'ils nous devorent
And that they devour us
Encore, encore, encore...
Again, again, again...
Ils ont des noms de pacotille
They have names that seem frivolous
L'amour, le respect, la folie
Love, respect, insanity
C'est la confiance et le courage
It's trust and courage
C'est le bleu des livres d'images
It's the blue of picture books
C'est tout ce que tu attends de moi
It's everything you expect from me
C'est tout ce que j'attends do toi
It's everything I expect from you
A l'ombre de nous
In the shadow of ourselves
Ne pourra fleurir
Cannot flourish
Aux jours a venir
In the days to come
Pien d'autre que beaute
Only beauty
Meme en pensant au pire
Even when thinking of the worst
Une ombre va rester
A shadow will remain
Cette ombre de nous
This shadow of ourselves
Les mille soleils
The thousand suns
D'un amour pareil
Of such a love
N'y pourrant rien changer
Will not be able to change anything
Car des premiers soleils
Because from the first suns
Une ombre va rester
A shadow will remain
Ces soleils...
These suns...
Ils sont si chauds
They are so hot
Ils sont si forts
They are so strong
Qu'ils nous brulent
That they burn us
Et qu'ils nous devorent
And that they devour us
Encore, encore, encore...
Again, again, again...
Ils ont des noms qui font sourire
They have names that make us smile
C'est la passion, c'est le delire
It's passion, it's madness
C'est la pananche et la tendresse
It's the boldness and tenderness
C'est le bleu de notre jeunesse
It's the blue of our youth
C'est tout ce qui, a jamais, vivra...
It's everything that will live forever...
A l'ombre de nous...
In the shadow of ourselves...
Contributed by Owen O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@silvanusslaughter
OK, I finally figured out how to play this on keyboard and guitar, and sing it. One of the loveliest, most passionate songs ever recorded by Lai and Barouh. Not to demean it, but it's one of the best wedding songs ever.
@reginatheron436
Pour mon amour
@reginatheron436
Pour mon amour
@payolovay
Such amount of good memories from 60's...
@jorgegrillo55
Nice... very nive.