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).
Theme From Love Story
Francis Lai Lyrics
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Miscellaneous
Almost Paradise (love Theme From Footloose)
ALMOST PARADISE
Mike Reno (of "Loverboy") and Ann Wilson (of "Heart")
Love Theme from Footloose
I thought that dreams belonged to other men
'Cuz each time I got close
I feared my heart would beat in secrecy
I faced the nights alone
Oh, how could I have known
That all my life I only needed you
Chorus
Whoa-oa
ALMOST PARADISE
We're knocking on heaven's door
ALMOST PARADISE
How could we ask for more?
I swear that I can see forever in your eyes
Paradise
It seems like perfect love's so hard to find
I'd almost given up
You must've read my mind
And all these dreams I saved for a rainy day
They're finally comin' true
I'll share them all with you
'Now we hold the future in our hands
Chorus
And in your arms salvation's not so far away
We're getting closer, coser every day
Chorus
The song "Almost Paradise (Love Theme from Footloose)" sung by Mike Reno and Ann Wilson is about the realization of true love and finding the one person that has been missing in one's life. The lyrics begin by acknowledging the disappointment that comes with failed relationships and the fear of not being able to find love. However, the chorus emphasizes the joy of finally finding someone, as they are "knocking on heaven's door," and they have found their "almost paradise." The song suggests that perfect love is hard to find, and the sudden realization of finding that perfect love is like discovering paradise.
The next verse of the song continues the idea of finding true love, suggesting that the love found is mutual, and they share a vision of a future together. They hold the future in their hands, and salvation is within reach. The chorus repeats the idea of paradise, with the singers seeing forever in each other's eyes. The song concludes with the idea that they are getting closer to their ultimate goal, and with each passing day, they are closer to achieving their dreams together.
Line by Line Meaning
I thought that dreams belonged to other men
I used to think that having dreams was only for other people.
'Cuz each time I got close
They'd fall apart again
Every time I got close to fulfilling my dreams, they would always fall apart.
I feared my heart would beat in secrecy
I was scared to let anyone know how I truly felt inside.
I faced the nights alone
Oh, how could I have known
I spent countless nights by myself, not realizing that my true love was out there.
That all my life I only needed you
I now realize that all I ever needed was you in my life.
Whoa-oa
ALMOST PARADISE
We're knocking on heaven's door
ALMOST PARADISE
How could we ask for more?
Being with you is like being in paradise, we feel like we're so close to heaven and we couldn't ask for anything more.
I swear that I can see forever in your eyes
Paradise
Looking into your eyes, I feel like I can see a future that goes on forever, a paradise of sorts.
It seems like perfect love's so hard to find
I'd almost given up
You must've read my mind
I almost gave up on finding true love, but then you came into my life as if you knew what I needed.
And all these dreams I saved for a rainy day
They're finally comin' true
I'll share them all with you
All the dreams that I kept aside for some unknown future are now coming true, and I want to share them with you.
'Now we hold the future in our hands
We now have control over our future and can shape it however we want.
And in your arms salvation's not so far away
We're getting closer, coser every day
When I'm in your arms, I feel like I'm closer to salvation, and we're getting closer to each other with every passing day.
Writer(s): Francis Lai, Carl Sigman Copyright: Sony/ATV Harmony, Music Sales Corp.
Contributed by Sophie E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.