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).
Un homme et une femme
Francis Lai Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Chantent tout bas, ba da ba da da ba da ba da
Nos cœurs y voient, ba da ba da da ba da ba da
Comme une chance, comme un espoir
Comme nos voix, ba da ba da da ba da ba da
Nos cœurs y croient, ba da ba da da ba da ba da
Encore une fois, ba da ba da da ba da ba da
Tout recommence, la vie repart
Combien de joies
Bien des drames
Et voilà!
C'est une longue histoire
Un homme
Une femme
Ont forgé la trame du hasard
Comme nos voix, ba da ba da da ba da ba da
Nos cœurs y voient, ba da ba da da ba da ba da
Encore une fois, ba da ba da da ba da ba da
Comme une chance, comme un espoir
Comme nos voix, ba da ba da da ba da ba da
Nos cœurs en joie, ba da ba da da ba da ba da
On fait le choix, ba da ba da da ba da ba da
D'une romance qui passait là
Chance qui passait là
Chance pour toi et moi, ba da ba da da ba da ba da
Toi et moi, ba da ba da da ba da ba da
Toi et moi, ba da ba da da ba da ba da
Toi et moi, ba da ba da da ba da ba da
Toi et moi
The lyrics to Francis Lai's "Un homme et une femme" express the idea of two people finding each other by chance and choosing to embrace the opportunity that their love presents. The repetition of the phrase "ba da ba da da ba da ba da" in the chorus captures the musicality and joyful lightheartedness of their romantic encounter, while the references to the ups and downs of life - "Combien de joies, bien des drames" - suggest that their journey together will not be without challenges.
The lines "Comme nos voix, nos cœurs y voient, comme une chance, comme un espoir" describe the way in which the two characters, despite having just met, are able to see the potential for something special between them. The lyrics suggest that they are willing to take a chance on each other and see where their romance will lead. The final lines of the song - "Toi et moi" - encapsulate the sense of unity and togetherness that they feel, as they embark on their journey as a couple.
In many ways, the lyrics to "Un homme et une femme" explore the beautiful simplicity of falling in love and the power of human connection. Through its evocative melody and poetic lyrics, the song captures the wonder and magic of two people discovering each other and choosing to embrace the opportunity that their love presents.
Line by Line Meaning
Comme nos voix, ba da ba da da ba da ba da
Our voices, like a melody, join together and sing quietly
Chantent tout bas, ba da ba da da ba da ba da
Whispering softly, but our hearts are eager to hear
Nos cœurs y voient, ba da ba da da ba da ba da
Our hearts can visualize, beyond the whispers we share,
Comme une chance, comme un espoir
A chance, like a hope, we hold onto tight
Nos cœurs y croient, ba da ba da da ba da ba da
Believing in our hearts this love we've found, and
Encore une fois, ba da ba da da ba da ba da
Once again, we are giving love a new start
Tout recommence, la vie repart
Starting anew, and breaths new life into our hearts' parts
Combien de joies
How many joys,
Bien des drames
But also countless sorrows,
Et voilà!
And there you have it!
C'est une longue histoire
This is a lengthy tale
Un homme
A man
Une femme
And a woman
Ont forgé la trame du hasard
Whose intertwined journeys and fates a wondrous slipshod
Nos cœurs en joie, ba da ba da da ba da ba da
Glowing with happiness, that seemed so new to explore
On fait le choix, ba da ba da da ba da ba da
Making choices and decisions, so passionate and pure
D'une romance qui passait là
Of a love that happened upon us, both unaware
Chance qui passait là
Opportunity knocking at our heart's door
Chance pour toi et moi, ba da ba da da ba da ba da
An opportunity for both you and I, to love and to explore, more and more.
Toi et moi, ba da ba da da ba da ba da
You and me, now and forever, through life's endless score.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Francis Lai, Pierre Barouh
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Louis
Aujourd'hui, ces musiques tellement romantiques n'existent pratiquement plus. Je ne suis pas vieux jeu, mais j'aimerais tant revenir à cette époque!!!! SNIFF
Gra v i to
De même ici, j'aimerai vivre à ces époques que je n'ai jamais connu, les chansons ainsi que les musiques étaient d'une pureté
MozartEstLa
@Gra v i to dis-toi qu'il est aujourd'hui beaucoup plus facile d'écouter ces musiques encore et encore, alors qu'à l'époque, elles n'étaient que des hymnes romantiques qu'on ne pouvait qu'apprécier quelques fois et qui hantaient nos pensées pendant des années... Je n'y étais pas moi-même, mais j'espère que l'on reviendra un jour à une époque d'élégance (voire de spleen)
Gra v i to
@MozartEstLa ca veut dire qu'à l'époque, c'était quelque chose de savoureux. Aujourd'hui on vit dans la gourmandise, ça se ressent à TOUS les niveaux
MozartEstLa
@Gra v i to pas faux, l'argument va dans les deux sens... Il est vrai qu'on apprécie plus ce qu'on sait que l'on écoutera qu'une fois, comme les villageois assistant à l'opéra ou au concert classique au XVIIIe.
Gra v i to
@MozartEstLa Merci pour cette discussion
JessySoyNoviaDeDavidMedrano
Esa canción me encanta me relaja mucho 😌💆🏻♀️
Françoise Coent
Un homme et une femme , Chanson merveilleuse qui dès que je l'écoute me donne la chair de poule...😘
Anne Maude
Un film et une musique extraordinaire, un souvenir heureux, merci 👱♀️💞🎶👏👏👏👏👏
alberto mario ascencio yuduman
Tenía 21/22 años cuando vi esta hermosa película, me gustaban los autos de carrera, pero encontré una obra maestra del romanticismo, del amor entre un hombre y una mujer, que maravilla, hoy a mis 78 años escucho esta música y me transporta, que hermosa época hemos vivido!!!! ❤❤❤