Other notable movies scored by Jarre include Luchino Visconti's The Damned (1969), John Huston'sThe Man Who Would Be King (1975), and great music for Mohamed: The Messenger of God 1976 by Mustafa Al AkkadTop Secret (1984), Dead Poets Society (1989) and Jacob's Ladder (1990). His best television work was probably the score for the miniseries Jesus of Nazareth (1977), directed by Franco Zeffirelli . Jarre's television work also includes Shogun (1980), and the theme for PBS's Great Performances. Jarre scored his last film in 2001, a TV movie about the Holocaust entitled Uprising.
Jarre wrote mainly for orchestras, but began to favor to synthesized music in the 1980s, mostly for practical rather than aesthetic motivations, many critics feel. Jarre denies this and has pointed-out that his electronic score for Witness was actually more laborious, time-consuming and expensive to produce than an orchestral score. Jarre's electronic scores from the 80s also include Fatal Attraction, The Year of Living Dangerously and No Way Out. A number of his scores from that era also feature electronic/acoustic blends, such as Gorillas in the Mist, Dead Poets Society and Jacob's Ladder.
The broad, exotic theme for Lawrence of Arabia and the Russian-flavoured "Lara's Theme" from Doctor Zhivago are arguably his most famous creations, but much of his lesser known work is equally impressive, among it the barn-raising music for Witness, his passionate love theme from Fatal Attraction, and the moody electronic soundscapes of After Dark My Sweet. His score for David Lean's Ryan's Daughter (1970), although set in Ireland, completely eschews Irish music styles, owing to Lean's preferences. In the 80s, Jarre turned his hand to science fiction, with scores for Enemy Mine (1985) and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985). The latter is arguably his most imaginative score, written for full orchestra, augmented by a chorus, four grand pianos, a pipe organ, digeridoo, fujara, a battery of exotic percussion and three Ondes Martenot. The Ondes Martenot features in several of Jarre's scores, including Lawrence of Arabia, Jesus of Nazareth and The Bride. In 1990, Jarre scored the hugely popular supernatural love story / thriller Ghost. His music for the final scene of the film is based on "Unchained Melody" composed by fellow film composer Alex North. At the 2009 Berlin International Film Festival, he received a lifetime achievement award.
Maurice was the father of Jean Michel Jarre. His youngest son Kevin is a screenwriter, with credits on such movies as Tombstone and Glory.
He died of cancer on March 29th, 2009, in Los Angeles, USA, at the age of 84.
Main Titles
Maurice Jarre Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For this great opportunity
To Share with you exactly how I feel
I'm not well
And I Think that I should tell you
That I got the raw end of the deal
Don't get me wrong
'Cause it's not like I blame you
I'm ashamed
Of the way I point my finger
'Cause deep down I have reaped what I have sown
Life is hard
But so is everything
Give my regards to a man who cares
If I succeed
I will save my fellow man
And if I fail I'll just stand and stare
Such is life, Lord
And I know that you're aware
That you're a drug to me
A drug, within my fear
But, I Love you
A junkie to your silence
A wise man who's words, I'll never hear
What to do
I feel as if I'm floating
Not aware or in control of what I am
God bless me
Take me out of this existence
End my role as the sacrificial lamb
Life is hard
But so is everything
Give my regards to a man who cares
If I succeed
I will save my fellow man
And if I fail I'll just stand and stare
I'll just stand and stare
Life is hard
But so is everything
Give my regards to a man who cares
If I succeed
I will save my fellow man
And if I fail I'll just stand and stare
Life is hard
But so is everything
Give my regards to a man who cares
If I succeed
I will save my fellow man
And if I fail I'll just stand and stare
I'll just stand and stare
The lyrics to Maurice Jarre's song Main Titles express a sense of desperation and hopelessness towards life. The singer of the song seems to be addressing God, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to express their feelings. The song's protagonist talks about feeling unwell and getting the raw end of the deal. At the same time, they acknowledge that they can't blame God for their misfortunes.
As the song progresses, the singer grows more melancholic and introspective, acknowledging their own faults and mistakes. The lyrics express a deep sense of shame and a feeling of being lost and out of control of their life. The song's protagonist questions their faith in God, describing Him as a drug to whom they feel addicted. However, despite their sense of despair, the singer ends on a hopeful note, expressing the desire to save their fellow man if they succeed.
The lyrics of Main Titles are complex and layered, expressing a range of emotions that many listeners can relate to. The song's overarching theme seems to be that life is hard, but even in the face of adversity, we have a responsibility to do what we can to help others.
Line by Line Meaning
Thank you God
Expressing gratitude for the opportunity to share one's feelings
For this great opportunity
Acknowledging the chance to speak openly
To Share with you exactly how I feel
Stating the intent to express true emotions
I'm not well
Admitting to feeling unwell physically or mentally
And I Think that I should tell you
Recognizing the need to communicate honestly
That I got the raw end of the deal
Feeling unfairly treated in a situation
Don't get me wrong
Clarifying that the following statement is not blaming or accusatory
'Cause it's not like I blame you
Explaining that one does not hold someone else accountable for one's troubles
But sometimes things get crazy on their own
Acknowledging that some events are beyond one's control
I'm ashamed
Feeling guilty or embarrassed about something
Of the way I point my finger
Regretting blaming others for one's own issues
'Cause deep down I have reaped what I have sown
Recognizing that one is responsible for the consequences of one's actions
Life is hard
Reflecting on the difficulties of existence
But so is everything
Recognizing that nothing is easy
Give my regards to a man who cares
Passing on regards to someone who is compassionate
If I succeed
Hoping for success in a venture
I will save my fellow man
Wanting to help others through one's successes
And if I fail I'll just stand and stare
Resigning oneself to accepting failure
Such is life, Lord
Acknowledging the nature of life and addressing a higher power
And I know that you're aware
Recognizing that a higher power is cognizant of one's struggles
That you're a drug to me
Viewing a higher power as a source of comfort or addiction
A drug, within my fear
Acknowledging that faith is a refuge in times of fear
But, I Love you
Expressing affection towards a higher power
A junkie to your silence
Portraying oneself as addicted to the calming presence of a higher power
A wise man who's words, I'll never hear
Acknowledging that a higher power's wisdom is beyond one's comprehension
What to do
Feeling lost or uncertain about how to proceed
I feel as if I'm floating
Sensing a lack of control or direction in life
Not aware or in control of what I am
Feeling disconnected from one's true self
God bless me
Seeking a higher power's help and guidance
Take me out of this existence
Wishing to escape the difficulties of life
End my role as the sacrificial lamb
Desiring an end to personal suffering or sacrifice
I'll just stand and stare
Giving up on attempts to change a situation
But so is everything
Emphasizing the universal struggle of existence
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JAMAL F. JONES, CIARA PRINCESS HARRIS, JASPER TREMAINE CAMERON, ELVIS L. JR. WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind