Michel Legrand (Michel Jean Legrand, Paris, France, 24 February 1932 – 26 J… Read Full Bio ↴Michel Legrand (Michel Jean Legrand, Paris, France, 24 February 1932 – 26 January 2019) was a French composer, arranger, conductor, and pianist. A prolific composer, having written over 200 film and television scores, in addition to many memorable songs, he is best known for his often haunting, jazz-tinged film music. His celebrated scores for the films of French New Wave director Jacques Demy, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) and The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967), earned Legrand his first Academy Award nominations. Legrand won his first Oscar for the song "The Windmills of Your Mind" from The Thomas Crown Affair (1968).

Michel Legrand made his fame and fortune from writing for films, but he has done significant work in jazz on an occasional basis. In 1957, he arranged a set of dixieland and swing standards for a French orchestra (recorded on Philips), in 1958 he used three different all-star groups for the classic Legrand Jazz (with such sidemen as Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Phil Woods, Herbie Mann, Bill Evans, Ben Webster, Art Farmer and others), in 1968 he recorded a strictly jazz set with a trio and Legrand has written for albums led by Stan Getz (1971), Sarah Vaughan (1972), and on several occasions, Phil Woods. Several of his songs (such as "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life", "Watch What Happens" and "The Summer Knows") have been recorded many times by jazz musicians.

What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?
Michel Legrand Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I want to see your face in every kind of light
In fields of dawn and forests of the night
And when you stand before the candles on a cake
Oh, let me be the one to hear the silent wish you make

What are you doing the rest of your life?
North and South and East and West of your life
I have only one request of your life

That you spend it all with me

All the seasons and the times of your days
All the nickels and the dimes of your days
Let the reasons and the rhymes of your days
All begin and end with me

I want to see your face in every kind of light
In the fields of dawn and the forests of the night
And when you stand before the candles on a cake
Oh, let me be the one to hear the silent wish you make

Those tomorrows waiting deep in your eyes
In the world of love that you keep in your eyes
I'll awaken what's asleep in your eyes
It may take a kiss or two

Through all of my life
Summer, Winter, Spring, and Fall of my life

All I ever will recall of my life
Is all of my life with you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Michel Legrand's song "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life" are a heartfelt plea from the singer to their beloved. The opening lines express the depth of the singer's desire to see their lover in every possible light, in every moment of their life. The imagery of fields of dawn and forests of the night showcases the range of emotions and moods that the singer wishes to experience alongside their significant other. The verse continues with a reference to a birthday cake, with the singer asking to be the one to hear their lover's silent wish as they blow out the candles - a symbolic representation of the singer's desire to be part of every moment of their loved one's life.

The chorus serves as the repeated refrain, with the singer asking their loved one what they plan to do with the rest of their life. The geographical references of "North and South and East and West of your life" speak to the singer's desire to be part of every aspect of their significant other's existence. The only request that the singer has is that their lover spends the rest of their life with them - a simple yet profound declaration of love.

The second verse reinforces the idea of the singer's desire to be present for every moment of their lover's existence. References to the "seasons and the times" and the "nickels and the dimes" further emphasize the idea of being present through the ups and downs of life. The singer asks that all of their lover's reasons and rhymes start and end with them, again emphasizing the centrality of the relationship to the singer's existence. The verse ends with a reiteration of the opening lines, with the singer once again expressing their desire to see their lover's face in every possible light.

The final verse offers a promise to the singer's loved one, of awakening the world of love that they hold within their eyes. The singer acknowledges that it might take a kiss or two to achieve this, but promises to be present through all of life's seasons - summer, winter, spring, and fall. The final line is a powerful declaration of the importance of their lover in the singer's life - all they will remember is their life with them.

Overall, the lyrics to "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life" are a beautiful expression of love and commitment, with the singer offering to be present through all the moments of their lover's life.

Line by Line Meaning

I want to see your face in every kind of light
I want to experience everything with you, through good times and bad, in all types of situations and times of day.

In fields of dawn and forests of the night
I want to experience life together with you, in beautiful and serene environments, but also in the dark and intense.

And when you stand before the candles on a cake
On birthdays or special occasions, I want to be there to witness and hear the silent wish you make.

Oh, let me be the one to hear the silent wish you make
It's important to me to be close to you and share in your hopes and dreams.

What are you doing the rest of your life?
I want to know what your plans are for the future, and whether you would consider spending it with me.

North and South and East and West of your life
I want to be a part of your life, no matter where it takes you or what direction you go in.

I have only one request of your life
All I ask is that you consider spending your life with me.

That you spend it all with me
I want to share everything with you, and be with you until the end of our lives.

All the seasons and the times of your days
I want to experience every moment of your life with you, in every season and during all times of day or night.

All the nickels and the dimes of your days
I want to experience and share all the details of your life, big or small.

Let the reasons and the rhymes of your days
Every moment and every reason that fills your days, let it all be centered around our love for each other.

All begin and end with me
Our love is the foundation of everything in your life, and it will be with us until the end of time.

Those tomorrows waiting deep in your eyes
I see the potential for our future in your eyes, and I want to be a part of it.

In the world of love that you keep in your eyes
I know that you carry a world of love within you, and I want to be a part of that beautiful world with you.

I'll awaken what's asleep in your eyes
I want to bring out the happiness and love that's hiding behind your beautiful eyes.

It may take a kiss or two
Our love may need a little nudge, some effort and care, but I'll do whatever it takes to make it work.

Through all of my life
No matter what happens throughout my life, my love for you will always remain constant.

Summer, Winter, Spring, and Fall of my life
I want to experience all the seasons and cycles of life with you, every step of the way.

All I ever will recall of my life
When I look back on my life, all I'll remember is you, and the love we shared together.

Is all of my life with you
You are my everything, my life partner, my soulmate, and I want to spend my entire existence loving you.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ALAN BERGMAN, MARILYN BERGMAN, MICHEL LEGRAND

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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What are you doing the rest of your life
North and South and east and West of your life
I have only one request of your life
That you spend it all with me

All the seasons and the times of your days
Are the nickels and the dimes of your days
Let the reasons and the rhymes of your days
All begin and end with me

I want to see your face in every kind of light
In fields of gold and forests of the night
And when you stand before the candles on a cake
Oh let me be the one to hear the silent wish you make
BabyTron “8th Wonder of The World” (Live Performance) | Open Mic

Those tomorrows waiting deep in your eyes
In a world of love you keep in your eyes
I'll awaken what's asleep in your eyes
It may take a kiss or two

For all of my life
Summer winter spring and fall of my life
All I ever will recall of my life
Is all of my life with you