Francis Lai 1932 - 2018

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pljms
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Location: London

Francis Lai 1932 - 2018

Post by pljms »

Where do I begin to tell the story of Francis Lai?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=al8pqHSkKDQ
Paul
blueonblue
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Re: Francis Lai 1932 - 2018

Post by blueonblue »

pljms wrote:Where do I begin?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=al8pqHSkKDQ
And the winner is....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goJh0kaW3LI

RIP Maestro.

'blue'
steveo_1965
Posts: 1023
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Location: Los Angeles

Re: Francis Lai 1932 - 2018

Post by steveo_1965 »

Hi Blue,
Hope you are doing well..I was shocked to see the great Francis had passed..I dont know what I was expecting..as he lived a pretty long life..but one just kind of goes along in life, thinking our heroes are living and with us...yes, it was a shock, and I felt and still feel sadness for the loss of Francis...RIP and thanks for all the great music, Mr.Lai
Sara D
Posts: 391
Joined: Mon Oct 27, 2008 4:32 am

Re: Francis Lai 1932 - 2018

Post by Sara D »

Yes, even when it may be as much as forty or fifty years since they wrote their best-loved music it still feels like a terrible loss when great composers go.

I love to hear all the sumptuous chords to perhaps Francis Lai's most famous tune played on the piano.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=izotHO8p8h4
Last edited by Sara D on Mon Nov 12, 2018 2:35 am, edited 1 time in total.
Djalma Junior
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Re: Francis Lai 1932 - 2018

Post by Djalma Junior »

Another great musician who leaves us.
We're speechless. Sadness.

RIP Francis Lai.
blueonblue
Posts: 1540
Joined: Fri Oct 06, 2006 3:22 am

Re: Francis Lai 1932 - 2018

Post by blueonblue »

steveo_1965 wrote:Hi Blue,
Hope you are doing well..I was shocked to see the great Francis had passed..I dont know what I was expecting..as he lived a pretty long life..but one just kind of goes along in life, thinking our heroes are living and with us...yes, it was a shock, and I felt and still feel sadness for the loss of Francis...RIP and thanks for all the great music, Mr.Lai
steveo
Great to hear from you !
One composer (who is still with us) celebrates his 90th birthday today...Ennio Morricone.
And like Burt he's still working !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxuvJU0MVaU

'blue'
steveo_1965
Posts: 1023
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2006 2:17 pm
Location: Los Angeles

Re: Francis Lai 1932 - 2018

Post by steveo_1965 »

Yes Blue,
Good to know on Ennio..heres my favorite "Lai" tune https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnCMTJlyaUs The bridge is breathtakingly beautiful... : )anybody that doesnt smile when they hear that part are dead or they have a tin ear!
Last edited by steveo_1965 on Sun Nov 11, 2018 2:47 am, edited 1 time in total.
pljms
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Re: Francis Lai 1932 - 2018

Post by pljms »

I believe 'Vivre pour Vivre' was Francis Lai's second major film score after 'Un Homme et une Femme'. Here is the main title theme sung in the picture by Annie Girardot.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-zMzjaMf9i0
Paul
Martin Johnson
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Re: Francis Lai 1932 - 2018

Post by Martin Johnson »

I remember holidaying in Nice a number of years back and finding out that Lai was a bit of a local celebrity having lived there for most if not all of his life. This most Gallic of composers strayed into Antonio Carlos Jobim territory for his theme to 'The Bobo', a film from around '67 or '68 that starred Peter Sellers:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uDmCeEDyhCc
pljms
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Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2004 8:43 am
Location: London

Re: Francis Lai 1932 - 2018

Post by pljms »

I've just listened to BBC Radio 4's obituary show 'The Last Word' which this week featured Francis Lai (pronounced 'Lie') and they played a powerful piece of his that was originally from the soundtrack of 'Un Homme et une Femme' and which was adapted for use as the theme to BBC TV's current affairs program, 'Panorama'.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rIDEvrt6CTU
Paul
blueonblue
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Joined: Fri Oct 06, 2006 3:22 am

Re: Francis Lai 1932 - 2018

Post by blueonblue »

pljms wrote:I've just listened to BBC Radio 4's obituary show 'The Last Word' which this week featured Francis Lai (pronounced 'Lie') and they played a powerful piece of his that was originally from the soundtrack of 'Un Homme et une Femme' and which was adapted for use as the theme to BBC TV's current affairs program, 'Panorama'.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rIDEvrt6CTU
Pure Genius !

'blue'
Hank
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Re: Francis Lai 1932 - 2018

Post by Hank »

Sara D
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Joined: Mon Oct 27, 2008 4:32 am

Re: Francis Lai 1932 - 2018

Post by Sara D »

I first became aware of the song 'À Bicyclette' as recorded by Yves Montand on a family holiday in France in the early 70s but it was only fairly recently that I discovered it was composed by Lai.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Xzbrjxqwpoo
pljms
Posts: 865
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Re: Francis Lai 1932 - 2018

Post by pljms »

Francis Lai's music was by far and away the best thing about 'The Bobo', which despite being a vehicle for Peter Sellers was a remarkably unfunny film. The beautiful and haunting theme entitled 'Imagine', so typical of Lai, was performed on the soundtrack by Stan Kenton and His Orchestra.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pE-UmYCvWGk
Paul
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