(Where Do I Begin?) Love Story

Music written by Francis Lai and the words penned by Carl Sigman.

(Where Do I Begin) Love Story recorded: January, 1971 released:   UK: February, 1971 on United Artists single UP 35194   US: March, 1971 on the album Something Else charted:   UK Single: #34, March 27, 1971   US album: #123, June 12, 1971

Released 1971 on a single and the album Something Else. The single reached position number 34 in the UK charts and spent over two months in the British charts in the spring of 1971 (albeit overtaken by Andy Williams' Top 10 version).
The song is available digitally remastered on many collections.

A remix of Shirley's version by the "awayTEAM" has been released on a single Where Do I Begin in September 2000 and a longer version one week later on The Remix Album...Diamonds Are Forever.
For the remix a video clip has been produced, but in comic style and without Shirley in it. For they who have not seen the video, it is possible to view it online at the promotional site Shirley Bassey - Greatest Hits.

Here are some screenshots from the video:

If You want to know more about the "awayTEAM" look at the awayTEAM homepage.

The music is the instrumental theme of the famous Paramount film 'Love Story'. Francis Lai & His Orchestra reached 1971 position No. 31 in the US Billboard with the instrumental version of this song. In the same year Henry Mancini & His Orchestra reached position No. 13.
Francis Lai won an Oscar for the music. He already had another Oscar for his theme to "A Man And A Woman". He also was accompanist for Edith Piaf, for whom Lai also composed a number of songs as well.

Carl Sigman penned the words to the music and the title became "Where Do I Begin". Andy Williams reached a peak US Billboard position No. 9 in 1971 with this song.
Carl Sigman was a lyricist and wrote many famous songs. Many of his compositions have been recorded by Frank Sinatra from the 40's into the 90's. His first major composition was 1940's "Love Lies," recorded by Sinatra while with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. Other famous Sigman songs recorded by Shirley Bassey are for example "My Way Of Life", "Till" and "What Now My Love". For the last one he worked together with Gilbert Becaud and this song has then been recorded by many artists like for example for Frank Sinatra's 1995 "Duets" album.

Plot summary of the 1970 movie "Love Story":

Harvard Law student/hockey jock Oliver Barrett IV (Ryan O'Neal) meets Radcliffe music wonk Jennifer Cavilerri (Ali MacGraw), and the couple soon enter into a relationship. When the couple decide to get married, Oliver's father Oliver Barrett III (Ray Milland) threatens to disinherit him from the family will, leaving Oliver and Jennifer to start their marriage at rock-bottom. Jennifer and her dad Phil Cavilleri (John Harley) do what they can to bring father and son back together, but the two prefer to remain at war with one another. Years go by, and the young couple attempt to have children, only to discover that she is malfunctioning. The doctor finds out that she has an incurable disease and has a very short time to live. All the money of Oliver could not save her and she died at the age of 25.

Lyrics:

Where do I begin?
To tell the story of how great a love can be
The sweet love story that is older than the sea
The simple truth about the love he brings to me
Where do I start?

Like a summer rain
That cools the pavement with a patent leather shine
He came into my life and made the living fine
And gave a meaning to this empty world of mine
He fills my heart

He fills my heart with very special things
With angels' songs, with wild imaginings
He fills my soul with so much love
That anywhere I go, I'm never lonely
With him along, who could be lonely
I reach for his hand, it's always there

How long does it last?
Can love be measured by the hours in a day?
I have no answers now, but this much I can say
I'm going to need him till the stars all burn away
And he'll be there

He fills my heart with very special things
With angels' songs, with wild imaginings
He fills my soul with so much love
That anywhere I go, I'm never lonely
With him along, who could be lonely
I reach for his hand, it's always there

How long does it last?
Can love be measured by the hours in a day?
I have no answers now, but this much I can say
I'm going to need him till the stars all burn away
And he'll be there
(transcribed by Roman <scribbler@gmx.net>)