Orchester Francis Lai ~ Goldstücke von Francis Lai

This collection is really exciting considering what it brings together: 62 tracks from various stages of Francis. Lai career. Surprisingly, there's very little by way of the "Man and A Woman" era. In other words, the tracks concentrate on the 70's/early 80's with by then "plucky" and synthesizer heavy arrangements. The big surprises, and there are a few, are the "Child Under a Leaf" tracks and the extra "Wings of Heart" tracks (the final 5 minute track on CD 3 being a real stunner). For those wishing to "catch up" on Mr. Lai's 1970/early 80's career (with rare tracks thrown in), this is highly recommended. Some tracks are taken from vinyl. All in all, a very nice collection worth owning and listening.

tracks 1
01. Anguish (4:25)
02. La Boule Rouge (2:16)
03. Child under a leaf (2:40)
04. Child under a leaf (2:31)
05. Child under a leaf (fin) (2:30)
06. Child's death (2:25)
07. Child's theme (4:50)
08. Dancing in the Night (3:47)
09. Amazonas (3:07)
10. Anette (3:27)
11. Ein Mann und eine Frau (3:14)
12. Karibische Nacht (3:40)
13. Linda (3:05)
14. Phantasie (3:34)
15. Puerto Rico (2:37)
16. Souvenir einer Sängerin (2:47)
17. Südseezauber (2:49)
18. Tanz der Mexikaner (3:13)
19. Domino and Josef (2:09)
20. Elisabeth et Giovanni (4:07)
21. Elisabeth et Giovanni (5:13)

tracks 2
01. Emmanuelle - L`amour d'aimer (2:57)
02. Emmanuelle - L`arrivee d`Emmanuelle (4:09)
03. Emmanuelle - La lecon d'amour d`Emmanuelle (4:04)
04. Emmanuelle - Le Jardin de jade (3:43)
05. Emmanuelle - Les fantasmes d`emmanuelle (5:35)
06. Emmanuelle - Rencontre a Bali (5:23)
07. Emmanuelle L`antivierge (1:50)
08. Emmanuelle L`antivierge (4:02)
09. Emmanuelle L`antivierge (2:54)
10. Et pour quoi pas une fanfare (1:30)
11. Smic smac smoc (2:23)
12. Generique (1:58)
13. It's gonna be one of this nights - langsam (4:05)
14. It's gonna be one of this nights - schnell (3:36)
15. Joseph's death (2:28)
16. La guihguetto (2:42)
17. La marche de occupation (2:30)
18. L'age tendre (3:01)
19. Le bon et les mechants (3:06)
20. Le bon et les mechants (2:53)
21. L'heure bleue (3:27)

tracks 3
01. Made in USA (2:56)
02. Nostalgia (2:56)
03. Par le sang des autres - Musik I (4:32)
04. Par le sang des autres - Musik II (2:49)
05. Remembering 1945 (3:20)
06. Remembering 1945 (2:58)
07. Roseland Rose (2:30)
08. Street Games (2:00)
09. Sweet Melody (3:14)
10. The mad race (3:12)
11. Theme pour une ombre (2:57)
12. Theme Sport (5:50)
13. Theme ville - Folk (4:40)
14. Three, two, one Love (3:38)
15. Un amour de pluie (4:18)
16. Un amour de pluie (1:58)
17. Un amour de pluie (5:23)
18. Voizure de ville (3:56)
19. Waiting for a call (1:10)
20. Wings of heart (5:00)

Wings of heart 

Francis Lai ~ Joue Francis Lai (1971)

Between 1971 and mid 80s this album was occupying the airwaves of easy listening radio stations through out Europe.  These tunes sound different compared to "mainstream" releases and soundtracks.  The arranger Christian Gaubert  and producer Eddie Adamis made a respectable album by portraying Lai's song the way they ought to be - soft, passionate and seductive with sparse orchestration and occasional high pitched accordion sounds that adds to the emotional anxiety it tries to convey.  The real show stopper is   "13 Jours en France"  where the arranging mastery gives this tune even more romantic and emotional edge.  

tracks

01.Le voyou (2:39)

02.Le passager de la pluie (2:34)

03.Dans la poussiere du soleil (2:23)

04.Concerto Pour La Fin D'un Amour (Du Film-Un homme qui me plait) (3:27)

05.13 jours en France (2:35)

06.Vivre pour vivre (3:20)

07.Un homme et une femme (2:27)

08.Love story (3:11)

09.Madly (2:26)

10.Du soleil plein les yeux (2:16)

11.Hello goodbye (2:47)

12.A la recherche de Gaspard (1:39)

13.Madly - Generique (3:05)

14.Theme from Love Story (4:12)

Le passager de la pluie

The Very Best of Francis Lai

Perhaps "Highlights of Francis Lai" would be a better title for this compilation.  There are many other compositions that would rightfully deserve to be included in "The Best of" but this album, as a retrospective that shows Lai's versatile musical genius, is definitively worth owning and listening.  

tracks

01. Bilitis (3:21)

02. Theme from LOVE STORY (4:13)

03. The Blue Rose (La rose bleue) (4:27)

04. Emotion (4:42)

05. Happy New Year (3:15)

06. Love in the Rain (4:16)

07. Seduction (2:52)

08. Intimate Moments (2:35)

09. Par le Sang des Autres (4:33)

10. A Man and a Woman (3:57)

11. Live for Life (3:56)

12. African Summer (2:42)

13. Sur Notre Etoile (3:19)

14. La Ronde (2:29)

15. Les Uns et les Autres (3:22)

16. Smic Smac Smoc (2:25)

17. Solitude (3:39)

18. Whitechapel (3:17)

The Blue Rose (La rose bleue) 

Francis Lai ~ Inedits

tracks

01 Overture Et Le Vaisseau (5:31)
02 Mémoria (2:48)
03 Lonely Days Once More (3:26)
04 Street Games (2:01)
05 Amour Impossible (2:17)
06 Nuit Bleue (2:40)
07 Wings Of Heart (3:19)
08 Indian Summer (3:51)
09 Le Tennisman (4:34)
10 Child Under A leaf (4:51)
11 Haunting Dream (3:15)

alternate link

Indian Summer

Le Tennisman 

Francis Lai - Traumschiff

tracks
01. Das Traumschiff (2:49)
02. Karibische Nacht (3:44)
03. Anette (3:31)
04. Love Story (3:14)
05. Souvenir einer Sängerin (2:50)
06. Linda (3:08)
07. Kilimandscharo (3:25)
08. Phantasie (3:36)
09. Südseezauber (2:52)
10. Ein Mann und eine Frau (3:17)
11. Puerto Rico (2:41)
12. Samba Carneval (3:23)
13. Tant der Mexikaner (3:17)
14. Amazonas (3:08)

 Ein Mann und eine Frau

Love Story