Speak Softly Love (Love Theme from The Godfather)
| "Speak Softly, Love (Love Theme from The Godfather)" | ||||
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| Single by Andy Williams | ||||
| from the album Love Theme from "The Godfather" | ||||
| B-side | "A Fool Never Learns" | |||
| Released | April 1972 | |||
| Genre | Vocal | |||
| Length | 2:41 | |||
| Label | Columbia Records 45579 | |||
| Writer(s) | Larry Kusik, Nino Rota | |||
| Producer(s) | Dick Glasser | |||
| Andy Williams singles chronology | ||||
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Speak Softly, Love (Love Theme from The Godfather)
 The famous theme, composed by Larry Kusik and Nino Rota. |
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"Speak Softly, Love" is the theme song for The Godfather (1972), the first film in the Godfather trilogy. Its instrumental version is simply known as "Love Theme from The Godfather". Larry Kusik wrote the lyrics, and Nino Rota wrote the music. Different sets of lyrics for the song were written in French ("Parle plus bas"), Italian ("Parla più piano"), Sicilian ("Brucia la terra"), and Spanish ("Amor hàblame dulcemente"). The Sicilian version is sung by Anthony Corleone (Franc D'Ambrosio) in The Godfather Part III.
Rota's score for The Godfather had been nominated for a 1973 Academy Award for Best Original Score. However, it was disqualified from consideration when the Academy learned Rota had used a more comedic version of the song for the film Fortunella (1958).[1] Nonetheless, Rota's score for The Godfather Part II won the 1974 Academy Award for Best Score, despite the fact that it contained the same piece.
Recordings
The song was originally recorded by Andy Williams.
- Satan's Pilgrims have performed a surf rock version as well.
- A Ukrainian version, "Say You Love Me" (Ukrainian: Скажи, що любиш; Skazhy scho lyubysh) was performed by Sofia Rotaru in the musical film Song Is Always with Us, as the Soviet administration did not allow her to record an English cover of The Godfather's theme following an offer from Ariola Records.
- The melody was used as the theme music and as a central plot device in the Soviet short animated film Contact.
- Hip-hop artist RZA of Wu-Tang Clan samples the theme in "Black Mozart" on Raekwon's album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II.
- Bay Area rapper Mac Dre sampled the theme in his hip-hop song "Mafioso" from his 2003 album, Al Boo Boo.
See also
Notes and references
- ↑ Kris Tapley (2008-01-21). "Jonny Greenwood's 'Blood' score disqualified by AMPAS". Variety. Archived from the original on July 9, 2008. Retrieved 2010-03-04.
External links
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