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 I go to Japan twice a
week (I mean, to a Japanese restaurant in Paris). Have lots of
Japanese friends too. Despite of being born in Nice, I think there
must be some Japanese blood running through my veins. But, I can
never go to the real Japan. Unfortunately I hate planes, more
specifically, is fear not hate. Furthermore, once I was on my way to
Japan and got caught into a typhoon and it felt like the plane was
going to crash (life is ironic, isn't it?). Couldn't see again a
woman whom I had a crush with. My destiny was like a movie of my
friend Claude Lelouch.
I first met Tokiko at a concert on the Unesco Hall. My friends
Pierre Grosz and Tatsuji Nagataki were with me. Pierre and I where
charmed by her bewitching voice and elegant gestures, but most of
all, her pure musicality moved us. Unfortunately (really mortifying)
this excitement was beyond our understanding of the Japanese lyrics
which she sang.
Sometime later, Pierre called me. He had written such wonderful
lyrics and began to read them on the phone. CIPANGO… I knew, before
he had a chance to say it, who would sing this. There wasn't anybody
else but Tokiko. While he began to explain me the lyrics, I felt
like I was traveling to Cipango already. It's always like this with
Pierre. His words possess magical powers that cross the telephone
line. The sensitivity of Tokiko and Pierre's words. These two
combined make a cocktail of West and East. As a composer I'm always
trying to create melodies that touch people around the world.
Soundtrack music is the optimum way to achieve this.
And I always work with friends. Pierre Grosz and Claude Lelouch,
Pierre Barouh…, because they are my friends I can create these
melodies. Same happens with singers and performers. Music won't be
created without love and friendship. "A man and a woman", "13 jours
en France", "Love story" and other [movies], over 30 years I
composed around 600 songs that were sang and performed by more than
90 artists. Edith Piaf, Yves Montand, Ella Fitzgerald, Elton John to
name just a few. But what really makes me happy is the friendship I
have with them. And although I have worked with Japanese people so
many times, Tokiko is the first [Japanese] singer to have worked
with*, right now her name highlights the last part of the list of my
singer friends who sang my original songs.
Even though I can't go to Japan, due to Tokiko I feel I have created
a song that ties a little bit more Paris and Tokyo.
Francis Lai
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