Speak Softly Love (Love Theme from The Godfather)

"Speak Softly Love (Love Theme from The Godfather)" is a song written for The Godfather (1972), the first film in the Godfather trilogy. While its instrumental version is simply known as "The Godfather Love Theme", "Speak Softly Love" is the vocal version. The words are by Larry Kusik but the music itself is by Nino Rota. The signature musical theme that opens the piece closely models a theme that appears early in the Overture to "La Forza del Destino" by Giuseppe Verdi. There are also different sets of lyrics for the song in Italian ("Parla Più Piano") and also in Sicilian ("Brucia La Terra"). The Sicilian version is sung by Anthony Corleone (Franc D'Ambrosio) in The Godfather Part III.

Rota had used a more comedic version of the song for the 1958 film Fortunella. When this was discovered, Rota's score for The Godfather was disqualified from consideration at the 1973 Academy Awards; it had been nominated for Best Original Score.^[1] However, Rota's score won the 1974 Academy Award for Best Original Score, despite containing the same piece.

Recordings

The song was originally recorded by Andy Williams, other artists, such as Al Martino and Bobby Vinton, have also recorded the song, among many others:

• Slash of Velvet Revolver (formerly of Guns N' Roses) regularly performs it in concerts in a rock style.
• Jamaican singer Ken Boothe recorded a reggae version.
• Sergio Franchi recorded the theme song his 1976 DynaHouse album 20 Magnificent Songs. He recorded it as a medley with "I Have But One Heart" on two other 1976 albums.^[2] There is also a very rare video of Franchi singing the Medley on YouTube in an unreferenced TV appearance^[3]
• Satan's Pilgrims have performed a surf rock version as well.
• Gianni Morandi had covered the song under the title "Parla Più Piano".
• Dalida had also covered under the title Parle plus bas (Le Parrain), as well as Tino Rossi and Marie Laforêt^[4].
• 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 to register the original English version for The Godfather's soundtrack following the offer from Ariola (Sony BMG Music Entertainment).
• The Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra has also performed a ska version of the song. Also lifted for a song "Raja ko rani se pyar ho gaya " in an Indian film Akele Hum Akele Tum. In Yugoslavia it was adapted and sung by Tereza Kesovija as "Govori Tiše".
• Hungarian pop star György Korda released the Hungarian language version 1974 as "Gyöngéden ölelj át és ringass szerelem".
• The 1970s Japanese pop group the Candies performed this song live in Osaka in 1977
• The band Fantômas also recorded a rock/metal version of the song on their album The Director's Cut.
• The Hot Club of Detroit recorded a Gypsy jazz cover of this song on their eponymous album.
• The Sicilian version from The Godfather Part III appears on the music compilation Mob Hits: the Best Songs of Mafia Movies.
• Speak Softly Love, recorded in 2004 by the Norwegian singer Rein Alexander.
• The melody was used as the theme music and as a central plot device in the Soviet short animated film Contact.
• A Russian version was by Alexander Vertinsky, a Slovak version by František Krištof Veselý, and a Czech version by Jiří Malásek.
• Scott Walker recorded a version for his 1972 album The Moviegoer.
• A Portuguese version called "Fale Baixinho" was recorded by Brazilian singer Wanderley Cardoso in 1972.
• German jazz pianist Wolfgang Liebert regularly performs it as a standard.
• Hip-Hop artist RZA of Wu-Tang Clan samples the theme in "Black Mozart" on Raekwon's album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II.
• The Italian version ("Parla Piu Piano", or "Io e Te") was recorded by Albanian singer Enriko Ceko in 2004. It was later recorded by the Welsh mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins for her album, "Rejoice".
• Actor/singer Dominic Chianese, who portrayed Johnny Ola in The Godfather Part II, recorded the Italian version for his album Ungrateful Heart.

See also

• "Promise Me You'll Remember" ("Love Theme from The Godfather Part III")

Notes and references

1. ^ Kris Tapley (2008-01-21). "Jonny Greenwood's 'Blood' score disqualified by AMPAS". Variety. http://www.variety.com/blog/890000489/post/370020437.html. Retrieved 2010-03-04. 
2. ^ http://www.discogs.com/sergio-franchi
3. ^ http://www.youtube.com
4. ^ Movie profile on "The Godfather" including trivias section referring to Tino Rossi and Marie Laforêt's covers of the song

External links

• MIDI piano arrangement