Love is a Many-Splendored Thing

About Love is a Many-Splendored Thing

"Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing" is a popular song with music by Sammy Fain and lyrics by Paul Francis Webster. The song was publicized first in the movie, Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955), winning the Academy Award for Best Original Song. From 1967 to 1973, it was used as the theme song to Love is a Many Splendored Thing, the soap opera based on the movie. The song's refrain is based on the aria Un bel dì vedremo from Giacomo Puccini's opera, Madama Butterfly. The music was commissioned for the movie Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing and initially included in the film's Oscar-winning score, composed and conducted by Alfred Newman. Lyrics were subsequently added to make it eligible for the Best Original Song category of the Academy Awards. The original lyrics were rejected by the studio so new ones were written. The best-selling version of the song was recorded by The Four Aces backed by the Jack Pleis Orchestra and issued by Decca Records as catalog number 29625. It reached number two in the UK Singles Chart, and number one on both Billboard and Cash Box in 1955. The recording by The Four Aces is featured in the film Cookie (1989). It became a gold record. This song has been a staple of Engelbert Humperdinck's live show since 1995. more »