"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, 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 ariaUn 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. It became a gold record. This song has been a staple of Engelbert Humperdinck's live show since 1995.
Other covers
A version by Don Cornell was recorded approximately at the same time. It was issued by Coral Records as catalog number 61467. Bing Crosby recorded the song in 1955 for use on his radio show and it was subsequently included in the box set The Bing Crosby CBS Radio Recordings issued by Mosaic Records in 2009. The song has also been recorded by Ringo Starr, Frank Sinatra, Andy Williams, Shirley Bassey, Nat King Cole and Barry Manilow. Neil Sedaka recorded the song in Italian as "L'Amore E' Una Cosa Meravigliosa". Connie Francis recorded the song in Italian in 1960 during the work for her album More Italian Favorites, although this version remains unreleased to this day. Francis also recorded the original English lyrics in 1961 for her album Connie Francis Sings 'Never on Sunday' and Other Title Songs from Motion Pictures. The instrumental playback of this 1961 recording was also used when Francis cut a German-language version, "Sag, weißt du denn, was Liebe ist", in 1966. The song was about that time also performed by Fairuz in Arabian language. A Disco version was recorded by Tina Charles in 1980. Jeff Lynne recorded his version for his nostalgic cover albumLong Wave in 2012.
This song can be heard in the movies Grease, Private Parts, St. Trinian's, , and The Nutty Professor 2. The song, among others, was referenced in Moulin Rouge! when Christian says, "Love is like oxygen - love is a many splendored thing - love lifts us up where we belong! All you need is love!." It has been also heard in the series Bones, in the 14th episode of the third season sung by Dr. Zack Addy.
