While the Soundtrack Version by Francis Lai is the original, several other renditions helped make it a 70s phenomenon:

The haunting instrumental was composed by French artist Francis Lai for the 1970 romantic drama Love Story .

: The theme won the Academy Award for Best Original Score and the Golden Globe for Best Original Score.

: Originally an instrumental, Paramount later requested lyrics to capitalize on the song's popularity. Lyricist Carl Sigman wrote the words for what became "(Where Do I Begin?) Love Story" after being moved by a synopsis of the script. Memorable Elements for Your Post

: An instrumental version that also reached the Billboard charts.

: His vocal version, "(Where Do I Begin?) Love Story," became a massive hit single.

: Use the visual of Ali MacGraw and Ryan O'Neal ice skating in Central Park—a scene famously accompanied by Lai's piano-driven theme.

: Composer Francis Lai was reportedly inspired by his own previous work for a film called Love Is a Funny Thing . Paramount executives asked him to use a similar style but "slow it down" to match the film's tragic tone.