Francis Lai - A Man And A Woman (Soundtrack)

Francis Lai’s score for the 1966 French romance Un Homme et Une Femme is the absolute pinnacle of European lounge-pop sophistication. The title track, with its famous, breezy 'ba-da-ba-da-da-da' wordless vocal, essentially defined the sound of 1960s cosmopolitan cool. The United Artists pressing delivers that warm, bossa nova-inflected jazz with impeccable smoothness. It’s an album full of gentle acoustic guitars, whispering vocals, and cinematic melancholy. Put this on, and your living room instantly transforms into a rainy café in Paris.