"A Love Before Time" is a song for Ang Lee’s movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. It was sung by Chinese-American singer CoCo Lee and featured Yo-Yo Ma on cello, with music by Tan Dun and Jorge Calandrelli. The English lyrics was written by James Schamus.

The song was introduced by the actress Julia Stiles as an “evocative love ballad” that combined "the flavor and texture of Eastern music with the orchestral color and sensitive lyrics of Western culture" in the ceremony.

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Personnel

  • Music composed by Jorge Calandrelli and Tan Dun
  • Lyrics by James Schamus
  • Translation by Elaine Chow
  • Produced by Jorge Calandrelli
  • Vocals by Coco Lee
  • Cello Solos by Yo-Yo Ma