Before ‘Golden,’ Here Are 25 Other Songs That Set Oscar Records

This stylish song was featured in the Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers film, The Gay Divorcee, the second of 10 films in which they co-starred. Con Conrad and Herb Magidson wrote the tune.

Each of the first 35 best song winners were written by just one or two writers. This ballad from The Thomas Crown Affair was the work of three writers – Lyricists Alan and Marilyn Bergman and composer Michel Legrand.

“The Windmills of Your Mind” was also the first best song winner written by a married couple. The Bergmanswere married from 1958 until Marilyn’s death in 2022. They won a second best song Oscar in 1974 with “The Way We Were,” which they co-wrote with Marvin Hamlisch.

This song was co-written by Christopher Cross (who also performed it); Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager (then a couple, soon to be married); and Peter Allen. Sager had remembered the line “when you get caught between the moon and New York City” from an unreleased song she had written with Allen and graciously gave him a credit on the new song. A sweet gesture, but one that wouldn’t be allowed today, given the Academy’s more rigorous rules in the category.

Allen made note of the lyric’s origins in his acceptance speech: “I want to thank the air traffic controller who put me in a holding pattern for two hours above JFK, and I found myself, like Arthur, caught between the moon and New York City.”

Lyricist Dorothy Fields and composer Jerome Kern co-wrote this timeless ballad for another Astaire/Rodgers film, Swing Time, their sixth together.

Carly Simon wrote both music and lyrics for this anthemic song from Mike Nichols’ Working Girl. Accepting the Oscar, Simon sweetly acknowledged that she had a little uncredited help on the lyric. “And thank you to my husband, Jim Hart, for writing the best lines in the song. Thank you, sweetheart.” 

On each of the first three best song winners that were co-written by women, women wrote the lyrics. By contrast, Streisand composed the melody to this ballad from her remake of A Star Is Born. Paul Williams wrote the lyrics.

“In my wildest dreams I never, never could ever imagine winning an Academy Award for writing a song,” Streisand said on receiving the Oscar. “I’m very honored and excited. Thank you all very much.”

Hayes’ eternally funky and cool smash topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks in 1971. Hayes made no mention of his history-making achievement in his acceptance speech, instead speaking in personal terms: “Most of all, I would like to thank a lady who’s here with me tonight, because years ago her prayers kept my feet [on] the path of righteousness, and that’s my grandmother. And this is a thrill for me. And also, a few days [from now is] her 80th birthday…this is her present from me.”

This also made Hayes the first Black person to win an Oscar in any non-acting category.

The first best song winner on which two or more Black songwriters collaborated was “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp” from Hustle & Flow, which won in 2006. Frayser Boy, Juicy J and DJ Paul teamed to write the hip-hop song.

An uncredited troubadour performs this ballad in Spanish in the film Captain Carey, U.S.A. Nat King Cole had a smash hit with it in English in 1950. Ray Evans and Jay Livingston wrote the song.

Doris Day sang this song in the Alfred Hitchcock film The Man Who Knew Too Much, so Americans in the 1950s knew at least one phrase in Spanish. [Actually, two: Les Paul and Mary Ford had had a smash in 1953 with “Vaya Con Dios (May God Be With You).”] Jay Livingston and Ray Evans wrote Day’s hit.

Jorge Drexler wrote both music and lyrics for this song from The Motorcycle Diaries. The Academy didn’t invite him to sing his nominated song on the telecast. They instead got two more famous Latin performers, Carlos Santana and Antonio Banderas, to do the honors. When Drexler won, in lieu of giving an acceptance speech, he sang parts of the song. So, he got to sing his song on the Oscars after all!

Leigh Harline and Ned Washington wrote this timeless lullaby for Pinocchio.

Melissa Etheridge wrote this song for the doc An Inconvenient Truth, about Al Gore’s efforts to bring attention to the issue of climate change. Accepting the award, she said in part: “Mostly, I have to thank Al Gore for inspiring us, inspiring me; showing that caring about the Earth is not Republican or Democrat, it’s not red or blue; we are all green.”

Keith Carradine performed this folkie ballad in Robert Altman’s Nashville.

Lyricist Howard Ashman died of AIDS on March 14, 1991, one year and two weeks before his most famous song (co-written with composer Alan Menken) won an Oscar. His award was accepted by his partner, Bill Lauch, who said, in part: “Howard and I shared a home and a life together and I’m very happy and very proud to accept this for him. But it is bittersweet. This is the first Academy Award given to someone we’ve lost to AIDS. In working on Beauty and the Beast, Howard faced incredible personal challenges but always gave his best.”

Harold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg won best original song for “Over the Rainbow,” the immortal ballad that was introduced by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz.  Herbert Stothart won best original score.

Bing Crosby performed the amiable tune in the film Going My Way, which won seven Oscars, including best picture. James Van Heusen and Johnny Burke wrote the song.

This was also the first best song winner that was performed in the film by an actor who won an Oscar for that performance.

This was Bob Hope’s theme song from the moment he and co-star Shirley Ross sang it in The Big Broadcast of 1938 until he died in 2003 at age 100. But the film received no other nominations. Ralph Rainger and Leo Robin wrote the song.

Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer co-wrote the timeless ballad, which Audrey Hepburn performed in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Andy Williams performed it on the Oscar telecast.

On accepting the Oscar, Mercer said, “I’d like to say that I’m very proud that you like our song. I’d like to thank you, Audrey. Thank you, Andy. And martinis for everybody.”

“Moon River” won song of the year at the fourth annual Grammy Awards in May 1962.

Burt Bacharach and Hal David wrote the jaunty smash, which topped the Hot 100 for four weeks in January 1970. In addition to being the first best song winner to reach No. 1, it was B. J. Thomas’ first No. 1 and the second for this peerless songwriting team, following Herb Alpert’s “This Guy’s in Love With You.”

The Sherman Brothers – Richard M. and Robert B. – wrote this song for Mary Poppins. They won a second Oscar on the night for music score (substantially original).

Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell joined them as the second pair of sibs to win in this category with “No Time To Die” (2022), which they wrote for the James Bond film of the same name. They won again in the category two years later for “What Was I Made For?” from Barbie, making them the first and only siblings to win twice in this category.

Eminem, Jeff Bass and Luis Resto co-wrote this anthemic smash for Eminem’s film debut, 8 Mile. Eminem didn’t show up to the Oscars to perform or accept his Oscar. He finally performed it on the Oscars in 2020. Better late than never, but his performance would have packed more punch at the time.

Resto was the only one of the three writers present to accept the Oscar. “Oh my. This all goes to Marshall,” he said. …. “It’s a great thing working with Marshall day in, day out. He’s creative. He has symphonies in his head that I’m privileged to put on the tape.”

Tex Ritter (father of the late sitcom star John Ritter) performed this song on the High Noon soundtrack. He and pop star Frankie Laine both had hits with this song in 1952. Ritter had 25 entries on Billboard’s country charts between 1944 to 1974. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1964.

Dimitri Tiomkin and Ned Washington wrote this song for the film that won four Oscars, including best actor for Gary Cooper. The song, counting its various instrumental arrangements, is heard 36 times throughout the film. No wonder it won!

Adele and Paul Epworth wrote this song for the 23rd official installment in the James Bond series (i.e., those produced by Eon Productions). Three previous official Bond songs had been nominated for best original song: “Nobody Does It Better” from The Spy Who Loved Me and title songs from Live and Let Die and For Your Eyes Only. So did one song from an “unofficial” Bond film (i.e., one not produced by Eon Productions) – “The Look of Love” from Casino Royale.

An uncredited Frank Sinatra sang this song in the film, which follows three American women working in Rome who dream of finding romance in the Eternal City. Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn wrote the song.

“High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin’),” which won two years earlier, was the first best song winner to feature the movie’s title as part of its title. Not quite a title song, but close.

Joseph Brooks did just about everything on this film but pop the popcorn sold in the concession stand. He wrote, directed and produced the film and composed, arranged and produced the soundtrack. The title song has brought hope and comfort to millions. It turns out Brooks could have used some of that himself. He took his own life in 2011 at age 73.