Being nominated for Best Original Song at the Academy Awards is something many musicians only dream of. Though it’s a trophy technically awarded outside the bounds of the music industry, it is a lauded achievement nonetheless. Below, revisit three of the best Original Song performances over the decades, below.
1. “Skyfall” – Adele
Writing a theme song for a James Bond is no mean feat. There have been many stellar versions across the years, including Adele‘s “Skyfall.” The austere song was written for the film of the same name and is beloved by both Bond and Adele fans.
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In fact, it went over so well that she earned an Oscar nod for Best Original Song in 2013. She took to the stage at that year’s ceremony to deliver a pitch-perfect rendition of the heart-swelling ballad. The robust backing strings and vocals make this performance all the more affecting.
2. “Streets of Philadelphia” – Bruce Springsteen
I heard the voices of friends vanished and gone / At night I could hear the blood in my veins, Bruce Springsteen sings in “Streets of Philadelphia.” The driving ballad was written for the 1993 movie, Philadelphia.
Springsteen earned an Oscar nomination for this track. He approached his performance at the ceremony with a sense of gravitas, given the themes of mourning within the song. Like the accompanying film, Springsteen’s song acts as an ode to those who battled the AIDS epidemic and lost their lives.
3. “My Heart Will Go On” – Celine Dion
It’s hard to beat Celine Dion in terms of stellar live performances. Moreover, it’s hard to beat “My Heart Will Go On” in terms of stellar made-for-movie songs. Take Dion’s 1998 performance at the Oscars as evidence for that fact.
Dion made belting out the high notes in this song look like light work. Her lilting vocals were even better than they are in the recording of the Titanic theme song.
(Photo by Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images)
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1972: (L-R) Jim Hodder, David Palmer, Denny Dias, Donald Fagen, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter and Walter Becker of the rock band "Steely Dan" pose for a portrait in 1972. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) -
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images -
Kyu Sakamoto. (1941-1985) Japanese singer, best known outside Japan for his international hit song "Ue o Muite Aruko" (known as "Sukiyaki" in English-speaking markets), which was sung in Japanese and sold over 13 million copies. It reached number one in the United States Billboard Hot 100 in June 1963, making Sakamoto the first Asian recording artist to have a number one song on the chart. (Photo by Sjöberg Bildbyrå/ullstein bild via Getty Images) -
Picture taken in 1974 in Stockholm shows the Swedish pop group Abba with its members (L-R) Benny Andersson, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Agnetha Faltskog and Bjorn Ulvaeus posing after winning the Swedish branch of the Eurovision Song Contest with their song "Waterloo". – Sweden's legendary disco group ABBA announced on April 27, 2018 that they have reunited to record two new songs, 35 years after their last single. The quartet split up in 1982 after dominating the disco scene for more than a decade with hits like "Waterloo", "Dancing Queen", "Mamma Mia" and "Super Trouper". (Photo by Olle LINDEBORG / TT News Agency / AFP) / Sweden OUT (Photo credit should read OLLE LINDEBORG/AFP via Getty Images) -
IN CONCERT – Airdate: March 1, 1974. (Photo by ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images) LINDA RONSTADT -
HOLLYWOOD, CA – 1979: Teens dance to the music at the 1979 Hollywood High School prom held in Hollywood, California. (Photo by George Rose/Getty Images) -
British musician Christine McVie, of the group Fleetwood Mac, performs onstage at the Alpine Valley Music Theater, East Troy, Wisconsin, July 19, 1978. (Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images) -
Singer Patsy Cline poses for a portrait circa 1961. Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images