Top 20 Best Oscar-Winning Movie Songs of All Time

he's just right there now yeah it's pretty good welcome to Miz Mojo and today we're counting down our picks for the top 20 oscar-winning movie songs there will be music romantic candlelight provided by myself and when the moment is right you confess your love for this list we'll be looking at the most timeless tunes that took home the Academy Award for best original song which Oscar winner would you vote for let us know in the comments if you like what you're hearing be sure to check out the full song at the link below [Music] number 20 Flash Dance What a Feeling Flash Dance while the screenplay isn't this 80s Staples strongest element music and dance are how the characters truly communicate this triumphant pop ballad brings Alex owens's Story full circle as we follow her from a humble steel mill worker to a dancing star ready to shine dancing through my life [Music] Flashdance bursts on the scene with invigorating music by Giorgio moroder and empowering lyrics from Keith Forsey and Irene Cara the latter of whom also injects her zealous vocals this wasn't the first time Cara helped carry a song to Oscar gold performing the titular tune from 1980s Fame [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Flash Dance is another song that'll live forever capturing that special feeling when a young adult comes of age and achieves their dream encouraging all aspiring artists to reach for the stars [Music] number 19 Take My Breath Away Top Gun outside of the thrilling aerial sequences and the magic of Tom Cruise the Top Gun franchise is best known for its electrifying music now then this is the perfect example of a textbook maneuver with Take My Breath Away Giorgio moroder would fly away with another Academy Award along with wingman Tom Whitlock the Angelic vocals of New Wave band Berlin bring a gravity-defying sentiment to the song that works on two levels the song makes you feel as if you're gliding through the air almost becoming one with the sky above [Applause] oh at the same time it conveys the steamy romance between Maverick and Charlie for a film with a lot of fast-paced music this song slows time down allowing the audience to catch their breath while also taking it away [Music] number 18 Let It Go Frozen after Tarzan capped off the 90s Renaissance with You'll Be in my Heart Disney went 14 years without a best original song Oscar Frozen ended the dry spell with a snowstorm [Music] let it go can't hold it back anymore Let It Go not only became the film's breakout hit but it changed the narrative's course although Elsa was originally conceived as a villain Kristen Anderson Lopez and Robert Lopez sought to unearth her Humanity with this deeply personal tune it's time to see what I what I can do [Music] Let It Go establishes that Elsa was never a villain but rather a vulnerable yet powerful woman ready to break free after a lifetime in the shadows the filmmakers also came to see Elsa in another light evolving her into one of Disney's most Progressive heroines with the voice of the wickedly talented Adina Menzel [Music] number 17 Glory Selma this historical drama ends on a high note with a march to Montgomery and Martin Luther King Jr delivering his how long not long speech it's a crucial moment in the Civil Rights Movement which is encapsulated in a song from common and John Legend when the glory comes it will be ours for all the progress that Dr King made glory is just as much about the struggles that persist 50 years later in addition to the 1965 Selma marches the song references the 2014 Ferguson unrest they say stay down and we stand up besides be on the ground the camera panned up King pointed to the Mountaintop and we ran up common and Legend bring A Soulful sound to the music this gives the song A Timeless sentiment as if it could have been released in the 60s or today it's a haunting yet hopeful protest Anthem motivating listeners to continue the pursuit of equality and Glory [Music] good morning Oh Glory number 16 The Way We Were The Way We Were from Barbra Streisand's opening hums this song evokes A sense of nostalgia as if the audience is drifting back in time of course nobody can go back to the old days all they can do is reflect on their precious fragile memories you want a color [Music] Way We Were some memories are uplifting and romantic others are laced with heartbreak and regret Marvin hamlish's melancholic Melody conveys all of the above foreshadowing the Star-Crossed romance between Streisand's Katie and Robert Redford's Hubble [Music] The Way We Were the song resurfaces as the film closes leaving their relationship in the past while also contemplating what could have been Alan and Marilyn bergman's lyrics paint a poetic portrait of Love slipping away leaving you sad that it's over yet grateful that it existed in the first place what's too painful to remember we simply choose to forget number 15 Jai Ho Slumdog Millionaire [Music] after everything that Jamal and latika endure the audience wants nothing more than to see them get the happiest ending imaginable Slumdog Millionaire delivers with Jamal's Newfound fortune and a kiss that'll make you believe in destiny it's the finale performance of j-ho however that pushes the film over the top choreographed by longinus Fernandez with the flare of a Bollywood number Jai Ho translates to a few different meanings all of which pertain to Victory [Music] forever while ghoulsar's lyrics are written in Indian the song transcends language barriers speaking to anyone who's ever dreamed of a better life this is further expressed through AR rahman's music and the principal vocals provided by sukhwinder Singh making you want to flash mob The Night Away number 14 Streets of Philadelphia Philadelphia few oscar-winning songs epitomize a place and time quite like Bruce Springsteen's Streets of Philadelphia the place is naturally the lonely Streets of Philadelphia Pennsylvania the time is the early 90s as the HIV AIDS epidemic continues to plague Humanity voices of friends vanished and gone tonight I hear the blood in my veins while the disease had been prevalent for over a decade it remained a taboo subject with few mainstream movies or songs shining a light on the crisis Streets of Philadelphia manifests the isolation of Tom hanks's Andy as he seeks Justice and basic human dignity after being wrongfully terminated from his job Gonna Leave Me wasting away with Streets of Philadelphia Springsteen's music and lyrics Bring Out Andy's pain as his life slowly but surely drains away as long as his heart is still beating along with the drums though he'll continue to fight leave each other alone like this [Music] number 13 Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid Outlaws Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid live as if every day could be their last between the shootouts and the plunges off cliffs there's time for a Carefree bicycle ride set to this joyous tune and I said I didn't like the way he got things done sleeping on the job written by Bert Bacharach and Hal David Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head washes all negative feelings away as singer B.J Thomas casts a rainbow of optimism although the song is full of light-hearted Vibes it's also kind of unsettling when you consider Butch and sundance's ultimate fate that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turned the cry is not for me the song leads you to believe that our anti-heroes will overcome any obstacle that confronts them but their luck is bound to run out eventually regardless it's impossible to listen to this song without immediately being put in a good mood [Music] let those worrying me [Music] number 12 into the West the Lord of the Rings The Return of the King arguably no film brings a greater sense of finality to a Trilogy than the Return of the King into the West closes the book on this epic story reflecting on the end of one journey and the beginning of another the ships [Music] for Frodo the next adventure awaits in the Far West where the undying lands reside for Sam it's back in the Shire with his family although it's tear-jerking to see friends part ways every character is where they should be [Music] singer Annie Lennox who wrote the song with Howard Shore and Fran Walsh summons a sense of loss drawing inspiration from the untimely death of a young filmmaker named Cameron Duncan while Bittersweet the song also provides Comfort leaving us with a peaceful farewell water [Music] heaps pass into the West [Music] number 11 Skyfall Skyfall James Bond has a long history of captivating theme songs three of which won Oscars 2012 Skyfall was the first Victor with Adele bringing a fresh yet traditional sound to 007's Legacy [Music] co-writing the song with Paul Epworth Adele's vocals are Moody fearless and ready for action much like Daniel Craig's Bond the song foreshadows much of what we're about to see including a Last Stand at Bond's childhood home somehow the tune summarizes the story without actually giving anything away [Music] but you'll never have my heart just as bond is forced to revisit his past the audience is motivated to go back to the beginning and re-watch the opening title sequence not every Bond song hits it out of the park but Skyfall is practically ingrained in the story's DNA number 10 shallow A Star is Born although it's been remade multiple times the plot of A Star is Born hasn't drastically changed with each Incarnation however every adaptation possesses Echoes of the decade it was made music plays a Monumental role in mirroring the era Evergreen has a Sentimental sound that screams 70s pop [Music] morning glory and Midnight Sun shallow is a modern duet fusing Jackson's country rock with Ali's folk pop the lyrics speak to both singers neither of whom is fulfilled in their lives [Music] for a change together Jackson and Ally hit all the right notes but their Union may also be headed for an inevitable shipwreck nevertheless the chemistry between these two makes the audience want to jump into the deep end with them by the time the song concludes their Whirlwind romance is already well out into deeper waters yeah number nine Falling Slowly once once is the definition of a little movie that could it was produced for only one hundred and fifty thousand dollars and Glenn Hansard used his own childhood guitar for the film although the filmmakers had to scrape together whatever pieces they could find the result was a profound Musical that culminated in Oscars for Hansard and Marketa irlova [Music] slowly eyes that know me and I can't go back through Falling Slowly hansard's guy and ear glova's girl Express what's truly in their hearts although guy doesn't realize it yet girl is already married and will inevitably return to their husband [Music] [Music] as their voices join in a simple musical shop though it's clear that these two are meant for each other their time together may fly by but their feelings and music are still falling with no end in sight [Music] [Laughter] number eight Can You Feel the Love Tonight the lion king with three Lion King songs nominated the odds favored Tim Rice and Elton John leaving that Year's ceremony with statuettes nobody was surprised when they picked up Oscars for Can You Feel the Love Tonight with all its living while the sweeping ballad is in the tradition of Disney's past love songs there's something almost mystical about this one it's also one that immerses Us in the beauty of nature as Simba and Nala are reunited seeing each other through adult eyes [Music] [Music] of course you don't have to be a lion to feel the love in the air it's a song best experienced on a moonlit evening with your significant other letting nature take its course [Music] and to think this was almost a comedic song between Timon and Pumbaa [Music] please number seven I've had the time of my life Dirty Dancing to be fair we can understand why baby's parents would have reservations about their daughter being romantically involved with Johnny Dirty Dancing isn't a film that runs on logic however it runs on music [Music] foreign baby and Johnny take to the dance floor in the grand finale it's hard for even the biggest cynic to deny their connection while the number is skillfully choreographed by Kenny Ortega and Miranda Garrison this ending wouldn't be nearly as iconic without I've Had the Time of My Life [Applause] [Music] the song sees baby Blossom from a sheltered teen to a confident young woman ready to publicly display her love for dance and Johnny as romantic as it is invigorating nobody puts this song in the corner [Applause] number six Moon River Breakfast at Tiffany's [Music] I'm crossing you in style [Music] Holly Golightly lives the extravagant life of a socialite partying every night away behind the elegant clothing is a complex Soul whose pursuit of wealth and glamor is interrupted by the arrival of a struggling writer Paul Holly may deny that she's developing feelings for Paul but she sings the truth through Moon River [Music] the same [Music] as Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer wrote the song to accommodate Audrey Hepburn's vocal range unlike the Persona that Holly has created for herself the melody and lyrics are quite simple therein lies the beauty of the song speaking to Holly's background as a country girl the song expresses the spontaneous Holly's yearning for an exciting life unaware that The Greatest Adventure of all is looking down and smiling at her [Music] River [Music] and me number five Beauty and the Beast Beauty and the Beast Howard Ashman and Alan Menken ushered in a golden age of animated Disney musicals with Little Mermaid winning the Oscar for under the sea Ashman sadly wouldn't live to see the release of Beauty and the Beast which won another Oscar for its titular romantic ballad Taylor's oldest Time song as old as rhyme Beauty and the Beast whether listening to Angela Lansbury's tender rendition as Mrs Potts or the pop duet between silencio and pebo Bryson the Timeless song is guaranteed to bring a tear to your eyes not because it's sad but because the union of Belle and the Beast is so heartfelt demonstrating how Love sometimes flourishes in unexpected places what Ashman helped start would continue with Aladdin winning men can yet another statuette along with Tim Rice for a whole new world you shouldn't [Music] go back foreign number four Lose Yourself Eight Mile although Lose Yourself was an immediate success for Eminem some doubted that the academy would Embrace A hip-hop song with lyrics about vomit and spaghetti Eminem didn't even bother showing up to the ceremony [Music] viewers were pleasantly surprised when Barbara Streisand of all people announced this stimulating rap song as the Victor the song's Oscar Journey mirrored the story of B-Rabbit an underdog rapper who seizes his shot to bring down the house this world [Music] a normal life is boring Lose Yourself would be the first hip-hop song to win an Oscar opening the door for future hits Like It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp the popularity of Lose Yourself has only endured over the decades so much so that Eminem finally performed it at the 2020 ceremony [Music] number three When You Wish Upon A Star Pinocchio through [Music] Disney has a way of building upon classic stories to create something unique for example a Wishing Star doesn't play a significant role in Carlo colotti's original Pinocchio story in Disney's adaptation the Wishing Star symbolizes one of the film's key themes of never losing hope it also provides the basis for Pinocchio's signature song which would have a life well beyond the film it derived from When You Wish Upon a Star has developed into Disney's Anthem every bit as synonymous with the company as Mickey Mouse and Walt himself Lee harline's composition and Ned Washington's lyrics are the stuff of Dreams becoming the first Disney song as well as the first song from an animated feature to take home an Academy Award [Music] Upon a Star your dreams [Music] true number two My Heart Will Go On Titanic an epic Love Story deserves a theme song that complements The romance's Towering scope [Music] I Feel You My Heart Will Go On pairs with Titanic so flawlessly that it's hard to believe James Cameron didn't want a pop song closing out his Masterpiece Celine Dion was also hesitant about singing another end credits song composer James Horner and Lyricist will Jennings were so passionate about the idea that they secretly developed My Heart Will Go On eventually convincing Cameron [Music] we're grateful that they did as the song elevates what was already a touching finale to an emotional powerhouse it's never been confirmed whether Rose is dreaming or departed in the end either way the song says everything about her undying love for Jack more than 80 years later [Music] [Applause] before we continue be sure to subscribe to our Channel and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos you'll have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them if you're on your phone make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications number one over the rainbow The Wizard of Oz it's hard to believe but MGM seriously considered removing Over the Rainbow due to pacing and the idea of having Judy Garland perform at a barnyard [Music] you were the rain [Music] we almost see where they're coming from as the number has no dancing effects or vibrant use of Technicolor without Harold Arlen's soothing Melody and Yip harburg's heartwarming lyrics though Dorothy's character Arc would feel incomplete [Music] me Dorothy dreams of escaping Over the Rainbow but upon arriving in Oz she finds that everything she ever wanted was back in Kansas the song thus serves a dual purpose encouraging us to follow our dreams while still finding comfort in what we have fortunately several key figures convinced MGM to keep the song resulting in an Oscar and a cinematic milestone subscribe my old wine and oh why can't do you agree with our picks let us know in the comments and hey if you're a fan of the song playing right now be sure to check out the music video for it right here [Music] [Music]

Channel: MsMojo

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Keywords: 8 mile, a star is born, beauty and the beast, best original song, best original song winners, breakfast at tiffany's skyfall, butch cassidy, dirty dancing, film, flashdance, frozen, list, lord of the rings, mojo, movies, msmojo, musicals, once, oscar-winning movie songs, oscar-winning songs, oscars, philadelphia, pinocchio, selma, slumdog millionaire, the lion king, the way we were, titanic, top 10, top gun, watch mojo, watchMojo, wizard of oz

Id: zsgJ_3ezX6g

Length: 27min 51sec (1671 seconds)

Published: Wed Mar 08 2023