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Music category winners’ speeches are among the most memorable in the awards show’s history. Below are a select few
from the Academy Awards website (which contains transcripts of over 1,500 acceptance speeches), edited for brevity
BY PAUL GREIN
Isaac Hayes
Shaft, 1971
“THEME FROM SHAFT”
SONG-ORIGINAL FOR THE PICTURE
... 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 righ-
teousness, and that’s my grandmother...
[In] a few days [it will be] her 80th birthday
and... this is her present from me...
Carmine Coppola
(co-winner with Nino Rota)
The Godfather Part II, 1974
ORIGINAL DRAMATIC SCORE
... I want to thank my son Francis Ford
Coppola [who directed The Godfa-
ther, Part II] ... because without him I
wouldn’t be here. However, if I wasn’t
here, he wouldn’t be here either, right?
Paul Williams (co-winner
with Barbra Streisand)
A Star Is Born, 1976
“EVERGREEN (LOVE THEME
FROM A STAR IS BORN)”
ORIGINAL SONG
... I was gonna thank all the little
people and then I remembered
I am the little people...
Bruce Springsteen
Philadelphia, 1993
“STREETS OF PHILADELPHIA”
ORIGINAL SONG
... Gee, this is the first song I ever
wrote for a motion picture, so I guess
it’s all downhill from here...
Hans Zimmer
The Lion King, 1994
ORIGINAL SCORE
... I’m incredibly nervous. I tell you what,
writing a score is much easier than this.
Thank you. Just let me go, OK.
Randy Newman
Monsters, Inc., 2001
“IF I DIDN’T HAVE YOU”
ORIGINAL SONG
... I want to thank first of all the music
branch for giving me so many chances
to be humiliated over the years.
[Editor’s note: Newman lost 15 times
before finally winning.] I have nothing
[prepared], I’m absolutely astounded
that I’ve won for this... Having someone
this beautiful [presenter Jennifer
Lopez] give me an award, I’ll
never get to heaven but that’s as
close as you get, I think.
Michael Giacchino
Up, 2009
ORIGINAL SCORE
... When I was... 9 and I asked my dad,
“Can I have...that old, wind-up 8mm
camera that was in your drawer?” ...
I started making movies with it and I
started being as creative as I could, and
never once in my life did my parents ever
say, “What you’re doing is a waste of
time” ... I had teachers, I had colleagues, I
had people that I worked with all through
my life who always told me what you’re
doing is not a waste of time ... I know
there are kids out there that don’t have
that support system, so if you’re out
there and you’re listening, listen to me:
If you want to be creative, get out there
and do it; it’s not a waste of time.
Common (co-winner
with John Legend)
Selma, 2014
“GLORY”
ORIGINAL SONG
... Recently John and I got to go to
Selma [Ala.] and perform “Glory” on the
same bridge that Dr. [Martin Luther] King
and the people of the civil rights move-
ment marched on 50 years ago. This
bridge was once a landmark of a divided
nation but now is a symbol for change.
The spirit of this bridge transcends race,
gender, religion, sexual orientation and
social status... This bridge was built on
hope, welded with compassion and
elevated by love for all human beings.
Benj Pasek (co-winner with
Justin Hurwitz and Justin Paul)
La La Land, 2016
“CITY OF STARS”
ORIGINAL SONG
... I want to thank my mom... She let me
quit the JCC soccer league to be in a
school musical. So this is dedicated
to all the kids who sing in the rain,
and all the moms who let them...
‘I’D LIKE TO THANK...’
RACHEL PORTMAN became the first woman to win as a composer in a scoring category, for Emma (1996).
From left: Hurwitz, Paul and Pasek.
Zimmer
Hayes
Common (left) and Legend
68 BILLBOARD • JANUARY 25, 2020 PASEK: KEVIN WINTER/GETTY IMAGES. HAYES: AP IMAGES. COMMON: JOHN SHEARER/INVISION/AP IMAGES. ZIMMER: RON GALELLA LTD./RON GALELLA COLLECTION/GETTY IMAGES. PORTMAN: DOMINIC LIPINSKI/PA IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES.