Paul Williams (songwriter)

American composer, singer, songwriter, recovery advocate and actor (born 1940)

For other people with the same name, see Paul Williams.

Paul Williams

Williams at GalaxyCon Raleigh in 2022

Background information
Birth name| Paul Hamilton Williams Jr.
Born|  (1940-09-19) September 19, 1940 (age 83)
Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
Origin| Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres|

* Folk
* pop
* soft rock
* film score

Occupation(s)|

* Musician
* songwriter
* actor
* writer

Years active| 1964–present
Labels| A&M, Reprise, Portrait
Website| paulwilliamsofficial.com

Musical artist

Paul Hamilton Williams Jr.[1] (born September 19, 1940)[1][2] is an American composer, singer, songwriter, and actor. He is known for writing and co-writing popular songs performed by a number of acts in the 1970s, including Three Dog Night's "An Old Fashioned Love Song" and "Out in the Country", Helen Reddy's "You and Me Against the World", Biff Rose's "Fill Your Heart", and the Carpenters' "We've Only Just Begun" and "Rainy Days and Mondays". He also wrote "Cried Like a Baby" for teen idol Bobby Sherman.

Williams is also known for writing the score and lyrics for Bugsy Malone (1976) and his musical contributions to other films, including the Oscar-nominated song "Rainbow Connection" from The Muppet Movie, and writing the lyrics to the #1 chart-topping song "Evergreen", the love theme from the Barbra Streisand film A Star Is Born, for which he won a Grammy for Song of the Year and an Academy Award for Best Original Song. He wrote the lyrics to the opening theme for the television show The Love Boat, with music previously composed by Charles Fox, which was originally sung by Jack Jones and, later, by Dionne Warwick.[3]

Williams had a variety of high-profile acting roles, such as Little Enos Burdette in the action-comedy Smokey and the Bandit (1977) and the villainous Swan in Brian De Palma's Phantom of the Paradise (1974),[4] which Williams also co-scored, receiving an Oscar nomination in the process.[5] Since 2009, Williams has been the president and chairman of the American songwriting society ASCAP.

## Early life[edit]

Williams was born in Omaha, Nebraska,[6] the son of Paul Hamilton Williams, an architectural engineer, and his wife, Bertha Mae (née Burnside), a homemaker.[1]

One of his brothers was John J. Williams, a NASA rocket scientist, who participated in the Mercury and Apollo programs and was awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, their highest honor, in 1969.[7] His other brother was Mentor Williams, a songwriter as well who wrote Dobie Gray's 1973 hit "Drift Away".[8]

## Musical career[edit]

Williams performing in 1974

Williams began his professional songwriting career with Biff Rose in Los Angeles.[9] The two men first met while working together on a television comedy show.[9] Together, they wrote the song "Fill Your Heart"[9] which was recorded by Rose on his first album, The Thorn in Mrs. Rose's Side (1968). Tiny Tim covered it as the B-side of his hit "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" (1968).[9] David Bowie recorded a version of the song[9] on his album Hunky Dory (1971). Rose and Williams wrote "I'll Walk Away" (recorded by Rose on his third, eponymous album). Rose was instrumental in getting Williams his break with A&M Records which resulted in Williams working with songwriter Roger Nichols. Williams and Nichols were responsible for a number of successful pop hits from the 1970s, including several hits for Three Dog Night ("An Old Fashioned Love Song", "The Family of Man" and "Out in the Country"), Helen Reddy ("You and Me Against the World"), and the Carpenters, most notably "Rainy Days and Mondays", "I Won't Last a Day Without You", and "We've Only Just Begun", originally a song for a Crocker National Bank television commercial featuring newlyweds, and which has since become a cover-band standard and de rigueur for weddings throughout North America.[10]

An early collaboration with Roger Nichols, "Someday Man", was covered by the Monkees (a group for which he unsuccessfully auditioned[11]) on a 1969 single, and was the first Monkees' release not published by Screen Gems.[citation needed]

A frequent co-writer of Williams' was musician Kenneth Ascher. Their songs together included "Rainbow Connection", sung by Jim Henson (as Kermit the Frog) in The Muppet Movie (1979).[12]

Williams worked on the music for a number of films, including writing and singing on Phantom of the Paradise (1974) in which he starred and earned an Oscar nomination for the music, and Bugsy Malone (1976). Williams wrote and sang the song "Where Do I Go from Here", which was used in the end credits of the film Thunderbolt and Lightfoot. He contributed lyrics to the Cinderella Liberty song "You're So Nice to Be Around" with music by John Williams, and it earned them an Oscar nomination. Along with Ascher and Rupert Holmes, he wrote the music and lyrics to A Star Is Born (also 1976), with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. The love ballad, "Evergreen", (lyrics by Paul Williams, melody by Barbra Streisand) won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and a Grammy for Song of the Year. He has been nominated on other occasions for an Academy Award[13] and several Golden Globe Awards.[14]

In 1987 he wrote the songs performed by Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty in the film Ishtar.[15]

He wrote the music for a musical production of Happy Days that debuted in 2007 and made a cameo appearance as an animated version of himself singing "Breathe in the Sunshine" in a 1998 episode of the animated series Dexter's Laboratory.[16] He wrote and sang "What Would They Say", the theme song from the made-for-television film The Boy in the Plastic Bubble (1976).[17]

Williams wrote music and lyrics of "Silence is Our Song" for Richard Barone's 2010 album Glow[18] and collaborated with Scissor Sisters on their second album, Ta-Dah.[19]

In March 2012, it was announced that Williams had "written a couple of tunes" on Random Access Memories, the album of French electronic duo Daft Punk.[20] He co-wrote and sang vocals on "Touch" and co-wrote "Beyond". Williams and Nile Rodgers were the only featured artists to speak on behalf of Daft Punk at the 2014 Grammy Awards upon their receipt of the Album of the Year award for Random Access Memories. Williams told an anecdote about his work with Daft Punk: "Back when I was drinking, I would imagine things that weren't there and I'd get frightened. Then I got sober and two robots called and asked me to make an album." He communicated a "message from the robots" to the audience: "As elegant and as classy as the Grammy has ever been is the moment when we saw those wonderful marriages and 'Same Love' is fantastic. It is the height of fairness and love and the power of love for all people at any time in any combination is what [Daft Punk] wanted me to say. Captain Kirk uses the Enterprise. [Daft Punk] sail on a ship called Generosity. They are generous in spirit ... This is a labor of love and we are all so grateful."[21]

Williams is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame,[22] and his songs have been performed by both pop and country music artists. In April 2009, Williams was elected president and Chairman of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP).[23]

In September 2015, Williams, along with bass player Kasim Sulton, led a global virtual songwriting collaboration at Hookist.com.[24] The mission was to write the first crowd-sourced anthem to be performed at FacingAddiction.org's concert and rally on The National Mall on October 4, 2015, headlined by Steven Tyler, Sheryl Crow and Joe Walsh among others.[25] The theme of the song was "Celebrate Recovery" and the goal was to reduce the stigma associated with addiction. Williams, Sulton and Dr. Mehmet Oz opened the show and led 10,000 people in a singalong of "Voice of Change" at the base of the Washington Monument.[26] Sulton led a singalong of the song on The Dr. Oz Show which went viral.[27]

## Film and television career[edit]

Although predominantly known for his music, Williams has appeared in films and many television guest spots, such as the Faustian record producer Swan in Brian DePalma's film Phantom of the Paradise (1974)—a rock and roll adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera, Faust, and The Picture of Dorian Gray, for which Williams wrote the songs[28]—and as Virgil, the genius orangutan in Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973).[29]

On February 9, 1973, Williams made a joke appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in which he sang a song in full make-up as Virgil.[30] He played Migelito Loveless, Jr. in The Wild Wild West Revisited (1979), a reunion film featuring the original cast of the television series The Wild Wild West. He played himself, singing a song to Felix Unger's daughter Edna, on the television series The Odd Couple in 1974. He made his film debut as Gunther Fry in the satire The Loved One (1965).[17]

After appearing on The Muppet Show in 1976, Williams worked closely with Jim Henson's Henson Productions on The Muppet Movie, working on the soundtrack and appearing in a cameo part as the piano player in the nightclub where Kermit meets Fozzie Bear. He was also the lyricist for Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas.[31]

Williams was hired by TV producers Paul Junger Witt and Tony Thomas to write title tracks for two of their ABC comedies, It Takes Two (1982–1983), on which he sang a duet with Crystal Gayle, and Condo (1983), in which Williams' theme was sung by Drake Frye. Williams composed and performed the theme to the McLean Stevenson sitcom The McLean Stevenson Show in 1976.[32]

Williams composed, and sang "Flying Dreams" for the animated film The Secret of NIMH.[33]

Williams has appeared in many minor roles. He provided the voice of the Penguin in Batman: The Animated Series. He appeared on an episode of Walker, Texas Ranger as a radio DJ covering a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde. He appeared in 2008 in an episode of Nickelodeon's children's show Yo Gabba Gabba! entitled "Weather", where he performed "Rainbow Connection". He has also appeared on Cartoon Network's Dexter's Laboratory[34] where he played Professor Williams[35] in an episode entitled "Just An Old Fashioned Lab Song".

He made numerous television appearances in the 1970s and 1980s, including on The Odd Couple, Hawaii Five-O, Match Game '79, Hollywood Squares, The Love Boat, Police Woman, Fantasy Island, The Hardy Boys, The Fall Guy, The Flip Wilson Special, Gimme A Break, and The Gong Show. He has also guest-starred in the Babylon 5 episode "Acts of Sacrifice" (Season 2 Episode 12) as Taq, the aide to Correlilmurzon, an alien ambassador whose species finalizes treaties and agreements by having sex with the other signees.[36]

In October 1980, Williams was host of the Mickey Mouse Club 25th Anniversary Special on NBC-TV. He stated that he tried out for the show in early 1955 and was turned down. He was a frequent guest and performer on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He appears as the man making the phone call at the beginning of the music video for Hank Williams Jr.'s song "All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight". In 2014, he appeared on Community[37] as an illegal textbook dealer who declines to purchase a batch of misprinted chemistry textbooks.[38] Williams appeared in the 2017 film Baby Driver as the Butcher, an arms dealer.[39][40]

He portrayed the character of Little Enos Burdette in Smokey and the Bandit (1977), Smokey and the Bandit II (1980), and Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 (1983). He has a recurring role as a former lawyer and information source in 2018's season 2 and 2019's season 3 of Goliath.[41]

## Personal life[edit]

Williams has been married three times. He has two children, Sarah and Cole Williams (born 1981),[42] from his first marriage (1971) to Kate Clinton.[citation needed] In 1993 he married Hilda Keenan Wynn,[43] daughter of actor Keenan Wynn. His third wife is writer Mariana Williams.[44]

An experienced skydiver, Williams completed over 100 jumps in the 1970s.[45]

In September 2011, director Stephen Kessler's documentary Paul Williams Still Alive premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.[46]

Williams struggled with alcohol and substance abuse during the 1970s and 1980s.[17] Sober since 1990, Williams has been active in the field of recovery from addictions and became a Certified Drug Rehabilitation Counselor[41] through UCLA. In 2014, he co-authored Gratitude and Trust: Recovery is Not Just for Addicts, with Tracey Jackson.[47]

## Songwriting[edit]

## Songbook[edit]

Song  | Most Famously Covered By  | Year  | Composed By  | Latest CD / Digital Release

|
|
|
|

An Old Fashioned Love Song | Three Dog Night | 1971  | Paul Williams (songwriter) | Harmony / Geffen Records / 2013
Bitter Honey  | Jackie DeShannon | 1968  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Roger Nichols (songwriter) | Laurel Canyon / Capitol Records / 2005
Do You Really Have A Heart  | Dobie Gray | 1969  | Paul Williams (songwriter) | Drift Away: A Decade Of Dobie 1969-1979 / Hip-O Select / 2004
Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born) | Barbra Streisand | 1976  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Barbra Streisand | A Star Is Born (1976 soundtrack) / Columbia / 2002
Everything  | Barbra Streisand | 1976  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Rupert Holmes | A Star Is Born (1976 soundtrack) / Columbia / 2002
Gone Forever  | Sergio Mendes & Brasil '77  | 1971  | Paul Williams (songwriter) | Pais Tropical / A&M Records / 2008
Hellacious Acres  | Kris Kristofferson | 1976  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Kenny Ascher | A Star Is Born (1976 soundtrack) / Columbia / 2002
I Fell  | The Four King Cousins | 1968  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Roger Nichols (songwriter) | Introducing... / Capitol / 2021
I Kept On Loving You  | Heaven Bound With Tony Scotti | 1972  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Roger Nichols (songwriter) | Breaking Up Is Hard To Do / Vivid Sound / 2000
I Know You  | Sergio Mendes & Brasil '77  | 1971  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Roger Nichols (songwriter) | Pais Tropical / A&M Records / 2008
I Never Had It So Good  | Kris Kristofferson & Rita Coolidge | 1973  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Roger Nichols (songwriter) | Full Moon / Real Gone Music / 2017
It's Hard To Say Goodbye  | Claudine Longet | 1968  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Roger Nichols (songwriter) | Love Is Blue / A&M Records / 2014
I Won't Last a Day Without You | Carpenters | 1972  | Paul Williams (songwriter) | A Song For You / A&M Records / 2016
Laugh  | The Neighborhood | 1970  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Jack Conrad | Debut / Big Treet / ????
Let Me Be the One (Carpenters song) | Anne Murray | 1971  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Roger Nichols (songwriter) | Talk It Over In The Morning / EMI / 1998
Let's Ride  | The Montanas | 1969  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Roger Nichols (songwriter) | The Complete Studio Sessions / BGO / 2022
Love Dance  | George Benson | 1980  | Paul Williams (songwriter) | Give Me The Night / Warner Bros. / 2015
Mornin' I'll Be Movin' On  | The Match[disambiguation needed] | 1969  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Roger Nichols (songwriter) | A New Light / Sony / 2012
Only Me  | First Edition[disambiguation needed] | 1968  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Roger Nichols (songwriter) | The First Edition's 2nd / Universal Music / 2014
Out in the Country | Three Dog Night | 1970  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Roger Nichols (songwriter) | It Ain't Easy / Geffen Records / 2013
Perfect Love  | Gladys Knight & The Pips | 1973  | Paul Williams (songwriter) | Imagination / Sony / 2013
Rainbow Connection | Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog | 1979  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Kenny Ascher | The Muppet Movie / Walt Disney Records / 2013
Rainy Days and Mondays | Carpenters | 1971  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Roger Nichols (songwriter) | Carpenters / A&M Records / 2016
She's Too Good For Me  | The Five Americans | 1969  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Roger Nichols (songwriter) | The Best Of The Five Americans / Sundazed Music / 2003
So Many People  | Chase | 1972  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Roger Nichols (songwriter) | Ennea / Epic / 2012
Somebody Waiting  | Eydie Gormé | 1971  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Roger Nichols (songwriter) | It Was A Good Time / GL Music / 2005
Someday Man | The Monkees | 1969  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Roger Nichols (songwriter) | Instand Replay / Rhino / 2011
Talk It Over in the Morning (song) | Anne Murray | 1971  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Roger Nichols (songwriter) | Talk It Over In The Morning / EMI / 1998
The Drifter  | Heidi Brühl | 1969  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Roger Nichols (songwriter) | Heidi Brühl International / Universal / 2022
The Family of Man (Three Dog Night song) | Three Dog Night | 1971  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Jack Conrad | Harmony / Geffen Records / 2013
The Time Has Come  | C/F Schott | 1970  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Roger Nichols (songwriter) | Schott! / ???? / ????
The Woman In The Moon  | Barbra Streisand | 1976  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Kenny Ascher | A Star Is Born (1976 soundtrack) / Columbia / 2002
Time  | The Match | 1969  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Roger Nichols (songwriter) | A New Light / Sony / 2012
To Put Up With You  | The Sandpipers | 1968  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Roger Nichols (songwriter) | Softly / A&M Records / 2012
Trust  | Peppermint Trolley Company | 1968  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Roger Nichols (songwriter) | Beautiful Sun / Now Sounds / 2009
Watch Closely Now  | Barbra Streisand, Kris Kristofferson | 1976  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Kenny Ascher | A Star Is Born (1976 soundtrack) / Columbia / 2002
We've Only Just Begun | Carpenters | 1970  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Roger Nichols (songwriter) | Close To You / A&M Records / 2016
When Love Is Near  | The Original Caste | 1969  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Roger Nichols (songwriter) | Tartaglian Theorem / Capitol Records / 2012
You and Me Against the World (song) | Helen Reddy | 1974  | Paul Williams (songwriter), Kenny Ascher | Love Song for Jeffrey / Capitol Records / 2004

### Notable Hits[edit]

* "Love Dance", (Williams provided the lyrics. Written with Ivan Lins and Victor Martins, it was recorded by Ivan Lins, Barbra Streisand, and Sarah Vaughan, among others. It is considered a jazz standard.)[48][49][50][51]
* "Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born)", (#1 hit for Barbra Streisand \- Billboard Hot 100)[52]
* "I Won't Last a Day Without You", (#1 hit for Carpenters \- Billboard Adult Contemporary)[53]
* "Rainy Days and Mondays", (#1 hit for Carpenters \- Billboard Adult Contemporary)[54]
* "We've Only Just Begun" (#1 hit for Carpenters \- Billboard Adult Contemporary)[55]
* "The Family of Man" (US #12 & Canadian #5 hit for Three Dog Night)
* "An Old Fashioned Love Song" (#4 hit for Three Dog Night)
* "Out in the Country" (#15 hit for Three Dog Night)
* "Talk It Over in the Morning" (Canadian #1 hit for Anne Murray)
* "You and Me Against the World" (US Easy Listening #1 hit for Helen Reddy)
* "Rainbow Connection" (Golden Globe and Oscar-nominated song, Entered into the US Library of Congress Archive, #25 hit for Kermit the Frog - Billboard Hot 100)
* "Flying Dreams" (from The Secret of NIMH soundtrack)
* "Let Me Be the One" (#18 US Easy Listening hit for Jack Jones and #18 R&B chart hit for Al Wilson)
* "Someday Man" (The Monkees – 1969 – "B" Side of "Listen to the Band" single)
* "Touch" (Daft Punk – 2013 – Random Access Memories – Williams also provided lead vocals)
* "You're Gone" (US Country #4 hit for Diamond Rio)

## Scores[edit]

### Films[edit]

* The Loved One (1965)
* The Chase (1966)
* Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973)
* Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
* Bugsy Malone (1976)
* Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas (1977)
* Smokey and the Bandit (1977)
* The End (1978)
* The Muppet Movie (1979)
* The Night They Saved Christmas (1984)
* Ishtar (1987)
* The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
* The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004)

### Theatre[edit]

* Bugsy Malone (1997)
* Happy Days (2007)
* Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas (2008)

## Notable songs written for film soundtracks[edit]

* "Where Do I Go From Here" (composed and performed by Williams for Thunderbolt and Lightfoot) (1974)
* "Evergreen (Love Song from A Star Is Born)" (lyrics written by Williams, Academy and Golden Globe winner for Best Original Song) (1976)
* "What Would They Say?" (for The Boy in the Plastic Bubble starring John Travolta and Diana Hyland) (1976)
* "Rainbow Connection" (co-composed by Williams for The Muppet Movie, 2020 National Recording Registry inductee[56]) (1979)
* "Flying Dreams" (co-composed with Jerry Goldsmith and performed by Williams for The Secret of N.I.M.H) (1982)
* "When Love is Gone" (co-composed by Williams for The Muppet Christmas Carol) (1992)
* "If We Could Remember" (co-composed with Jerry Goldsmith for The Sum of All Fears) (2002)
* "Still Alive" (composed and performed by Williams for Paul Williams Still Alive) (2011)
* "Old Souls", "The Hell of It" and "The Phantom's Theme (Beauty and the Beast)" composed for The Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
* "I Love You Too Much" and "The Apology Song" (co-composed with Gustavo Santaolalla for The Book of Life) (2014)
* "Time and Tide" (composed by Paul Williams and performed by Dale Menten for Lifeguard) (1976)

## Discography[edit]

### Albums[edit]

Year  | Title  | Label  | US Chart[57] | AUS Charts[58]

|
|
|
|

196?  | Words and Music by Paul Williams | Big Seven Music Corp.  |  | \-
1970  | Someday Man | Reprise  |  | \-
1971  | Just an Old Fashioned Love Song | A&M  | 141  | 22
1972  | Life Goes On | A&M  | 159  | \-
1974  | Here Comes Inspiration | A&M  | 165  | \-
1974  | A Little Bit of Love | A&M  | 95  | \-
1975  | Ordinary Fool | A&M  | 146  | \-
1979  | A Little on the Windy Side | Portrait  |  | 90
1981  | ...And Crazy for Loving You | PalD  |  | \-
1997  | Back to Love Again | Pioneer  |  | \-
2005  | I'm Going Back There Someday | AIX  |  | \-

### Soundtracks[edit]

Year  | Title  | Label  | AUS Charts[58] | Notes

|
|
|
|

1974  | Phantom of the Paradise | A&M  | 94  |
1976  | Bugsy Malone | Polydor  |  |
1976  | A Star Is Born | Columbia  |  | Motion Picture Soundtrack; with Kenny Ascher
1977  | One on One: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Warner Bros.  |  | Lyrics by Williams, music by Charles Fox; performed by Seals and Crofts
1979  | The Muppet Movie: Original Soundtrack Recording | Atlantic  |  | By Williams and Kenny Ascher
1982  | The Secret of NIMH: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | MCA  |  | Williams performs the song "Flying Dreams"
1987  | Ishtar |  |  | Lyrics by Williams
1992  | The Muppet Christmas Carol | Walt Disney Records |  |

### Compilations[edit]

Year  | Title  | Label  | Chart  | Notes

|
|
|
|

1974  | The Best of Paul Williams | A&M  |  |
1977  | Classics | A&M  | 155  |
1988  | Paul Williams | Pickwick  |  |
2004  | Evergreens: The Best of the A&M Years | Hip-O Select  |  |

### Other releases[edit]

* The Holy Mackerel (with The Holy Mackerel, 1969)
* We've Only Just Begun (Roger Nichols and Paul Williams, 2001)
* Random Access Memories (Daft Punk, 2013) : Williams features on one track
* Chris Black Changed My Life (Portugal. The Man, 2023) : Williams features on one track

## Filmography[edit]

### Film[edit]

Year | Title | Role | Notes

|
|
|

1965 | The Loved One | Gunther Fry | credited as Paul H. Williams
1966 | The Chase | Seymour |
1970 | Watermelon Man | Employment Office Clerk | credited as Paul H. Williams
1973 | Battle for the Planet of the Apes | Virgil |
1974 | Phantom of the Paradise | Swan |
1977 | Smokey and the Bandit | Enos "Little Enos" Burdette |
1977 | Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown | Songs (uncredited) |
1978 | The Cheap Detective | Boy |
1979 | The Muppet Movie | El Sleezo Pianist |
1979 | Stone Cold Dead | Julius Kurtz |
1980 | Smokey and the Bandit II | Enos "Little Enos" Burdette |
1982 | The Secret of NIMH | The Balladeer | Voice, uncredited
1983 | Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 | Enos "Little Enos" Burdette |
1984 | The Night They Saved Christmas | Ed |
1989 | Old Gringo | Cinematographer |
1990 | Solar Crisis | Freddy the Bomb | Voice
1991 | The Doors | Warhol PR |
1994 | Police Rescue | Paul Skelton |
1994 | A Million to Juan | Jenkins |
1995 | Headless Body in Topless Bar | Carl Levin |
2002 | The Rules of Attraction | Duty Doctor |
2004 | The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement | Lord Harmony |
2007 | Georgia Rule | Mr. Wells |
2010 | Valentine's Day | Romeo Midnight | Voice
2011 | Paul Williams Still Alive | Himself |
2012 | The Ghastly Love of Johnny X | Cousin Quilty |
2017 | Baby Driver | "The Butcher" |
2020 | Superman: Red Son | Brainiac | Voice[59]

### Television[edit]

List of live-action performances on television  Year | Title | Role | Notes

|
|
|

1970–1982 | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | Himself; Virgil |
1973–1975 | The Midnight Special | Host |
1974 | The Odd Couple | Himself |
1974 | Baretta | Sandy |
1975 | When Things Were Rotten | Guy de Maupassant |
1976 | Good Heavens | Henry Clyde |
1976 | The McLean Stevenson Show | Himself |
1976 | The Muppet Show | Himself | Episode 108
Also voiced two Muppet likenesses of himself
1977 | The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries | Allison Troy |
1977 | Police Woman | Willy Jaques |
1977 | The Brady Bunch Hour | Himself |
1977 | The Donny & Marie Show | Himself |
1977 | The Captain and Tennille Show | Himself |
1978–1982 | The Love Boat | Various |
1979 | Hawaii Five-O | Tim Powers / Stringer |
1979 | The Mary Tyler Moore Hour | Himself |
1979 | The Wild Wild West Revisited | Dr. Miguelito Loveless, Jr. | Television film
1979–1980 | Match Game | Himself |
1980–1982 | Fantasy Island | Various |
1981 | B. J. and the Bear | Dante Defoe |
1981–1982 | The Fall Guy | Various |
1982 | Rooster | Rooster Steele | Television film
1985 | Silver Spoons | Al Butler |
1984 | The Night They Saved Christmas | Ed | Television film
1987 | Frog | Gus | Television film
1987 | Gimme a Break! | Captain Jerk |
1989 | 227 | Stan | Episode: "Play It Again, Stan"
1988 | The Munsters Today | Skinner |
1990 | The Trials of Rosie O'Neill | Sven Ingerson |
1991 | She-Wolf of London | Harvey the Troll |
1993 | Hart to Hart Returns | Duke |
1994 | Hart to Hart: Old Friends Never Die | Duke |
1994 | Picket Fences | Benjamin Weedon |
1995 | Babylon 5 | Taq | Episode: "Acts of Sacrifice"
1995 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Tumbleweed Tom |
1996 | Boston Common | Father Rooney |
1997 | Perversions of Science | Dr. Mueller |
1997 | Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show | Mahoney the Giant |
1998 | The Bold and the Beautiful | Bailey Masterson |
2000 | Star Trek: Voyager | Koru |
2008 | A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa | The Head Elf |
2008 | Yo Gabba Gabba! | Performer |
2011 | Late Night with Jimmy Fallon | Himself |
2012 | The View | Himself |
2013–2017 | Fast N' Loud | Himself |
2014 | Community | Britta's Contact | Episode: "VCR Maintenance and Educational Publishing"
2018–2019 | Goliath | James "JT" Reginald III[60] |
List of voice performances on television  Year | Title | Role | Notes

|
|
|

1985 | My Little Pony: Escape from Catrina | Rep | Television special
1991 | The Last Halloween | Gleep | TV short[59]
Timeless Tales from Hallmark | Frogbrauten | Episode: "The Steadfast Tin Soldier"
1992 | Fish Police |  | Episode: "No Way to Treat a Fillet-dy"
1992–1994 | Batman: The Animated Series | Oswald Cobblepot / Penguin | 7 episodes[59]
1992–1993 | The Pirates of Dark Water | Garen | 13 episodes
1993 | The Legend of Prince Valiant | Grafton Commander / Brother John | 2 episodes
The Town Santa Forgot | Pomp the Elf | Christmas television special
1994–1995 | Phantom 2040 | Mr. Cairo | 13 episodes[59]
1995 | Aaahh!!! Real Monsters | Izzith | Episode: "Where Have All the Monsters Gone?"
The Tick | Mother of Invention | Episode: "Leonardo da Vinci and His Fightin' Genius Time Commandos!"
Captain Planet and the Planeteers | Kujo | Episode: "Five Ring Panda-Monium"
1998 | The New Batman Adventures | Oswald Cobblepot / Penguin | 4 episodes[59]
Dexter's Laboratory | Professor Williams | Episode: "Just an Old Fashioned Lab Song"
Superman: The Animated Series | Oswald Cobblepot / Penguin | Episode: "Knight Time"[59]
2015 | Adventure Time | The Hierophant | 3 episodes[59]
2016–2018 | Future-Worm! | Future Danny | 2 episodes
2019 | Twelve Forever | Captain Elmer | Episode: "Stranger Forever"[59]

## Legacy[edit]

"Rainbow Connection" was inducted into the National Recording Registry in 2020.[61]

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c "Paul Williams biography". Filmreference.com. Retrieved April 10, 2012.
2. ^ Ankeny, Jason (September 19, 1940). "Paul Williams biography". Allmusic.com. Retrieved March 21, 2013.
3. ^ Daly, Sean (August 23, 2016). "9 surprising facts about the 'Love Boat'". Fox News.
4. ^ Staskiewicz, Keith (June 28, 2017). "Edgar Wright & Paul Williams In Conversation: Their Friendship, Working on 'Baby Driver' & Funeral Songs". Billboard.
5. ^ "The 47th Academy Awards 1975". Oscars.org.
6. ^ "Omaha Nebraska". City-Data.com. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
7. ^ "National Aeronautics and Space Administration Honor Awards". SP-4012 NASA Historical Data Book: Volume IV NASA Resources 1969-1978. NASA. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
8. ^ Betts, Stephen L. (November 17, 2016). "'Drift Away' Songwriter Mentor Williams Dead at 70". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
9. ^ a b c d e "The long, strange trip of paul williams" Toronto Star (28 Sep, 2002) [Ontario edition]. Retrieved from ProQuest 438500505
10. ^ "Pomp and Tradition" by Betty Goodwin at www.latimes.com
11. ^ Lurie, Karen (2002). "The Monkees". St. James Encyclopedia of Pop Culture.
12. ^ "New CDs" by Prentiss Findlay, The Post and Courier (7 June 2001) Retrieved from ProQuest 373803895
13. ^ "Academy Awards Database". Archived from the original on July 7, 2012. Retrieved February 8, 2008.
14. ^ "Golden Globes Database". Archived from the original on January 29, 2008. Retrieved February 8, 2008.
15. ^ "In Their Words – Paul Williams". ishtarthemovie.com. May 31, 2009. Retrieved September 19, 2017.
16. ^ "Just an Old-Fashioned Lab Song...". Dexter's Laboratory. Season 2. Episode 46b. March 25, 1998. Cartoon Network.
17. ^ a b c "Clean and Sober, But Still 5'2", Paul Williams' Has New Stature" by George Gurley, The New York Observer (19 Nov, 2001) Retrieved from ProQuest 333473938
18. ^ "Richard Barone – Bar/None Records". Bar-none.com. Retrieved April 10, 2012.
19. ^ "Grammys 2014: Who is Daft Punk's pal Paul Williams?" by Mikael Wood at www.latimes.com
20. ^ "'The Muppets' songwriter to feature on new Daft Punk album?". Nme.Com. March 19, 2012. Retrieved April 10, 2012.
21. ^ "Daft Punk wins big at Grammy Awards". Usatoday.com. Retrieved October 3, 2014.
22. ^ "Songwriters Hall of Fame Bio". Archived from the original on October 1, 2006. Retrieved February 8, 2008.
23. ^ "Songwriter Paul Williams Elected President and Chairman of ASCAP". Ascap.com. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
24. ^ "This Startup Will Let You Write A Song With Your Favorite Musician". Forbes.com. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
25. ^ "Unite To Face Addiction Lineup". Archived from the original on December 12, 2017. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
26. ^ "Paul Williams, Kasim Sulton and Dr Oz Lead 10,000 People Singing Anthem Created At Hookist". Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved October 7, 2015 - via YouTube.
27. ^ "YouTube". YouTube. Archived from the original on February 2, 2019. Retrieved June 2, 2018.
28. ^ "Looking back at Brian De Palma's Phantom Of The Paradise". Den of Geek. November 21, 2011. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
29. ^ "7 Crazy 'Planet of the Apes' Moments You Won't Believe" by Matthew Chernov at variety.com
30. ^ "Paul Williams Comes from the Planet of the Apes Set on Johnny Carson - YouTube". YouTube. Archived from the original on January 13, 2014. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
31. ^ "Frank Oz, Paul Williams and David Goelz remember 'Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas,' the Jim Henson-directed Muppet musical" by Randall Roberts at www.latimes.com
32. ^ "Which McLean Stevenson sitcom deserved a better chance?". Me-TV Network.
33. ^ "Secret Of NIMH, The- Soundtrack details". Soundtrackcollector.com. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
34. ^ "Review: Paul Williams Still Alive" by Andrew Schenker at slantmagazine.com
35. ^ Paul Williams voice roles at www.behindthevoiceactors.com
36. ^ "Babylon 5: "Acts of Sacrifice"/"Hunter, Prey"" by Rowan Kaiser at www.avclub.com
37. ^ O'Neal, Sean (November 8, 2013). "Paul Williams will also be on Community". AV Club Newswire. The AV Club. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
38. ^ Diego, Donald, "VCR Maintenance and Educational Publishing", Community, Sony Television
39. ^ "Baby Driver review -- boy racer hits all the right notes" by Mark Kermode, The Observer (2 July 2017) Retrieved from ProQuest 1915196549
40. ^ Baby Driver review by Ryan Lambie at denofgeek.com
41. ^ a b "Hall of Fame Songwriter Paul Williams Finds Relaxation in Orange County" by Barbara DeMarco-Barrett at orangecoast.com
42. ^ "Paul williams singing about his life" by Patricia O'Haire, The Ottawa Citizen (16 Oct, 1988) [final edition]. Retrieved from ProQuest 239191235
43. ^ "Family for Keenan Wynn". Turner Classic Movies.
44. ^ "Paul Williams Biography – Paul Williams". Retrieved February 22, 2022.
45. ^ "Interview: Paul Williams" by Duncan Cooper at www.thefader.com
46. ^ "Paul Williams: Surviving the fame monster" by Linda Barnard at www.thestar.com
47. ^ "Biography: Paul Williams Official". Retrieved December 20, 2017.
48. ^ "Love Dance by Ivan Lins" at AllMusic
49. ^ "Love Dance by Barbra Streisand" at AllMusic
50. ^ "Love Dance by Sarah Vaughan" at AllMusic
51. ^ "Love Dance (1980)". JazzStandards.com. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
52. ^ "Barbra Streisand Billboard Hot 100 chart history". Billboard.com. March 5, 1977. Archived from the original on September 4, 2019. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
53. ^ "Carpenters Billboard Adult Contemporary chart history". Billboard.com. May 25, 1974.
54. ^ "Carpenters Billboard Adult Contemporary chart history". Billboard.com. May 29, 1971. Archived from the original on September 19, 2016. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
55. ^ "Carpenters Billboard Adult Contemporary chart history". Billboard.com. October 10, 1970. Archived from the original on September 19, 2016. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
56. ^ Schuessler, Jennifer (March 24, 2021). "Janet Jackson and Kermit the Frog Added to National Recording Registry". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 26, 2023. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
57. ^ "Paul Williams - Chart history". Billboard.com. Archived from the original on August 19, 2019. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
58. ^ a b Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 338\. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
59. ^ a b c d e f g h "Paul Williams (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved October 15, 2023. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information.
60. ^ Griffiths, John. "Billy Bob Thornton on 'Goliath': 'I Play It As If It's Me'". AARP.
61. ^ "The Sounds of America: "Rainbow Connection" – BMP Audio". Archived from the original on June 23, 2021. Retrieved February 2, 2022.

### Bibliography[edit]

* Skinner, Curtis (2001), Contemporary Authors Online, Detroit: Gale, ISBN 978-0-7876-3995-2
* Williams, Paul; Jackson, Tracey (2015), Gratitude and Trust: Six Affirmations That Will Change Your Life, Plume, ISBN 978-0147517968
* ASCAP (1980) The ASCAP Biographical Dictionary, 4th ed., p. 545 ISBN 0-8352-1283-1 .
* Colin Larkin (ed.) (1992) The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music, 1st ed., p. 2698, ISBN 1-882267-04-4 .

## External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Paul Williams.

Wikiquote has quotations related to Paul Williams (songwriter).

* Official website
* Paul Williams at IMDb
* Paul Williams at the TCM Movie Database
* Paul Williams discography at Discogs
* Paul Williams Interview at NAMM Oral History Collection
* Gratitude and Trust, Williams blog on recovery
* Paul Williams Still Alive Archived June 9, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, documentary

Awards for Paul Williams

* v
* t
* e

Academy Award for Best Original Song

1934–1940|

* "The Continental"
* Music: Con Conrad
* Lyrics: Herb Magidson (1934)
* "Lullaby of Broadway"
* Music: Harry Warren
* Lyrics: Al Dubin (1935)
* "The Way You Look Tonight"
* Music: Jerome Kern
* Lyrics: Dorothy Fields (1936)
* "Sweet Leilani"
* Music and lyrics: Harry Owens (1937)
* "Thanks for the Memory"
* Music: Ralph Rainger
* Lyrics: Leo Robin (1938)
* "Over the Rainbow"
* Music: Harold Arlen
* Lyrics: E. Y. Harburg (1939)
* "When You Wish Upon a Star"
* Music: Leigh Harline
* Lyrics: Ned Washington (1940)

1941–1950|

* "The Last Time I Saw Paris"
* Music: Jerome Kern
* Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II (1941)
* "White Christmas"
* Music and lyrics: Irving Berlin (1942)
* "You'll Never Know"
* Music: Harry Warren
* Lyrics: Mack Gordon (1943)
* "Swinging on a Star"
* Music: Jimmy Van Heusen
* Lyrics: Johnny Burke (1944)
* "It Might as Well Be Spring"
* Music: Richard Rodgers
* Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II (1945)
* "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe"
* Music: Harry Warren
* Lyrics: Johnny Mercer (1946)
* "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah"
* Music: Allie Wrubel
* Lyrics: Ray Gilbert (1947)
* "Buttons and Bows"
* Music: Jay Livingston
* Lyrics: Ray Evans (1948)
* "Baby, It's Cold Outside"
* Music and lyrics: Frank Loesser (1949)
* "Mona Lisa"
* Music and lyrics: Ray Evans and Jay Livingston (1950)

1951–1960|

* "In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening"
* Music: Hoagy Carmichael
* Lyrics: Johnny Mercer (1951)
* "High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin')"
* Music: Dimitri Tiomkin
* Lyrics: Ned Washington (1952)
* "Secret Love"
* Music: Sammy Fain
* Lyrics: Paul Francis Webster (1953)
* "Three Coins in the Fountain"
* Music: Jule Styne
* Lyrics: Sammy Cahn (1954)
* "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing"
* Music: Sammy Fain
* Lyrics: Paul Francis Webster (1955)
* "Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)"
* Music and lyrics: Jay Livingston and Ray Evans (1956)
* "All the Way"
* Music: Jimmy Van Heusen
* Lyrics: Sammy Cahn (1957)
* "Gigi"
* Music: Frederick Loewe
* Lyrics: Alan Jay Lerner (1958)
* "High Hopes"
* Music: Jimmy Van Heusen
* Lyrics: Sammy Cahn (1959)
* "Never on Sunday"
* Music and lyrics: Manos Hatzidakis (1960)

1961–1970|

* "Moon River"
* Music: Henry Mancini
* Lyrics: Johnny Mercer (1961)
* "Days of Wine and Roses"
* Music: Henry Mancini
* Lyrics: Johnny Mercer (1962)
* "Call Me Irresponsible"
* Music: Jimmy Van Heusen
* Lyrics: Sammy Cahn (1963)
* "Chim Chim Cher-ee"
* Music and lyrics: Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman (1964)
* "The Shadow of Your Smile"
* Music: Johnny Mandel
* Lyrics: Paul Francis Webster (1965)
* "Born Free"
* Music: John Barry
* Lyrics: Don Black (1966)
* "Talk to the Animals"
* Music and lyrics: Leslie Bricusse (1967)
* "The Windmills of Your Mind"
* Music: Michel Legrand
* Lyrics: Alan and Marilyn Bergman (1968)
* "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head"
* Music: Burt Bacharach
* Lyrics: Hal David (1969)
* "For All We Know"
* Music: Fred Karlin
* Lyrics: Robb Royer and Jimmy Griffin (1970)

1971–1980|

* "Theme from Shaft"
* Music and lyrics: Isaac Hayes (1971)
* "The Morning After"
* Music and lyrics: Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn (1972)
* "The Way We Were"
* Music: Marvin Hamlisch
* Lyrics: Alan and Marilyn Bergman (1973)
* "We May Never Love Like This Again"
* Music and lyrics: Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn (1974)
* "I'm Easy"
* Music and lyrics: Keith Carradine (1975)
* "Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born)"
* Music: Barbra Streisand
* Lyrics: Paul Williams (1976)
* "You Light Up My Life"
* Music and lyrics: Joseph Brooks (1977)
* "Last Dance"
* Music and lyrics: Paul Jabara (1978)
* "It Goes Like It Goes"
* Music: David Shire
* Lyrics: Norman Gimbel (1979)
* "Fame"
* Music: Michael Gore
* Lyrics: Dean Pitchford (1980)

1981–1990|

* "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)"
* Music and lyrics: Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, Christopher Cross and Peter Allen (1981)
* "Up Where We Belong"
* Music: Jack Nitzsche and Buffy Sainte-Marie
* Lyrics: Will Jennings (1982)
* "Flashdance... What a Feeling"
* Music: Giorgio Moroder
* Lyrics: Keith Forsey and Irene Cara (1983)
* "I Just Called to Say I Love You"
* Music and lyrics: Stevie Wonder (1984)
* "Say You, Say Me"
* Music and lyrics: Lionel Richie (1985)
* "Take My Breath Away"
* Music: Giorgio Moroder
* Lyrics: Tom Whitlock (1986)
* "(I've Had) The Time of My Life"
* Music: Franke Previte, John DeNicola and Donald Markowitz
* Lyrics: Franke Previte (1987)
* "Let the River Run"
* Music and lyrics: Carly Simon (1988)
* "Under the Sea"
* Music: Alan Menken
* Lyrics: Howard Ashman (1989)
* "Sooner or Later (I Always Get My Man)"
* Music and lyrics: Stephen Sondheim (1990)

1991–2000|

* "Beauty and the Beast"
* Music: Alan Menken
* Lyrics: Howard Ashman (1991)
* "A Whole New World"
* Music: Alan Menken
* Lyrics: Tim Rice (1992)
* "Streets of Philadelphia"
* Music and lyrics: Bruce Springsteen (1993)
* "Can You Feel the Love Tonight"
* Music: Elton John
* Lyrics: Tim Rice (1994)
* "Colors of the Wind"
* Music: Alan Menken
* Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz (1995)
* "You Must Love Me"
* Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber
* Lyrics: Tim Rice (1996)
* "My Heart Will Go On"
* Music: James Horner
* Lyrics: Will Jennings (1997)
* "When You Believe"
* Music and lyrics: Stephen Schwartz (1998)
* "You'll Be in My Heart"
* Music and lyrics: Phil Collins (1999)
* "Things Have Changed"
* Music and lyrics: Bob Dylan (2000)

2001–2010|

* "If I Didn't Have You"
* Music and lyrics: Randy Newman (2001)
* "Lose Yourself"
* Music: Eminem, Jeff Bass and Luis Resto
* Lyrics: Eminem (2002)
* "Into the West"
* Music and lyrics: Fran Walsh, Howard Shore and Annie Lennox (2003)
* "Al otro lado del río"
* Music and lyrics: Jorge Drexler (2004)
* "It's Hard out Here for a Pimp"
* Music and lyrics: Juicy J, Frayser Boy and DJ Paul (2005)
* "I Need to Wake Up"
* Music and lyrics: Melissa Etheridge (2006)
* "Falling Slowly"
* Music and lyrics: Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová (2007)
* "Jai Ho"
* Music: A. R. Rahman
* Lyrics: Gulzar (2008)
* "The Weary Kind"
* Music and lyrics: Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett (2009)
* "We Belong Together"
* Music and lyrics: Randy Newman (2010)

2011–2020|

* "Man or Muppet"
* Music and lyrics: Bret McKenzie (2011)
* "Skyfall"
* Music and lyrics: Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth (2012)
* "Let It Go"
* Music and lyrics: Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez (2013)
* "Glory"
* Music and lyrics: John Stephens and Lonnie Lynn (2014)
* "Writing's on the Wall"
* Music and lyrics: James Napier and Sam Smith (2015)
* "City of Stars"
* Music: Justin Hurwitz
* Lyrics: Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (2016)
* "Remember Me"
* Music and lyrics: Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez (2017)
* "Shallow"
* Music and lyrics: Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando and Andrew Wyatt (2018)
* "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again"
* Music: Elton John
* Lyrics: Bernie Taupin (2019)
* "Fight for You"
* Music: D'Mile and H.E.R.
* Lyrics: H.E.R. and Tiara Thomas (2020)

2021–present|

* "No Time to Die"
* Music and lyrics: Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell (2021)
* "Naatu Naatu"
* Music: M. M. Keeravani
* Lyrics: Chandrabose (2022)
* "What Was I Made For?"
* Music and lyrics: Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell (2023)

* v
* t
* e

Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score

1940s|

* Life with Father – Max Steiner (1947)
* The Red Shoes – Brian Easdale (1948)
* The Inspector General – Johnny Green (1949)

1950s|

* Sunset Boulevard – Franz Waxman (1950)
* September Affair – Victor Young (1951)
* High Noon – Dimitri Tiomkin (1952)
* On the Beach – Ernest Gold (1959)

1960s|

* The Alamo – Dimitri Tiomkin (1960)
* The Guns of Navarone – Dimitri Tiomkin (1961)
* To Kill a Mockingbird – Elmer Bernstein (1962)
* (1963)
* The Fall of the Roman Empire – Dimitri Tiomkin (1964)
* Doctor Zhivago – Maurice Jarre (1965)
* Hawaii – Elmer Bernstein (1966)
* Camelot – Frederick Loewe (1967)
* The Shoes of the Fisherman – Alex North (1968)
* Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid – Burt Bacharach (1969)

1970s|

* Love Story – Francis Lai (1970)
* Shaft – Isaac Hayes (1971)
* The Godfather – Nino Rota (1972)
* Jonathan Livingston Seagull – Neil Diamond (1973)
* The Little Prince – Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe (1974)
* Jaws – John Williams (1975)
* A Star is Born – Kenneth Ascher and Paul Williams (1976)
* Star Wars – John Williams (1977)
* Midnight Express – Giorgio Moroder (1978)
* Apocalypse Now – Carmine Coppola and Francis Ford Coppola (1979)

1980s|

* The Stunt Man – Dominic Frontiere (1980)
* No Award (1981)
* E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial – John Williams (1982)
* Flashdance – Giorgio Moroder (1983)
* A Passage to India – Maurice Jarre (1984)
* Out of Africa – John Barry (1985)
* The Mission – Ennio Morricone (1986)
* The Last Emperor – David Byrne, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Cong Su (1987)
* Gorillas in the Mist – Maurice Jarre (1988)
* The Little Mermaid – Alan Menken (1989)

1990s|

* The Sheltering Sky – Richard Horowitz and Ryuichi Sakamoto (1990)
* Beauty and the Beast – Alan Menken (1991)
* Aladdin – Alan Menken (1992)
* Heaven & Earth – Kitarō (1993)
* The Lion King – Hans Zimmer (1994)
* A Walk in the Clouds – Maurice Jarre (1995)
* The English Patient – Gabriel Yared (1996)
* Titanic – James Horner (1997)
* The Truman Show – Burkhard Dallwitz and Philip Glass (1998)
* The Legend of 1900 – Ennio Morricone (1999)

2000s|

* Gladiator – Lisa Gerrard, Hans Zimmer (2000)
* Moulin Rouge! – Craig Armstrong (2001)
* Frida – Elliot Goldenthal (2002)
* The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – Howard Shore (2003)
* The Aviator – Howard Shore (2004)
* Memoirs of a Geisha – John Williams (2005)
* The Painted Veil – Alexandre Desplat (2006)
* Atonement – Dario Marianelli (2007)
* Slumdog Millionaire – A. R. Rahman (2008)
* Up – Michael Giacchino (2009)

2010s|

* The Social Network – Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (2010)
* The Artist – Ludovic Bource (2011)
* Life of Pi – Mychael Danna (2012)
* All Is Lost – Alex Ebert (2013)
* The Theory of Everything – Jóhann Jóhannsson (2014)
* The Hateful Eight – Ennio Morricone (2015)
* La La Land – Justin Hurwitz (2016)
* The Shape of Water – Alexandre Desplat (2017)
* First Man – Justin Hurwitz (2018)
* Joker – Hildur Guðnadóttir (2019)

2020s|

* Soul – Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, and Jon Batiste (2020)
* Dune – Hans Zimmer (2021)
* Babylon – Justin Hurwitz (2022)
* Oppenheimer – Ludwig Göransson (2023)

* v
* t
* e

Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song

1960s|

* "Town Without Pity" – Music by Dimitri Tiomkin; Lyrics by Ned Washington (1961)
* No Award (1962)
* No Award (1963)
* "Circus World" – Music by Dimitri Tiomkin; Lyrics by Ned Washington (1964)
* "Forget Domani" – Music by Riz Ortolani; Lyrics by Norman Newell (1965)
* "Strangers in the Night" – Music by Bert Kaempfert; Lyrics by Charles Singleton & Eddie Snyder (1966)
* "If Ever I Would Leave You" – Music by Frederick Loewe; Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner (1967)
* "The Windmills of Your Mind" – Music by Michel Legrand; Lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman (1968)
* "Jean" – Music and Lyrics by Rod McKuen (1969)

1970s|

* "Whistling Away the Dark" – Music by Henry Mancini; Lyrics by Johnny Mercer (1970)
* "Life Is What You Make It" – Music by Marvin Hamlisch; Lyrics by Johnny Mercer (1971)
* "Ben" – Music by Walter Scharf; Lyrics by Don Black (1972)
* "The Way We Were" – Music by Marvin Hamlisch; Lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman (1973)
* "I Feel Love" – Music by Euel Box; Lyrics by Betty Box (1974)
* "I'm Easy" – Music and Lyrics by Keith Carradine (1975)
* "Evergreen" – Music by Barbra Streisand; Lyrics by Paul Williams (1976)
* "You Light Up My Life" – Music and Lyrics by Joseph Brooks (1977)
* "Last Dance" – Music and Lyrics by Paul Jabara (1978)
* "The Rose" – Music and Lyrics by Amanda McBroom (1979)

1980s|

* "Fame" – Music by Michael Gore; Lyrics by Dean Pitchford (1980)
* "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" – Music and Lyrics by Peter Allen, Burt Bacharach, Christopher Cross & Carole Bayer Sager (1981)
* "Up Where We Belong" – Music by Jack Nitzsche & Buffy Sainte-Marie; Lyrics by Wilbur Jennings (1982)
* "Flashdance... What a Feeling" – Music by Giorgio Moroder; Lyrics by Irene Cara & Keith Forsey (1983)
* "I Just Called to Say I Love You" – Music and Lyrics by Stevie Wonder (1984)
* "Say You, Say Me" – Music and Lyrics by Lionel Richie (1985)
* "Take My Breath Away" – Music by Giorgio Moroder; Lyrics by Tom Whitlock (1986)
* "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" – Music by John DeNicola & Donald Markowitz; Lyrics by Franke Previte (1987)
* "Let the River Run" – Music and Lyrics by Carly Simon / "Two Hearts" – Music by Lamont Dozier; Lyrics by Phil Collins (1988)
* "Under the Sea" – Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Howard Ashman (1989)

1990s|

* "Blaze of Glory" – Music and Lyrics by Jon Bon Jovi (1990)
* "Beauty and the Beast" – Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Howard Ashman (1991)
* "A Whole New World" – Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Tim Rice (1992)
* "Streets of Philadelphia" – Music and Lyrics by Bruce Springsteen (1993)
* "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" – Music by Elton John; Lyrics by Tim Rice (1994)
* "Colors of the Wind" – Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (1995)
* "You Must Love Me" – Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber; Lyrics by Tim Rice (1996)
* "My Heart Will Go On" – Music by James Horner; Lyrics by Wilbur Jennings (1997)
* "The Prayer" – Music and Lyrics by David Foster, Tony Renis, Carole Bayer Sager & Alberto Testa (1998)
* "You'll Be in My Heart" – Music and Lyrics by Phil Collins (1999)

2000s|

* "Things Have Changed" – Music and Lyrics by Bob Dylan (2000)
* "Until..." – Music and Lyrics by Sting (2001)
* "The Hands That Built America" – Music and Lyrics by Bono, Adam Clayton, The Edge & Larry Mullen Jr. (2002)
* "Into the West" – Music and Lyrics by Annie Lennox, Howard Shore & Frances Walsh (2003)
* "Old Habits Die Hard" – Music and Lyrics by Mick Jagger & David A. Stewart (2004)
* "A Love That Will Never Grow Old" – Music by Gustavo Santaolalla; Lyrics by Bernie Taupin (2005)
* "The Song of the Heart" – Music and Lyrics by Prince Rogers Nelson (2006)
* "Guaranteed" – Music and Lyrics by Eddie Vedder (2007)
* "The Wrestler" – Music and Lyrics by Bruce Springsteen (2008)
* "The Weary Kind" – Music and Lyrics by Ryan Bingham & T Bone Burnett (2009)

2010s|

* "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me" – Music and lyrics by Diane Warren (2010)
* "Masterpiece" – Music and lyrics by Madonna, Julie Frost & Jimmy Harry (2011)
* "Skyfall" – Music and lyrics by Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth (2012)
* "Ordinary Love" – Music and lyrics by Bono, Adam Clayton, The Edge, Larry Mullen Jr. & Danger Mouse (2013)
* "Glory" – Music and lyrics by Common & John Legend (2014)
* "Writing's on the Wall" – Music and lyrics by Sam Smith & Jimmy Napes (2015)
* "City of Stars" – Music by Justin Hurwitz; lyrics by Benj Pasek & Justin Paul (2016)
* "This Is Me" – Music and lyrics by Benj Pasek & Justin Paul (2017)
* "Shallow" – Music and lyrics by Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando & Andrew Wyatt (2018)
* "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again" – Music by Elton John; lyrics by Bernie Taupin (2019)

2020s|

* "Io sì (Seen)" – Music by Diane Warren; Lyrics by Diane Warren, Laura Pausini & Niccolò Agliardi (2020)
* "No Time to Die" – Music and Lyrics by Billie Eilish & Finneas O'Connell (2021)
* "Naatu Naatu" – Music by M. M. Keeravani; Lyrics by Chandrabose (2022)
* "What Was I Made For?" – Music and Lyrics by Billie Eilish O'Connell and Finneas O'Connell (2023)

* Complete List
* (1960s)
* (1970s)
* (1980s)
* (1990s)
* (2000s)
* (2010s)
* (2020s)

* v
* t
* e

Grammy Award for Song of the Year

1950s|

* "Nel blu, dipinto di blu (Volare)" – Domenico Modugno (songwriter) (1958)
* "The Battle of New Orleans" – Jimmy Driftwood (songwriter) (1959)

1960s|

* "Theme of Exodus" – Ernest Gold (songwriter) (1960)
* "Moon River" – Johnny Mercer & Henry Mancini (songwriters) (1961)
* "What Kind of Fool Am I?" – Leslie Bricusse & Anthony Newley (songwriters) (1962)
* "Days of Wine and Roses" – Johnny Mercer & Henry Mancini (songwriters) (1963)
* "Hello, Dolly!" – Jerry Herman (songwriter) (1964)
* "The Shadow of Your Smile" – Paul Francis Webster & Johnny Mandel (songwriters) (1965)
* "Michelle" – John Lennon & Paul McCartney (songwriters) (1966)
* "Up, Up, and Away" – Jimmy Webb (songwriter) (1967)
* "Little Green Apples" – Bobby Russell (songwriter) (1968)
* "Games People Play" – Joe South (songwriter) (1969)

1970s|

* "Bridge over Troubled Water" – Paul Simon (songwriter) (1970)
* "You've Got a Friend" – Carole King (songwriter) (1971)
* "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" – Ewan MacColl (songwriter) (1972)
* "Killing Me Softly with His Song" – Norman Gimbel & Charles Fox (songwriters) (1973)
* "The Way We Were" – Alan and Marilyn Bergman & Marvin Hamlisch (songwriters) (1974)
* "Send In the Clowns" – Stephen Sondheim (songwriter) (1975)
* "I Write the Songs" – Bruce Johnston (songwriter) (1976)
* "Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born)" – Barbra Streisand & Paul Williams (songwriters) / "You Light Up My Life" – Joe Brooks (songwriter) (1977)
* "Just the Way You Are" – Billy Joel (songwriter) (1978)
* "What a Fool Believes" – Kenny Loggins & Michael McDonald (songwriters) (1979)

1980s|

* "Sailing" – Christopher Cross (songwriter) (1980)
* "Bette Davis Eyes" – Donna Weiss & Jackie DeShannon (songwriters) (1981)
* "Always on My Mind" – Johnny Christopher, Mark James & Wayne Carson (songwriters) (1982)
* "Every Breath You Take" – Sting (songwriter) (1983)
* "What's Love Got to Do with It" – Graham Lyle & Terry Britten (songwriters) (1984)
* "We Are the World" – Michael Jackson & Lionel Richie (songwriters) (1985)
* "That's What Friends Are For" – Burt Bacharach & Carole Bayer Sager (songwriters) (1986)
* "Somewhere Out There" – James Horner, Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil (songwriters) (1987)
* "Don't Worry, Be Happy" – Bobby McFerrin (songwriter) (1988)
* "Wind Beneath My Wings" – Larry Henley & Jeff Silbar (songwriters) (1989)

1990s|

* "From a Distance" – Julie Gold (songwriter) (1990)
* "Unforgettable" – Irving Gordon (songwriter) (1991)
* "Tears in Heaven" – Eric Clapton & Will Jennings (songwriters) (1992)
* "A Whole New World" – Alan Menken & Tim Rice (songwriters) (1993)
* "Streets of Philadelphia" – Bruce Springsteen (songwriter) (1994)
* "Kiss from a Rose" – Seal (songwriter) (1995)
* "Change the World" – Gordon Kennedy, Wayne Kirkpatrick & Tommy Sims (songwriters) (1996)
* "Sunny Came Home" – Shawn Colvin & John Leventhal (songwriters) (1997)
* "My Heart Will Go On" – James Horner & Will Jennings (songwriters) (1998)
* "Smooth" – Itaal Shur & Rob Thomas (songwriters) (1999)

2000s|

* "Beautiful Day" – Adam Clayton, David Evans, Laurence Mullen & Paul Hewson (songwriters) (2000)
* "Fallin'" – Alicia Keys (songwriter) (2001)
* "Don't Know Why" – Jesse Harris (songwriter) (2002)
* "Dance with My Father" – Richard Marx & Luther Vandross (songwriters) (2003)
* "Daughters" – John Mayer (songwriter) (2004)
* "Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own" – Adam Clayton, David Evans, Laurence Mullen & Paul Hewson (songwriters) (2005)
* "Not Ready to Make Nice" – Emily Burns Erwin, Martha Maguire, Natalie Maines Pasdar & Dan Wilson (songwriters) (2006)
* "Rehab" – Amy Winehouse (songwriter) (2007)
* "Viva la Vida" – Guy Berryman, Jonathan Buckland, William Champion & Christopher Martin (songwriters) (2008)
* "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" – Thaddis "Kuk" Harrell, Beyoncé Knowles, Terius Nash & Christopher Stewart (songwriters) (2009)

2010s|

* "Need You Now" – Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley & Hillary Scott (songwriters) (2010)
* "Rolling in the Deep" – Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth (songwriters) (2011)
* "We Are Young" – Jack Antonoff, Jeff Bhasker, Andrew Dost & Nate Ruess (songwriters) (2012)
* "Royals" – Joel Little & Ella Yelich O'Connor (songwriters) (2013)
* "Stay with Me" (Darkchild version) – James Napier, William Phillips & Sam Smith (songwriters) (2014)
* "Thinking Out Loud" – Ed Sheeran & Amy Wadge (songwriters) (2015)
* "Hello" – Adele Adkins & Greg Kurstin (songwriters) (2016)
* "That's What I Like" – Christopher Brody Brown, James Fauntleroy, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Ray Charles McCullough II, Jeremy Reeves, Ray Romulus & Jonathan Yip (songwriters) (2017)
* "This Is America" – Donald Glover, Ludwig Göransson & Jeffery Lamar Williams (songwriters) (2018)
* "Bad Guy" – Billie Eilish O'Connell & Finneas O'Connell (songwriters) (2019)

2020s|

* "I Can't Breathe" – Dernst Emile II, H.E.R. & Tiara Thomas (songwriters) (2020)
* "Leave the Door Open" – Brandon Anderson, Christopher Brody Brown, Dernst Emile II & Bruno Mars (songwriters) (2021)
* "Just Like That" – Bonnie Raitt (songwriter) (2022)
* "What Was I Made For?" – Billie Eilish O'Connell & Finneas O'Connell (songwriters) (2023)

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Grammy Award for Best Children's Music Album

1958−1974|

* "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)" – Ross Bagdasarian Sr. (1958)
* Peter and the Wolf – Peter Ustinov (1959)
* Let's All Sing with The Chipmunks – Ross Bagdasarian Sr. (1960)
* Prokofiev: Peter and The Wolf – Leonard Bernstein (1961)
* Saint-Saëns: Carnival of the Animals/Britten: Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra – Leonard Bernstein (1962)
* Bernstein Conducts for Young People – Leonard Bernstein (1963)
* Mary Poppins: Original Cast Soundtrack – Dick Van Dyke & Julie Andrews (1964)
* Dr. Seuss Presents: "Fox in Sox" and "Green Eggs and Ham" – Marvin Miller (1965)
* Dr. Seuss Presents - "If I Ran the Zoo" and "Sleep Book" – Marvin Miller (1966)
* Dr. Seuss: How The Grinch Stole Christmas – Boris Karloff (1967)
* No Award (1968)
* Peter, Paul and Mommy – Peter, Paul and Mary (1969)
* Sesame Street – Joan Cooney & Thomas Z. Shepard (producers) (1970)
* Bill Cosby Talks to Kids About Drugs – Bill Cosby (1971)
* The Electric Company – Bill Cosby & Rita Moreno (1972)
* Sesame Street Live! – Joe Raposo (producer) (1973)
* Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too – Paul Winchell, Sebastian Cabot & Sterling Holloway (1974)

1975−1992|

* The Little Prince – Richard Burton (1975)
* Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf / Saint-Saëns: "Carnival of the Animals" – Hermione Gingold & Karl Böhm (1976)
* Aren't You Glad You're You – Christopher Cerf & Jim Timmens (producers) (1977)
* The Muppet Show – Jim Henson (producer) (1978)
* The Muppet Movie – Jim Henson & Paul Williams (producers) (1979)
* In Harmony: A Sesame Street Record – David Levine & Lucy Simon (producers) (1980)
* Sesame Country – Jim Henson & Dennis Scott (producers) (1981)
* In Harmony 2 – David Levine & Lucy Simon (producers) (1982)
* E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial – Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones (producer) (1983)
* Where the Sidewalk Ends – Shel Silverstein and Ron Haffkine (producer) (1984)
* Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird – Jim Henson & Steve Buckingham (producers) (1985)
* The Alphabet – Jim Henson, Geri Van Rees & Kathryn King (producers) (1986)
* The Elephant's Child – Bobby McFerrin & Jack Nicholson (1987)
* Pecos Bill – Robin Williams and Ry Cooder (1988)
* The Rock-A-Bye Collection, Volume 1 – Tanya Goodman (1989)
* The Little Mermaid: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack – Alan Menken & Howard Ashman (songwriters) (1990)
* A Cappella Kids – Clifford "Barney" Robertson (producer) (1991)
* Beauty and the Beast: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Alan Menken & Howard Ashman (songwriters) (1992)

2011−present|

* All About Bullies... Big and Small – Gloria Domina, James Cravero, Kevin Mackie, Patrick Robinson & Steve Pullara (producers) (2011)
* Can You Canoe? – The Okee Dokee Brothers (2012)
* Throw a Penny in the Wishing Well – Jennifer Gasoi (2013)
* I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World – Neela Vaswani (2014)
* Home – Tim Kubart (2015)
* Infinity Plus One – Secret Agent 23 Skidoo (2016)
* Feel What U Feel – Lisa Loeb (2017)
* All the Sounds – Lucy Kalantari & The Jazz Cats (2018)
* Ageless Songs for the Child Archetype – Jon Samson (2019)
* All the Ladies – Joanie Leeds (2020)
* A Colorful World − Falu (2021)
* The Movement – Alphabet Rockers (2022)
* We Grow Together Preschool Songs – 123 Andrés (2023)

From 1993–2010, the category was split into Best Musical Album for Children and Best Spoken Word Album for Children.

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Satellite Auteur Award

Special Achievement Award
(1999–2004)|

* Dale Olson (1999)
* No Award (2000)
* Meir Fenigstein (2001)
* No Award (2002)
* Peter Dinklage (2003)
* No Award (2004)

Auteur Award
(2005–present)|

* George Clooney (2005)
* Robert Altman (2006)
* Julian Schnabel (2007)
* Baz Luhrmann (2008)
* Roger Corman (2009)
* Alex Gibney (2010)
* Peter Bogdanovich (2011)
* Paul Williams (2012)
* Guillermo del Toro (2013)
* Martyn Burke (2014)
* Robert M. Young (2015)
* Tom Ford (2016)
* Greta Gerwig (2017)
* Ryan Coogler (2018)
* Edward Norton (2019)
* Emerald Fennell (2020)
* Lin-Manuel Miranda (2021)
* Martin McDonagh (2022)
* Yorgos Lanthimos (2023)

Authority control databases

International|

* FAST
* ISNI
* VIAF

National|

* Norway
* Spain
* France
* BnF data
* Germany
* Israel
* United States
* Australia
* Korea
* Netherlands
* Poland

Artists|

* Grammy Awards
* MusicBrainz

People|

* Trove

Other|

* IdRef

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