Oscar-Nominated Songs: Up Where We Belong
By Four Walls
@FourWalls (68084)
United States
January 20, 2023 10:40am CST
After yesterday’s surprise it’s back to “normal” with the list of favorites that were nominated for “Best Original Song” in the Academy Awards. One more alphabetical tomorrow, and it’ll also probably surprise you to be from a movie, then we’ll get to my top ten. Meanwhile, sing along with this one!
Up Where We Belong - Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes
Hey, my mom even loved this song! And I loved the movie. “My grandmama wants to fly jets!” 
Louis Gossett Jr. was so deserving of his Best Supporting Actor award for his role as the drill instructor. And this song was also so deserving. Obviously! In addition to the Oscar, it won a Golden Globe, a British Academy Film Award trophy, and a Grammy.
The song paired an “odd couple” of sorts, rocker Joe Cocker and soft rock-almost-country singer Jennifer Warnes (she’d had hits with “The Right Time of the Night” and “I Know a Heartache When I See One”) for the performance. And oh, did it work.
A memorable song from a memorable movie.
Up Whee We Belong
Written by Will Jennings, Buffy Sainte-Marie, and Jack Nitzsche
Recorded by Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes
Oscar Winner
From An Officer and a Gentleman, 1982
Where the eagles cry:
Louis Gossett Jr. was so deserving of his Best Supporting Actor award for his role as the drill instructor. And this song was also so deserving. Obviously! In addition to the Oscar, it won a Golden Globe, a British Academy Film Award trophy, and a Grammy.
The song paired an “odd couple” of sorts, rocker Joe Cocker and soft rock-almost-country singer Jennifer Warnes (she’d had hits with “The Right Time of the Night” and “I Know a Heartache When I See One”) for the performance. And oh, did it work.
A memorable song from a memorable movie.
Up Whee We Belong
Written by Will Jennings, Buffy Sainte-Marie, and Jack Nitzsche
Recorded by Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes
Oscar Winner
From An Officer and a Gentleman, 1982
Where the eagles cry:
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14 people like this
14 responses
@LindaOHio (178780)
• United States
21 Jan 23
I love this song; and I love Joe Cocker.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (68084)
• United States
21 Jan 23
I’m racking up success after success with you in this countdown! 
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (178780)
• United States
22 Jan 23
@FourWalls I have a feeling that the next countdown is going to be one for the earplugs.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (68084)
• United States
2 Feb 23
I can understand why! Very well-crafted vocal performance.
1 person likes this
@thebos (5960)
• Kisumu, Kenya
2 Feb 23
@FourWalls yeah, I will love to see more
1 person likes this
). Louis Gossett Jr. was so awesome in it!!@much2say (55655)
• Los Angeles, California
20 Jan 23
@FourWalls Oh my gosh YES - John Belushi nailed it!!!!!!!
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1 person likes this
@FourWalls (68084)
• United States
20 Jan 23
Gossett was amazing in that movie. And yes, Cocker was fun to watch. Remember that time he was on SNL and John Belushi impersonated him WITH him?
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (89873)
• Arvada, Colorado
20 Jan 23
I remember this lovely song Four Walls.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (68084)
• United States
20 Jan 23
One of the best movie songs of the 80s IMO.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (35615)
•
29 Jan 23
There are some interesting names on who wrote this song, especially Jack Nitzsche. I immediately thought of his association with Neil Young. But then after a little research I realized what a talent he was working with other artists and writing some terrific songs and contributing some tunes for movies!
Not a song I would have on my playlists, but I did enjoy the film, lol.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (68084)
• United States
29 Jan 23
Will Jennings wrote a lot with Steve Winwood, so his name is very familiar. And wow, Buffy, hadn’t thought about her in ages.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (35615)
•
1 Feb 23
@FourWalls Wow! With Steve Winwood really 
Steve showed a bit of "Blind Faith" in forming a writing relationship with Jennings. After seeing all his collaborations with other artists, I take that back! "Higher Love" is a great tune off a CD I enjoyed listening to...
Steve showed a bit of "Blind Faith" in forming a writing relationship with Jennings. After seeing all his collaborations with other artists, I take that back! "Higher Love" is a great tune off a CD I enjoyed listening to...1 person likes this
@suwardie03 (317)
• Semarang, Indonesia
21 Jan 23
@FourWalls I will play the song on the guitar.
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (47334)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
20 Jan 23
I wish everyone could know a heartache when they see one.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (68084)
• United States
20 Jan 23
If life were only a song then that’d be so true.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (79892)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
22 Jan 23
Absolutely love this song, I always get a kick out of it from one of my favorite movies Bridget Joneses Baby where Colin Firth as Mark picks up the very pregnant Bridget and as he carries her this song plays 
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (68084)
• United States
23 Jan 23
I love spoofs of other movies sneaking in like that!1 person likes this
@FourWalls (68084)
• United States
20 Jan 23
I thought so, but then what else can I say?
It is a great song!
It is a great song!1 person likes this
@FourWalls (68084)
• United States
21 Jan 23
Easily one of my favorites from an 80s film.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (68084)
• United States
21 Jan 23
I don’t proclaim myself a movie buff, but I don’t think there was another performance in the same time zone that year as Gossett in that film!
Glad you’ve heard the song again!
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (68084)
• United States
20 Jan 23
No, he passed away from lung cancer in 2014.
1 person likes this
