The Song She Hopes Will Make a Difference

In the 90 years of the Oscars’ best original song category, only one songwriter has been nominated for eight consecutive years. The late lyricist Sammy Cahn achieved this feat from 1954 to 1961, winning three times during that period with songs recorded by Frank Sinatra: “Three Coins in the Fountain,” “All the Way,” and “High Hopes.”

Diane Warren has a shot at tying Cahn’s record on January 17, 2025, when nominations for the 97th annual Academy Awards are revealed. She is counting on the song “The Journey” from Tyler Perry’s upcoming World War II drama, The Six Triple Eight, which Netflix plans to release later this year.

If nominated, it would be Warren’s 16th career nomination in the category, a milestone only three other songwriters have reached. Cahn holds the record with 26 nominations, followed by Johnny Mercer with 18, and Paul Francis Webster with 16. A nomination would also make Warren the most-nominated woman in this category, surpassing Alan and Marilyn Bergman, who have 15 nominations. Notably, despite her many nods, Warren has yet to win an Oscar.

Interestingly, “The Journey” was recorded by H.E.R., who previously beat Warren for the Oscar in 2021. H.E.R. won for “Fight for You” from Judas and the Black Messiah, a song she co-wrote with Dernst Emile II (D’Mile) and Tiara Thomas, defeating Warren’s “Io Sì (Seen)” from The Life Ahead (La Vita Davanti a Se), which was co-written with Laura Pausini. Warren’s song had earlier won a Golden Globe.

The Six Triple Eight tells the story of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, an all-Black and all-woman unit during World War II. Tyler Perry wrote, directed, and co-produced the film, inspired by historian Kevin M. Hymel’s article “WAC Corporal Lena Derriecott and the 6888th Central Postal Battalion,” published in WWII History magazine in February 2019.

The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion was tasked with sorting out a massive backlog of undelivered mail and ensuring it reached American soldiers. “The Journey” is described as a tribute to those who overcome seemingly insurmountable barriers, a common theme in Warren’s work.

H.E.R. recorded “The Journey” in 2023, and it was prominently featured in ESPN’s NBA Playoffs coverage starting April 15, 2023. She also performed the song live at the 2023 ESPY Awards on July 12.

Given that the song “The Journey” was created for The Six Triple Eight, it remains eligible for a best original song nomination for the 2024 film, potentially competing for awards in 2025.

The announcement of Tyler Perry’s involvement in the film came in December 2022, and by January 2023, the cast was revealed, including Kerry Washington, Sam Waterston, Susan Sarandon, and Oprah Winfrey, with Washington also serving as an executive producer. Filming commenced on January 17, 2023, in Atlanta.

According to Clayton Davis of Variety, there is precedent for songs with similar release trajectories being nominated. Examples include “In the Deep” from Crash (2005) and the Oscar-winning “Falling Slowly” from Once (2007).

In 2023, Diane Warren received an Honorary Oscar, becoming the first songwriter to be honored in this way. The inscription praised her “genius, generosity, and passionate commitment to the power of song in film.”

Warren’s accolades also include a Primetime Emmy, a Grammy, and two Golden Globes — all for her film songs. She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001 and received their highest honor, the Johnny Mercer Award, in June.

Bess Kargman’s documentary, Diane Warren: Relentless, premiered at SXSW in March, showcasing Warren’s impressive career and dedication to her craft.

Source: Variety