“You’ve Got a Friend in Me” released on Toy Story soundtrack

You’ve Got a Friend in Me Randy Newman & Lyle Lovett

Writer(s): Randy Newman (see lyrics here) Released: April 12, 1996 First Charted: -- Peak: 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 3.0 US, 0.6 UK, 3.6 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 37.50 video, 20.86 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Singer/songwriter Randy Newman was born in 1943 in Los Angeles, California. He began his songwriting career at the age of 17, writing hits for Cilla Black, the Fleetwoods, Gene Pitney, and others. He also created background music for television shows, including The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, Lost in Space, and Peyton Place. In 1968, he released his self-titled debut album. He did his first film score in 1971 for Cold Turkey and went on to score Ragtime (1981), The Natural (1984), Parenthood (1989), Avalon (1990), Awakenings (1990), and Maverick (1994). In 1995, he scored Disney/Pixar’s animated film Toy Story, which led to him being a go-to songwriter for multiple projects for Disney/Pixar. Newman said it was both a blessing and a curse. “I have definitely found a place in animation. But I got typecast. I don’t get offered things like Out of Africa. I’d do them. They’re easier. You never stop in animated pictures. In a drama, they’re not skipping around all the time.” SF Over the years, he had sporadic success with singles, such as “Mama Told Me Not to Come” (a #1 hit for Three Dog Night in 1970), “Short People” (#2, 1977), “I Love L.A.” (1982), and “You Can Leave Your Hat On” (#35 for Joe Cocker in 1986). However, the song that he may end up best remembered for is “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.” Not only was it the theme to Toy Story, but was featured prominently in the sequels as well. There have been different recordings of the song, but the best known is Newman’s duet version with Lyle Lovett. “As the name of the song implies, the song sings about how one can always rely on someone through even the roughest of times, thus, finding a friend in that someone.” DF In the first movie, the song is introduced as a song about a boy (Andy) and his relationship with his toy Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks). It later becomes associated with the toy Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Tim Allen) and ultimately can be seen as an anthem for the two toys when they have to put aside their differences and help each other. It became a song with legs beyond the movie because of its universal theme of friendship. It even took on legendary status as the anthem for Pixar, similarly to how Pinocchio’s “When You Wish Upon a Star” became the anthem for Disney. DF Resources: DF Disney.fandom.com SF Songfacts Related Links: First posted 11/21/2025.

Bruce Springsteen released “Streets of Philadelphia”

Streets of Philadelphia Bruce Springsteen

Writer(s): Bruce Springsteen (see lyrics here) Released: February 2, 1994 First Charted: February 12, 1994 Peak: 9 US, 6 CB, 2 GR, 10 RR, 3 AC, 25 AR, 2 UK, 11 CN, 4 AU, 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 0.6 UK, 2.66 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 227.22 video, 345.33 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Movie director Jonathan Demme met Bruce Springsteen in 1985 on the video shoot for “Sun City.” They hadn’t seen each other since, but Demme reached out to Springsteen when he needed a song for Philadelphia, his 1993 movie starring Tom Hanks as a lawyer dying of AIDS. Springsteen told him “I’m interested so I’d like to come up with a song for you…but I can’t promise…I’m not very good at scores.” WK He had, in fact, never written a song specifically for a movie SF although he had given the song “Light of Day” to director Paul Schrader for his 1987 movie of the same name. SF Demme wanted “the kind of soaring guitar-driven anthem for which the Asbury Park-bred artist was best known. What he got was better still: a profoundly reflective acoustic ballad from the perspective of the Hanks character, calmly recounting what is happening to him in an almost documentary-like fashion.” SS Springsteen reworked some lyrics he’d written about the death of a friend, but couldn’t get the song to work with a rock beat. SF He sent what he considered a demo to Demme. He and his wife sat and listened to it “and we were literally weeping by the end.” WK Demme thought it was perfect just the way it was. SF Springsteen said, “I hope that this film, and in some smaller way the song, might take a chip out of the fear and intolerance and lack of compassion that we show one another.” HL Writer Christopher Sanford called it “the saddest track cut this decade.” WK The “moody ballad” AMG was “a surprising commercial comeback for Springsteen.” AMG It was his first top 10 hit since 1987’s “Tunnel of Love” and first gold single since 1985’s “My Hometown.” The song was a top 10 in the U.S. and hit #1 in Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, and Norway. WK “Streets of Philadelphia” won the Oscar for Best Original Song and Grammys for Song of the Year, Best Rock Song, Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance, Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television. Springsteen performed it at the Academy Awards in March 1994, the MTV Video Music Awards in September 1994, and at the Grammy Awards in March 1995. Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Bruce Springsteen AMG All Music Guide review by William Ruhlmann HL Michael Heatley and Spencer Leigh (1998). Behind the Song: The Stories of 100 Great Pop & Rock Classics. Blandford Books: London, UK. Page 154. SF Songfacts SS Steve Sullivan (2013). Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings (Volumes I & II). Scarecrow Press: Lanham, Maryland. Page 150. WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 2/27/2021; last updated 4/30/2024.