Film Music Review
The Sammy awards
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These awards are named in honor of lyricist, Sammy Cahn, who received four Oscars for his songs: "Three Coins in the Fountain"; "All the Way"; "High Hopes"; "Call Me Irresponsible." He was nominated more times than any other songwriter -- 26 times in all.

The Sammys are announced in only one major category -- film music.

Now in their 20th year, the Sammys are the longest-running awards chosen exclusively for film scores and film songs.      

They are chosen by Roger Hall, a film music historian, ASCAP composer,
author of A Guide to Film Music, and editor of Film Music Review.


The Sammy Awards List, 1988 - 2006


 

19th Sammy Awards - 2006

BEST SCORE: NOTES ON A SCANDAL - music by Philip Glass (Rounder)

BEST SONG: “Our Town” from CARS (music & lyrics by Randy Newman) (Disney Pixar)

BEST COMPILATION:
CHARLIE CHAPLIN: THE ESSENTIAL FILM MUSIC COLLECTION (Silva Screen)

BEST VINTAGE SCORE: TRUE GRIT - music by Elmer Bernstein (Tadlow)

SPECIAL PRESERVATION AWARD:
ELMER BERNSTEIN'S FILM MUSIC COLLECTION (Film Score Monthly)

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: Jay Livingston, 1915-2001 and Ray Evans, 1915-2007

 

18th Sammy Awards - 2005

BEST SCORE: MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA - music by John Williams

BEST SONG: “A Love That Will Never Grow Old” from BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
music by Gustavo Santaolalla/ lyrics by Bernie Taupin

BEST SONG COMPILATION: GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK – arrangements by Matt Catingub

PLATINUM AWARD FOR MOST OVERLOOKED SCORE: The Terminal – John Williams

WORST COMPILATION: MURDERBALL - various songs and original music by Jamie Saft

MOST OVERLOOKED SCORE: LADIES IN LAVENDER - music by Nigel Hess

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: Elmer Bernstein, 1922 -2004 (1 Oscar, 1967)

 

17 th Sammy Awards - 2004

BEST SCORE: THE VILLAGE - music by James Newton Howard

BEST SONG: “Believe” (music by Alan Silvestri/ lyrics by Glen Ballard) from THE POLAR EXPRESS

BEST SONG COMPILATION: RAY – songs by Ray Charles

PLATINUM AWARD FOR MOST OVERLOOKED SCORE: THE TERMINAL– John Williams

WORST SONG: “Learn to be Lonely” from THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: Alex North , 1910-1991 (1 Honorary Oscar, 1985)

 

16 th Sammy Awards - 2003

BEST SCORE: SEABISCUIT - music by Randy Newman

BEST SONG: “The Scarlet Tide” (music: Elvis Costello/ lyrics: Henry Burnett) from COLD MOUNTAIN

BEST SONG COMPILATION: A MIGHTY WIND – all original songs

PLATINUM AWARD FOR MOST OVERLOOKED SCORE: GOD AND GENERALS -
music by John Frizzell and Randy Edelman

WORST FILM SCORE (Tie):
THE LIFE OF DAVID GALE – music by Alex and Jake Parker
MYSTIC RIVER – music by Clint Eastwood

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: Bronislau Kaper , 1902-1983 (1 Oscar for LILI , 1953)

 

15 th Sammy Awards - 2002

BEST SCORE: FAR FROM HEAVEN - music by Elmer Bernstein

BEST SONG: “I Move On” (music by John Kander/ lyrics by Fred Ebb) from CHICAGO

BEST SONG/SCORE COMPILATION: FRIDA – score by Eliot Goldenthal & other songs

PLATINUM AWARD FOR MOST OVERLOOKED SCORE: SIGNS – James Newton Howard

WORST SONG & SCORE: “Die Another Day” from DIE ANOTHER DAY

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: Johnny Green , 1908-1989 (4 Oscars: 1948,1951,1961, 1968)

 

14 th Sammy Awards - 2001

BEST SCORE: A.I. : ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE – music by John Williams

BEST SONG: “Until” (music & lyrics by Sting) from KATE & LEOPOLD

BEST SONG COMPILATION: DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN – American roots songs

WORST FILM SCORE: HANNIBAL – music by Hans Zimmer

WORST FILM SONG: “Come What May” from MOULIN ROUGE

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: Hugo Friedhofer , 1902-1981 (1 Oscar)

 

13 th Sammy Awards - 2000

BEST SCORE: CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON – music by Tan Dun

BEST SONG: “A Fool in Love” (music & lyrics by Randy Newman) - MEET THE PARENTS

BEST SONG COMPILATION: OH, BROTHER WHERE ART THOU? – American roots songs

PLATINUM AWARD FOR MOST OVERLOOKED SCORE:
ON THE BEACH –
music by Christopher Gordon

WORST FILM SCORE: MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2 – music by Hans Zimmer

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: Victor Young , 1900-1956 (1 Oscar)

 

12 th Sammy Awards - 1999

BEST SCORE: THE RED VIOLIN - music by John Corigliano

BEST SONG: “When She Loved Me” (music & lyrics by Randy Newman)- TOY STORY 2

BEST SONG COMPILATION: THE IRON GIANT - vintage songs

WORST FILM SONG: “Blame Canada” from SOUTH PARK: BIGGER, LONGER AND UNCUT

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: Franz Waxman , 1906-1967 (2 Oscars in a row, 1950-1951)

 

11 th Sammy Awards - 1998

BEST SCORE: SAVING PRIVATE RYAN – music by John Williams

BEST SONG: “When You Believe”
(music & lyrics by Stephen Schwartz)from THE PRINCE OF EGYPT

BEST SONG COMPILATION: PLEASANTVILLE - vintage songs

WORST SONG: “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” from ARMAGEDDON

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: Dimitri Tiomkin , 1894-1979 (4 Oscars = 1 song, 3 scores)

 

10 th Sammy Awards - 1997

BEST SCORE: SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET – music by John Williams

BEST SONG: “Journey to the Past”
(music: Stephen Flaherty/lyrics: Lynn Ahrens) from ANASATASIA

BEST SONG COMPILATION: L.A. CONFIDENTIAL

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: Erich Wolfgang Korngold , 1897-1957 (Oscars: 1936, 1938)

 

9 th Sammy Awards - 1996

BEST SCORE: FLY AWAY HOME – music by Mark Isham

BEST SONG: “10,000 Miles”
(arr. by Mary Chapin Carpenter, John Jennings, Mark Isham) from FLY AWAY HOME

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: Miklos Rozsa (3 Oscars: 1945, 1947, 1959)

 

8 th Sammy Awards - 1995

BEST SCORE: RESTORATION – music by James Newton Howard

BEST SONG: “Moonlight”
(music: John Williams/lyrics: Alan & Marilyn Bergman) from SABRINA

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: Harry Warren , 1893-1981 (3 Oscars: 1935, 1943, 1946)

 

7 th Sammy Awards - 1994

BEST SCORE: THE LION KING - music by Hans Zimmer

BEST SONG: “Circle of Life” (music: Elton John/lyrics: Tim Rice) from THE LION KING

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: James Van Heusen (4 Oscars: 1944, 1957, 1959, 1963)

 

6 th Sammy Awards - 1993

BEST SCORE: SCHINDLER'S LIST – music by John Williams

BEST SONG: “When I Fall in Love” (music: Victor Young /lyrics: Edward Heyman)
(arranged by Jeremy Lubbock) from SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: Max Steiner (3 Oscars: 1935, 1942, 1944)

 

5 th Sammy Awards - 1992

BEST SCORE: HOWARD'S END – music by Richard Robbins

BEST SONG: “A Whole New World” (music: Alan Menken/lyrics: Tim Rice)- ALADDIN

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: Alfred Newman (9 Oscars: 1938-1967)

 

4 th Sammy Awards - 1991

BEST SCORE: BEAUTY AND THE BEAST – music by Alan Menken

BEST SONG: “Beauty and the Beast” (music: Alan Menken/ lyrics: Howard Ashman)

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: Johnny Mercer (4 Oscars: 1946, 1951, 1961, 1962)

 

3rd Sammy Awards - 1990

BEST SCORE: DANCES WITH WOLVES – music by John Barry

BEST SONG: “Somewhere in My Memory”
(music: John Williams/ lyrics: Leslie Bricusse) from HOME ALONE

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: Henry Mancini (4 Oscars: 1961 (2), 1962, 1982)

 

2nd Sammy Awards - 1989

BEST SCORE: BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY – music by John Williams

BEST SONG: “Under the Sea” (music: Alan Menken/lyrics: Howard Ashman
from THE LITTLE MERMAID

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: Bernard Herrmann (1 Oscar, 1941)

 

1st Sammy Awards - 1988

BEST SCORE: THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST – music by John Williams

BEST SONG: “Let the River Run” (music & lyrics by Carly Simon) from WORKING GIRL

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: Sammy Cahn (4 Oscars: 1954, 1957, 1959, 1963)

 

Most Sammy Awards = John Williams = 11
[1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1997,1998, 2001, 2004, 2005 = 2]

 

 

 

 

 


To read descriptions and reviews of past awards, go here:

The Sammy Movie Music Awards


 

For comments or questions, write to:

Sammy Awards

 


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