From ‘In the Heat of the Night' to ‘E.T,' Streisand to ‘Severance': How Alan Bergman soundtracked Hollywood

Yahoo

18-07-2025

Four Emmys. Three Oscars. Two Grammys. One-half of a legendary songwriting team who made an enduring impact on the soundtrack of Hollywood.
Alan Bergman — whose collaboration with wife Marilyn resulted in dozens of indelible songs performed from everyone from Frank Sinatra to Barbra Streisand to Michael Jackson, and soundtracked everything from In the Heat of the Night to Severance — died Thursday at the age of 99. (Marilyn died in 2002.)
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The Bergmans formed a formidable lyric-writing duo, teaming with several of the greatest composers of the 20th century, including Quincy Jones, John Williams, Ennio Morricone, Henry Mancini, and Marvin Hamlisch.
They received the Trustees Award from the Grammys in 2013 and were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1980; the couple also received the organization's highest honor, the Johnny Mercer Award, in 1997.
Here are 10 must-hear classics from their award-worthy songbook.
'Nice 'n' Easy' (1960)
Cowritten with Lew Spence, the swinging lead single from Frank Sinatra's hit album was a breakout smash for the young songwriting tandem. It also earned them their first Song of the Year Grammy nomination.
'In the Heat of the Night' (1967)
With music by Jones, this is the song that put the Bergmans on Hollywood's radar. From the Best Picture-winning film of the same name, the track — which played over the opening titles — featured a soulful performance by Ray Charles.
'The Windmills of Your Mind' (1968)
The Bergmans had a fruitful partnership with French composer Michel Legrand. Their first team-up resulted in this classic from The Thomas Crown Affair, and earned them their first Oscar for Best Original Song. Originally performed by Noel Harrison, it was later recorded by the likes of Dusty Springfield, José Feliciano, Johnny Mathis, Don Knotts (in a manic rendition for The Muppet Show), and Mel Tormé — whose version memorably underscored the final scene of Season 2 of Severance as Mark and Helly race off into an uncertain future.
'The Way We Were' (1973)
The Bergmans won their second Oscar by teaming up with Hamlisch for the theme to the hit Streisand-Robert Redford romance. The track was sung by Streisand, who became a frequent interpreter of the couple's songs. The tune also earned the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song and the Grammy Award for Song of the Year, and the Bergmans won a second Grammy for the soundtrack album.
'Good Times' (1974)
Two years after cowriting the theme song to "Maude," the Bergmans and Dave Grusin came up with an even more impactful opening number for "Good Times." While the show didn't earn any Emmy glory, the theme, performed by Jim Gilstrap and Blinky Williams, became an enduring piece of pop culture. That was due, in part, to the inscrutable lyrics, which were a subject of one of Dave Chappelle's "I Know Black People" sketches on Chappelle's Show.
'Fify Percent' (1978)
The Bergmans and composer Billy Goldenberg earned an Emmy for their 1975 TV musical Queen of the Stardust Ballroom, starring Maureen Stapleton and Charles Durning. The production was adapted for Broadway in 1978 and retitled Ballroom, with Dorothy Loudon and Vincent Gardenia taking over the lead roles. Although it only ran for 116 performances, Ballroom earned Tony nomination for Best Musical and provided Loudon with a show-stopping number in "Fifty Percent."
'You Don't Bring Me Flowers' (1978)
Cowritten by Neil Diamond for the Norman Lear sitcom All That Glitters, the song ultimately went unused when Lear changed the show's direction. Diamond and Streisand each subsequently released solo versions of the song, which several deejays spliced together to make an unauthorized duet. The artists decided to record an official version and saw it top the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978. It also won the songwriters the Grammy for Song of the Year.
'Someone in the Dark' (1982)
With music by Rod Temperton, this Michael Jackson song was the big hit from the E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial album, which also included the iconic John Williams theme and an audiobook of the film narrated by Jackson. Jackson would go on to win a Grammy for Best Recording for Children.
'Papa, Can You Hear Me'/ 'The Way He Makes Me Feel' (1983)
The Bergmans and Legrand received two Best Song nominations for these tracks from Barbra Streisand's Yentl and ultimately won for Best Original Song Score.
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