American Masters

My friend Jack Nitzsche, who I had known in the '60s, he couldn't come up with a theme for this movie that he was scoring called "An Officer and a Gentleman." And so I played him the melody for "Up Where We Belong." (gentle piano music) And the doggone thing, it just had a life of its own. Who knows what tomorrow brings In a world few hearts survive She was a writer beyond just being, people seeing her as a protest or some sort of writer like that. She was a musician, creative on any front that could work. (gentle acoustic music) As long When I heard that song, I recognized Joe Cocker doing Buffy's phrasing.

I could hear, through him, Buffy's writing on that song, and I thought, wow. Love lift us up where we belong And the winner is Jack Nitzsche, Buffy Sainte-Marie, and Will Jennings, "Up Where We Belong" from "An Officer and a Gentleman. (audience applauding) You have this moment where there's this enormous smash hit that gets all kinds of recognition, wins an Oscar. You knew she was a force, she was a different kind of artist.

Up where the clear winds blow