1969 Chart-Topping Track Won an Oscar For 'Best Original Song' 56 Years Ago Today
In 1969, a buddy Western starring Robert Redford and Paul Newman needed the perfect song to match its tone. Performed by B.J. Thomas and written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, the track went on to top the charts, and earned an Oscar 56 years ago.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was directed by George Roy Hilland written by William Goldman, and loosely based on facts. It centered on the Wild West outlaws Robert LeRoy, known as Butch Cassidy, and Harry Longabaugh, known as the "Sundance Kid." Well-known Hollywood actors Newman and Redford played the respective roles as the outlaws on the run from the US posse after a string of train robberies.
The Western film also starred Katharine Ross as Etta Place, the lover of Sundance, who flees with them to Bolivia in the hopes of evading the posse. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid received lukewarm reviews upon its release, but gained later recognition as one of the top films and was preserved by the Library of Congress.
What gained recognition was B.J. Thomas's "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head," having been created specifically for the project. The uplifting lyrics told the story of someone overcoming their troubles and realizing happiness may not be too far away. The track ended up ranking No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and kept its spot for four straight weeks in January of 1970.
Related: 1957 Classic Film Ranked Among 'Best Movies of All Time'
Its popularity also led to a No. 1 spot on the Billboard Adult Contemporary charts and ranked at No. 4 of the best tracks released in 1970. Before Thomas accepted to record the track, Ray Stevensturned it down, and Bob Dylan also reportedly declined. Director Hill needed a song specifically for a romantic bike riding scene, but some felt the song didn't fit the tone of the Western. Redford was also one of the doubters, but later admitted he was wrong.
"When the film was released, I was highly critical: How did the song fit with the film? There was no rain. At the time, it seemed like a dumb idea. How wrong I was, as it turned out to be a giant hit," he said to Biography .
"Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" not only topped the charts but won an Oscar for "Best Original Song." Bacharach was also awarded an Oscar for "Best Original Score" for the film. The song's legacy continued, having been tagged by the American Film Institute as one of the top songs in American cinema. It was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2014 and covered by artists like Roy Avers, Barbara Mason, Diane Warwick, and Mel Torme, to name a few.
This story was originally published by Parade on Apr 7, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
