1991 No.1 Power Ballad Lands Among 'Top Movie Songs of All Time'
The tale of Robin Hood has been told many times over the years in Hollywood, from action adventures, animated films, spoof comedies, and many more. In 1991, the theme song and title track for Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves gained critical and chart-topping acclaim, earning it an Oscar nomination and recognition as one of the best movie songs.
Director Kevin Reynolds and writers Pen Densham and John Watson developed the movie loosely based on the English folk tale of Robin Hood, set in the 12th century.Kevin Costner played the iconic role of Robin of Locksley alongside Morgan Freeman, Christian Slater, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, andAlan Rickman.
Robin of Locksley is a nobleman who returns home to England after the Crusades with the help of Azeem (Freeman), a Moorish warrior. He returns home to discover his father was murdered, and the land is under the ruthless control of the Sheriff of Nottingham (Rickman). Forced into hiding, he bands together a group of outlaws to fight against Nottingham's reign and to steal from the rich to give to the poor. Along the way, he begins to fall for Maid Marian (Mastrantonio).
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves was a box office success and became the second-highest grossing film of that year with over $390 million at the box office. Rickman won a BAFTA for Supporting Actor, with the title theme song, "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You", nominated for Best Original Song at the Oscars, and winning a Grammy for Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television.
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"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" was a track by Canadian singer Bryan Adams, written by him alongside Michael Kamen and Robert John "Mutt" Lange. Tagged as a power ballad, it was the lead single for the film's soundtrack. It was reportedly written within 45 minutes and inspired the movie's other title theme, "Maid Marian," and its overall love story.
The track became a success, topping the Billboard Hot 100 charts at No. 1 for seven consecutive weeks. It was an impressive feat at the time, having been the longest No. 1 track since 1983. It also topped Billboard's Adult Contemporary charts for eight weeks. Billboard ranked the track at No.2 as one of the best movie songs under "Endless Love" by Diana RossandLionel Richie.
"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" was also nominated for a Grammy for Record of the Year in 1992, and lost the Oscar to "Beauty and the Beast" that same year. The track has since been covered by multiple artists, such as Brandy for her second studio album.
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This story was originally published April 24, 2026 at 8:34 AM.