1940s
- 1940 (13th) "When You Wish upon a Star" — Pinocchio • Music: Leigh Harline • Lyrics: Ned Washington
- "Down Argentine Way" — Down Argentine Way • Music: Harry Warren • Lyrics: Mack Gordon
- "I'd Know You Anywhere" — You'll Find Out • Music: Jimmy McHugh • Lyrics: Johnny Mercer
- "It's a Blue World" — Music in My Heart • Music and Lyrics: Chet Forrest and Bob Wright
- "Love of My Life" — Second Chorus • Music: Artie Shaw • Lyrics: Johnny Mercer
- "Only Forever" — Rhythm on the River • Music: James V. Monaco • Lyrics: Johnny Burke
- "Our Love Affair" — Strike Up the Band • Music and Lyrics: Roger Edens and Georgie Stoll
- "Waltzing in the Clouds" — Spring Parade • Music: Robert Stolz • Lyrics: Gus Kahn
- "Who Am I?" — Hit Parade of 1941 • Music: Jule Styne • Lyrics: Walter Bullock
- 1941 (14th) "The Last Time I Saw Paris" — Lady Be Good • Music: Jerome Kern • Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II
- "Baby Mine" — Dumbo • Music: Frank Churchill • Lyrics: Ned Washington
- "Be Honest With Me" — Ridin' on a Rainbow • Music and Lyrics: Gene Autry and Fred Rose
- "Blues in the Night" — Blues in the Night • Music: Harold Arlen • Lyrics: Johnny Mercer
- "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B" — Buck Privates • Music: Hugh Prince • Lyrics: Don Raye
- "Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Sun Valley Serenade • Music: Harry Warren • Lyrics: Mack Gordon
- "Dolores" — Las Vegas Nights • Music: Louis Alter • Lyrics: Frank Loesser
- "Out of the Silence" — All-American Co-Ed • Music and Lyrics: Lloyd B. Norlind
- "Since I Kissed My Baby Goodbye" — You'll Never Get Rich • Music and Lyrics: Cole Porter
- 1942 (15th) "White Christmas" — Holiday Inn • Music and Lyrics: Irving Berlin
- "Always in My Heart" — Always in My Heart • Music: Ernesto Lecuona • Lyrics: Kim Gannon
- "Dearly Beloved" — You Were Never Lovelier • Music: Jerome Kern • Lyrics: Johnny Mercer
- "How About You?"– Babes on Broadway • Music: Burton Lane • Lyrics: Ralph Freed
- "I've Heard That Song Before" — Youth on Parade • Music: Jule Styne • Lyrics: Sammy Cahn
- "(I've Got a Gal in) Kalamazoo" — Orchestra Wives • Music: Harry Warren • Lyrics: Mack Gordon
- "Love Is a Song" — Bambi • Music: Frank Churchill (posthumous nomination) • Lyrics: Larry Morey
- "Pennies for Peppino" — Flying with Music • Music: Edward Ward • Lyrics: Chet Forrest and Bob Wright
- "Pig Foot Pete" — Hellzapoppin' • Music: Gene de Paul • Lyrics: Don Raye
- "There's a Breeze on Lake Louise" — The Mayor of 44th Street • Music: Harry Revel • Lyrics: Mort Greene
- 1943 (16th) "You'll Never Know" — Hello, Frisco, Hello • Music: Harry Warren • Lyrics: Mack Gordon
- "Change of Heart" — Hit Parade of 1943 • Music: Jule Styne • Lyrics: Harold Adamson
- "Happiness is a Thing Called Joe" — Cabin in the Sky • Music: Harold Arlen • Lyrics: Yip Harburg
- "My Shining Hour" — The Sky's the Limit • Music: Harold Arlen • Lyrics: Johnny Mercer
- "Saludos Amigos" — Saludos Amigos • Music: Charles Wolcott • Lyrics: Ned Washington
- "Say a Prayer for the Boys Over There" — Hers to Hold • Music: Jimmy McHugh • Lyrics: Herb Magidson
- "That Old Black Magic" — Star Spangled Rhythm • Music: Harold Arlen • Lyrics: Johnny Mercer
- "They're Either Too Young or Too Old" — Thank Your Lucky Stars • Music: Arthur Schwartz • Lyrics: Frank Loesser
- "We Mustn't Say Good Bye" — Stage Door Canteen • Music: James V. Monaco • Lyrics: Al Dubin
- "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To" — Something to Shout About • Music and Lyrics: Cole Porter
- 1944 (17th) "Swinging on a Star" — Going My Way • Music: James Van Heusen • Lyrics: Johnny Burke
- "I Couldn't Sleep a Wink Last Night" — Higher and Higher • Music: Jimmy McHugh • Lyrics: Harold Adamson
- "I'll Walk Alone" — Follow the Boys • Music: Jule Styne • Lyrics: Sammy Cahn
- "I'm Making Believe" — Sweet and Low-Down • Music: James V. Monaco • Lyrics: Mack Gordon
- "Long Ago (and Far Away)" — Cover Girl • Music: Jerome Kern • Lyrics: Ira Gershwin
- "Now I Know" — Up in Arms • Music: Harold Arlen • Lyrics: Ted Koehler
- "Remember Me to Carolina" — Minstrel Man • Music: Harry Revel • Lyrics: Paul Webster
- "Rio de Janeiro" — Brazil • Music: Ary Barroso • Lyrics: Ned Washington
- "Silver Shadows and Golden Dreams" — Lady, Let's Dance • Music: Lew Pollack • Lyrics: Charles Newman
- "Too Much in Love" — Song of the Open Road • Music: Walter Kent • Lyrics: Kim Gannon
- "The Trolley Song" — Meet Me in St. Louis • Music and Lyrics: Ralph Blane and Hugh Martin
- 1945 (18th) "It Might as Well Be Spring" — State Fair • Music: Richard Rodgers • Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II
- "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive" — Here Come the Waves • Music: Harold Arlen • Lyrics: Johnny Mercer
- "Anywhere" — Tonight and Every Night • Music: Jule Styne • Lyrics: Sammy Cahn
- "Aren't You Glad You're You" — The Bells of St. Mary's • Music: James Van Heusen • Lyrics: Johnny Burke
- "The Cat and the Canary" — Why Girls Leave Home • Music: Jay Livingston • Lyrics: Ray Evans
- "Endlessly" — Earl Carroll Vanities • Music: Walter Kent • Lyrics: Kim Gannon
- "I Fall in Love Too Easily" — Anchors Aweigh • Music:Jule Styne • Lyrics: Sammy Cahn
- "I'll Buy That Dream" — Sing Your Way Home • Music: Allie Wrubel • Lyrics: Herb Magidson
- "Linda" — The Story of G.I. Joe • Music and Lyrics: Ann Ronell
- "Love Letters" — Love Letters • Music: Victor Young • Lyrics: Edward Heyman
- "More and More" — Can't Help Singing • Music: Jerome Kern (posthumous nomination) • Lyrics: Yip Harburg
- "Sleighride in July" — Belle of the Yukon • Music: James Van Heusen • Lyrics:Johnny Burke
- "So in Love" — Wonder Man • Music: David Rose • Lyrics: Leo Robin
- "Some Sunday Morning" — San Antonio • Music: Ray Heindorf and M.K. Jerome • Lyrics: Ted Koehler
- 1946 (19th) "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe" — The Harvey Girls • Music: Harry Warren • Lyrics: Johnny Mercer
- "All Through the Day" — Centennial Summer • Music: Jerome Kern (posthumous nomination) • Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II
- "I Can't Begin to Tell You" — The Dolly Sisters • Music: James V. Monaco (posthumous nomination) • Lyrics: Mack Gordon
- "Ole Buttermilk Sky" — Canyon Passage • Music: Hoagy Carmichael • Lyrics: Jack Brooks
- "You Keep Coming Back Like a Song" — Blue Skies • Music and Lyrics: Irving Berlin
- 1947 (20th) "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" — Song of the South • Music: Allie Wrubel • Lyrics: Ray Gilbert
- "A Gal in Calico" — The Time, the Place and the Girl • Music: Arthur Schwartz • Lyrics: Leo Robin
- "I Wish I Didn't Love You So" — The Perils of Pauline • Music and Lyrics: Frank Loesser
- "Pass That Peace Pipe" — Good News • Music and Lyrics: Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin and Roger Edens
- "You Do" — Mother Wore Tights • Music: Josef Myrow • Lyrics: Mack Gordon
- 1948 (21st) "Buttons and Bows" — The Paleface • Music: Jay Livingston • Lyrics: Ray Evans
- "For Every Man There's a Woman" — Casbah • Music: Harold Arlen • Lyrics: Leo Robin
- "It's Magic" — Romance on the High Seas • Music: Jule Styne • Lyrics: Sammy Cahn
- "This Is the Moment" — That Lady in Ermine • Music: Frederick Hollander • Lyrics: Leo Robin
- "The Woody Woodpecker Song" — Wet Blanket Policy • Music and Lyrics: Ramey Idriss and George Tibbles
- 1949 (22nd) "Baby, It's Cold Outside" — Neptune's Daughter • Music and Lyrics: Frank Loesser
- "It's a Great Feeling" — It's a Great Feeling • Music: Jule Styne • Lyrics: Sammy Cahn
- "Lavender Blue" — So Dear to My Heart • Music: Eliot Daniel • Lyrics: Larry Morey
- "My Foolish Heart" — My Foolish Heart • Music: Victor Young • Lyrics: Ned Washington
- "Through a Long and Sleepless Night" — Come to the Stable • Music: Alfred Newman • Lyrics: Mack Gordon
Read more about this topic: Academy Award For Best Original Song, List of Winners and Nominees