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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsWill Jennings, the lyricist behind “My Heart Will Go On,” died at his home in Tyler, Texas, on September 6, 2024. He was 80. Jennings wrote the words to the Titanic ballad; James Horner composed its music, and Céline Dion performed it. His career ranged from country songwriting to pop hits and film music, with major credits including “Up Where We Belong” and “Tears in Heaven.”
Who was Will Jennings?
Born Wilbur Hershel Jennings in Kilgore, Texas, on June 27, 1944, Jennings studied English at Stephen F. Austin State College, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees before teaching. He moved to Nashville in 1971 and began writing in country music, later building a wide-ranging career in pop and film songs.
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Titanic: Music from the Motion Picture | $4.95 | Buy on Amazon |
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Titanic (Original Soundtrack) | $23.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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Back To Titanic | $9.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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Titanic: 20th Anniversary (Original Soundtrack) | $99.95 | Buy on Amazon |
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Titanic: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - Collector's Anniversary Edition | $19.99 | Buy on Amazon |
His lyrics were recorded by artists including Barry Manilow, Dionne Warwick, Steve Winwood, Eric Clapton and Whitney Houston. That range is central to his legacy: Jennings was not defined by one soundtrack ballad, even though “My Heart Will Go On” became his best-known credit.
What did Jennings contribute to “My Heart Will Go On”?
For Titanic, James Horner composed the music, Jennings wrote the lyrics, and Céline Dion performed the song. It became the film’s signature ballad and won both a Grammy Award and an Academy Award. The Guardian reported in its 2024 obituary that it topped charts in more than 25 countries.
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Jennings linked the lyric’s perspective to an encounter with ceramic artist Beatrice Wood. He told the Guardian: “I had met this very vibrant woman who was about 101 years old when I met her … And she came into my mind. And I realised she could have been on the Titanic.” The Washington Post quoted him describing the viewpoint this way: “I wrote everything from the point of view of a person of a great age looking back so many years.”
The imagined voice of someone looking back across a long life gave the song a perspective beyond the immediate tragedy of the film. Jennings’s account connected that perspective to Wood, rather than to a claim that Wood had actually been aboard the Titanic.
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- Titanic: Soundtrack Anniversary Edition 2Cd
- Product Type: Abis Music
- Format: Audio Cd
What other songs did Will Jennings write?
“Up Where We Belong”
Jennings co-wrote “Up Where We Belong” with Jack Nitzsche and Buffy Sainte-Marie for the film An Officer and a Gentleman. The song became one of his best-known film credits.
“Tears in Heaven”
He co-wrote “Tears in Heaven” with Eric Clapton. Alongside his work for films, Jennings wrote lyrics for performers across pop and country, reflecting a career that moved comfortably between genres.
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When did Will Jennings die, and what was his legacy?
Jennings died at home in Tyler, Texas, on September 6, 2024, aged 80. The Washington Post reported confirmation from his nephew Kent Townsend; the Los Angeles Times reported confirmation from his agent. Neither contemporary report disclosed a cause of death.
The Washington Post reported that Jennings won three Grammy Awards and two Oscars over his career. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2006. Those career honors are distinct from the awards won by any one song, including “My Heart Will Go On.”
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