A Star Is Born is an emotional journey that’s hard not to fall in love with. Bradley Cooper directed, starred in, and helped write this remake of the 1937 film and excelled in every role. A Star Is Born was critically acclaimed and was nominated for eight Oscars, including Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Picture. However, the emotional core of the movie is the music, and it won for Best Original Song. Main characters Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper) and Ally Maine (Lady Gaga) both speak the truth through their songs and there are so many great lyrics in A Star Is Born to unpack.
There are so many great pieces of music throughout the film that narrowing down all the AStar Is Born songs down to just the best of the best is no easy task. The most powerful songs from A Star Is Born leave a distinct impression however, and fans of the movie will have a hard time forgetting the emotional impact of not only the lyrics in the best Jackson Maine songs but the unforgettable delivery from Lady Gaga in the best Ally Maine songs too.
10 Is That Alright?
One of Ally’s self-written singles is “Is That Alright?” and it’s essentially Ally’s proclamation of her love for Jackson. The up-and-coming singer really seems to put her heart into every verse, adding to the emotion of the lyrics themselves. There are quite a few songs where Jackson describes his love for Ally. This love song, written from her perspective, gives audiences another glimpse at what makes their relationship so special.
9 Alibi
Ally has trepidations about accepting Jackson’s invitation to come to his concert. Eventually, she relents, and upon arriving is treated to Jackson singing one of the most electrifying songs in A Star is Born. “Alibi” is a true rock song that only a big star can pull off. Seeing Jackson performing live for the first time, it was fitting that Ally watched him sing such a cool tune with even cooler lyrics.
8 Diggin’ My Grave
At the peak of Jackson and Ally’s success as a duo they performed “Diggin’ My Grave” for the first time in front of a large audience. Not only does the song sound great, but it also holds within it a heavy dose of foreshadowing for the end of the film. The song speaks about death and the loved ones left behind that will have to bury the singer once they are gone. At the end of the movie, after Jackson’s death, it’s Ally who ends up wearing black and, in a sense, digging his grave.
7 Too Far Gone
Sung gently by Cooper’s Jackson Maine, “Too Far Gone” is a beautiful metaphor for the character’s constant struggle throughout the film. Having been hooked on alcohol at a young age by his father, Jackson spent the rest of his life drinking himself through the pain of not having the love of his parents. In “Too Far Gone,” Jackson is essentially crying out about his own failings. At the same time though, he’s explaining how his relationship with Ally has saved him.
6 Music To My Eyes
Performed by both leads, “Music To My Eyes” is a love ballad that Ally and Jackson Maine share with one another. This beautiful melody showcases both musicians at their strongest and how great their voices work together. The best part of this song is that it really showcases how Jackson and Ally connected in the first place. “I’m in love with your music, baby. You’re music to my eyes.” What made Jackson notice Ally in the first place was her beautiful voice and talent for songwriting. The one thing that helped the two grow in their relationship was working on music together.
5 Maybe It’s Time
Towards the beginning of the movie, Jackson ends up in a drag bar and, after meeting Ally and seeing what a great talent she was, Jack decides to wait for her. While waiting, one of the drag queens requests a performance from the famous country star. He gladly accepts and sings “Maybe It’s Time.” While Bradley Cooper as Jackson Maine has quite the gruff exterior, this performance helps to establish for the audience that there’s a lot more going on inside his damaged soul.
4 Look What I Found
The very first song Ally recorded once signing her to her new record label, “Look What I Found” showed the new artist’s talent for songwriting. While she would go on to make less creative, more mainstream music, this single showed how talented Ally undeniably is. This song appears just before Ally sells out for more mainstream popularity, and it’s one of the last great examples of her wonderful talent.
3 Always Remember Us This Way
Another song written by Ally, “Always Remember Us This Way” was a clear metaphor for the two’s relationship. Created during what may have been the peak of their relationship, this song memorialized those moments they had together. Ally was afraid to perform the song for the first time on stage. Jackson then convinced her by telling her for the first time, “I love you.”
2 Shallow
The first song written by Ally to be shown in the film, “Shallow” is the heart of the movie and secured the movie its lone Oscar win. When Jack first invites Ally to attend one of his concerts, he surprises the aspiring star by inviting her on stage to sing her very own song in a scene that Bradley Cooper called “mind-blowing.” The song “Shallow”, written by Ally, becomes the duo’s signature song. Every time they perform it together, the audience gets a glimpse at how perfect they seem to be for one another.
1 I’ll Never Love Again
While “Shallow” might be the hit single of the A Star Is Born songs, “I’ll Never Love Again” is the emotional climax of the movie and the real tearjerker. The last song Jack wrote before his death, this song represented all the love he had for Ally, after all the ups and downs of their relationship. Hearing Ally belt it out at the end of the movie makes the heartbreaking twist of A Star Is Born really hit home. What really takes that final scene over the top is when the film cuts to Jackson singing it for the first time. Introducing it to Ally, he is truly pouring his heart out.
