Robbie Williams’ Song Removed from Oscars Shortlist Over Similarity to Classic Hit

Robbie Williams’ song “Forbidden Road,” written for his upcoming movie Better Man, has been removed from the Oscars’ Best Original Song shortlist. The reason? It sounded too much like Jim Croce's 1973 classic, “I Got a Name.” The song was disqualified for using material from an existing track, which the Academy said didn’t meet the rules for original music.

“Forbidden Road,” co-written by Williams and two other songwriters, was one of 15 contenders for the award. The song was released last month and was described as a "heartfelt, acoustic-driven crescendo," but it didn’t credit Croce for any inspiration.

The Academy confirmed that the melody and guitar chords closely resembled Croce’s song. A statement from the Academy said they had to make the decision to protect the integrity of the Best Original Song category.

With “Forbidden Road” out of the race, it looks like Diane Warren’s chances for an Oscar just got better.