The week of August 4, 1073, saw Maureen McGovern’s recording of ‘The Morning After’ reach the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100, where it would remain for two weeks. This was McGovern’s first single and her only career #1.

‘The Morning After’ was the love theme of the disaster film The Poseidon Adventure, and was performed in the movie by the ship’s singer (Carol Lynley played the role but Renée Armand dudded her vocals). McGovern released her own version of the track several months after the film came out. The song won Best Original Song at that year’s Academy Awards.

Singer/actress McGovern has an interesting history with the Academy Awards. In 1974, she released ‘Nice to Be Around,’ from the film Cinderella Liberty, and ‘We May Never Love Like This Again,’ from The Towering Inferno. Both were nominated for Best Song, and ‘We May Never Love Like This Again’ took home the trophy.

Disaster movie love songs winning Oscars… throw in ‘My Heart Will Go On’ from Titanic and you have a bona fide trend on your hands.

McGovern didn’t perform any of her three Oscar-nominated songs at the actual Academy Awards ceremonies, but she did release a 1975 album titled Academy Award Performance: And the Envelope, Please on which she performed versions of 12 Oscar-winning songs.