Songfacts®:

• This duet from the Once soundtrack was named Best Song of 2007 by the Broadcast Film Critics Association.
• Glen Hansard is the front man of the Irish rock band The Frames, and appeared in the 1991 film The Commitments. Marketa Irglova is a Czech singer and multi-instrumentalist. During the filming of Once, the couple began dating. They broke up, but continued their musical partnership and in 2009 recorded as The Swell Season and released the album Strict Joy. >>

  Suggestion credit:
  Bertrand - Paris, France
• The song originally appeared on both Hansard and Irglova's 2006 LP, The Swell Season and The Cost, and the sixth album of Hansard's band The Frames, which was released later in 2006.
• In the Winter Film and TV Music special edition published in January 2008 by the Hollywood Reporter, Hansard recalled how he got together with director John Carney, who had been the bassist for The Frames in the early 1990s, to make the Once film: "We discussed working together again for years. John came to me and asked me to go over this idea he had for a film, The script at the time was a 16-page outline for a film. He asked me to write a couple of songs. Later, John asked me to be in the film, which was amazing."
• This won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Before it was nominated, there was some question as to whether the song was eligible for the award, as it had already appeared on 2 albums, and the rules state that the song must be written specifically for the film to be considered.
  
  At the 2008 ceremony, Hansard spoke first when accepting the award, but when Irglova tried to speak the microphone was cut off and they were ushered off stage. After a commercial break, Irglova was brought back to speak. She talked about independent musicians and encouraged them in their efforts. Said Irglova: "The fact that we're standing here tonight, the fact that we're able to hold this, it's just to prove no matter how far out your dreams are, it's possible. And fair play to those who dare to dream and don't give up. This song was written from a perspective of hope, and hope at the end of the day connects us all, no matter how different we are."
• In Once, Hansard played an Irish busker who has a romantic relationship with Irglova's Czech flower seller. Bob Dylan was so taken by the film that he asked Hansard and Irglova to be the opening act on his world tour.