“Our Town” won the 2007 Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture after appearing in Pixar's Cars.
Randy Newman wrote and performed the song for the film. It plays over a reflective montage showing Radiator Springs in its earlier heyday and its later decline after interstate traffic bypasses the town. The song helps explain why the community feels forgotten before Lightning McQueen arrives.
The lyrics focus on change, memory, and the passage of time rather than on racing. That makes the song different in purpose from “Life Is a Highway,” the energetic cover performed by Rascal Flatts for Cars, and “Real Gone,” performed by Sheryl Crow.
“Our Town” was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Randy Newman has written music for many Pixar films, including Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Monsters, Inc., and Cars.