Categories One-by-One: Original Song

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Re: Categories One-by-One: Original Song

Post by Uri »

Precious Doll wrote:I'll check out Amalia Rodrigues, my partner is familiar with her. I have also seen Marisa live and she was sensational with the highlight being the performance of one song without a microphone. I am always on the lookout for her next tour to Australia.
A few months ago a new compilation of Amalia Rodriguez was released here and they promoted it by calling her “the greatest Fado singer in the world”, which is of course true sill somehow funny – off all the Swedish, Nigerian and Japanese Fado artists she’s the best. Being so hyperboles oriented, they could describe her “the greatest folk singer”, which she certainly one of those who qualify as, but alas, they already used it earlier to describe Mercedes Sosa.

Anyway, growing up in Israel in the 60s and ‘70s, I always was under the impression that Rodriguez was internationally known as, I guess, Edith Piaf. I know in retrospect she wasn’t, but I was surprised you never at least heard of her and her. You should, although I’m afraid you’ll miss some of the impact since you might have heard quite a few of those more recent artists, Mariza/Marisa certainly one of them, who were heavily influenced by her. (Which reminds me a nice anecdote – a friend of mine saw Brando in a film - Sayonara on tv - for the first time when she was 20, and afterward told me, only half jokingly, that it was strange, seeing Paul Newman, yet hearing James Dean).
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Re: Categories One-by-One: Original Song

Post by Precious Doll »

mlrg wrote:
Precious Doll wrote: I should point out that I have zero interest in the current music industry and the only person that I do buy CDs on a regular basis is Mariza to whom I was introduced to through my partner. She is even better live.
Wow!! Marisa (with an S) is from my country. :-)

I think she's ok, but she's constantly trying to imitate the greatest Fado performer of all-time, Amalia Rodrigues. Check Amalia at youtube when you can.

As for this category, I will be even more schocked (and disgusted) if Adele loses to any other nominee as I was when U2 lost to "Shitimen" in 2003
I'll check out Amalia Rodrigues, my partner is familiar with her. I have also seen Marisa live and she was sensational with the highlight being the performance of one song without a microphone. I am always on the lookout for her next tour to Australia.
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Re: Categories One-by-One: Original Song

Post by Precious Doll »

Sonic Youth wrote:
Precious Doll wrote:This is a category I have never had any passion for.

But I must mention that I have never heard of Adele before Skyfall and wouldn't even be aware of her existence if it were not for the film. GIven the average age of an Academy member is 63(?) chance are a lot of members haven't heard of her either. Her likely win will probably be a mix of members who are aware of her, fans of the film that would like it to win something and those who simply feel it was the best nominated song.
Okay, wait.... really? Precious, you've probably revealed yourself to be more out of touch than the average Academy member.

I doubt very much that a lot of Academy members haven't heard of a recording artist whose previous album was the the number one best seller in both 2011 and 2012, especially not if they work for the entertainment industry. And especially considering her music appeals to most age demographics, including the over 63's. She's the biggest name to come out of the recording industry in years. I'm guessing Variety magazine has done more than a few stories on her.

Don't mistake me for a fan, though. Skyfall may be the best-produced of the bunch, but as a song it ain't all that much. But it's winning, and it needed Adele to do so.
Really I'd never heard of her.

Anyway as I stated below my partner did buy an Adele CD - 21. We went a beach which is a good hours drive out of Sydney today so I took the opportunity to listen to 21 - twice if fact.

I was impressed.

I have no doubt that there are many music artists that I have never heard of or have heard of but have never heard their recordings (Pink, Lady GaGa to name two). I have limited time to maintain an interest in everything in the entertainment industry and as I get older I have tendered to take more pleasure in listening and viewing things from the past that I have enjoyed before.

And whilst I am VERY out of touch with the current and not-so current music industry (not to mention TV industry) I can safely assume I'm more 'in touch' with cinema in general then the average Academy member. But then I do spend a hell of a lot more time viewing it they most of the Academy members would.
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Re: Categories One-by-One: Original Song

Post by Sonic Youth »

Precious Doll wrote:This is a category I have never had any passion for.

But I must mention that I have never heard of Adele before Skyfall and wouldn't even be aware of her existence if it were not for the film. GIven the average age of an Academy member is 63(?) chance are a lot of members haven't heard of her either. Her likely win will probably be a mix of members who are aware of her, fans of the film that would like it to win something and those who simply feel it was the best nominated song.
Okay, wait.... really? Precious, you've probably revealed yourself to be more out of touch than the average Academy member.

I doubt very much that a lot of Academy members haven't heard of a recording artist whose previous album was the the number one best seller in both 2011 and 2012, especially not if they work for the entertainment industry. And especially considering her music appeals to most age demographics, including the over 63's. She's the biggest name to come out of the recording industry in years. I'm guessing Variety magazine has done more than a few stories on her.

Don't mistake me for a fan, though. Skyfall may be the best-produced of the bunch, but as a song it ain't all that much. But it's winning, and it needed Adele to do so.
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Re: Categories One-by-One: Original Song

Post by Mister Tee »

An easy category to catch up with, since all candidates are just a YouTube away (though I've actually seen three of the films, and expect to see a fourth prior to awards night).

The Chasing Ice song is melodic in a minor way and has no chance.

Ted's song captures the Cahn/van Heusen jauntiness pleasurably, but its derivative quality marks it too trivial for consideration.

Les Miz has about five or six songs that stand out as tunes (like them or not), and the rest is musical mush. Suddenly lands firmly in the second category. It does seem to be de rigueur in Broadway adaptations to throw in a new song for Oscar contention. But it's a long time since You Must Love Me, the last such winner, so maybe it's about time we abandoned the effort.

Pi's Lullaby features more or less the music I left the theatre humming. I think Danna is more likely to be feted in the score category for it.

I'm one of the few here who can't cackle at Precious for not knowing Adele since, the day after last year's Grammys, I had to Google her to find out who she was. Within an hour, though, I felt like I'd been hearing Rolling in the Deep all my life (as we used to say, it's got that hook!). I like her Skyfall song just the same, and feel like it's one of the surest shots of the evening.
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Re: Categories One-by-One: Original Song

Post by mlrg »

Precious Doll wrote: I should point out that I have zero interest in the current music industry and the only person that I do buy CDs on a regular basis is Mariza to whom I was introduced to through my partner. She is even better live.
Wow!! Marisa (with an S) is from my country. :-)

I think she's ok, but she's constantly trying to imitate the greatest Fado performer of all-time, Amalia Rodrigues. Check Amalia at youtube when you can.

As for this category, I will be even more schocked (and disgusted) if Adele loses to any other nominee as I was when U2 lost to "Shitimen" in 2003
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Re: Categories One-by-One: Original Song

Post by anonymous1980 »

I can't believe you've never heard of Adele, Precious. "Rolling in the Deep" was like ubiquitous for the past couple of years. It's played CONSTANTLY on the radio and she won a truckload of Grammys last year. I highly recommend you check out the song "One and Only".
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Re: Categories One-by-One: Original Song

Post by OscarGuy »

Precious, Adele is something special, but will not be to everyone's tastes. I have a friend who cannot stand her voice while the rest of us love it. The difference between Adele and much of what's out there is she's a slow, soulful balladeer. Few of her songs are really bang-em-up pop songs like Katy Perry or her ilk. That she managed to achieve such popularity without being overly flashy is something particularly amazing. I'll guarantee there are people in that older age range who like Adele as she seems to appeal to a wide demographic, which makes her one of the most successful artists of the last quarter century and who is frequently cited as the savior of the music industry.

That's my opinion.

As to the songs, I'm disappointed the song from The Hobbit isn't nominated, but the closing titles tune isn't as memorable as the Dwarven dirge it's based on (those lyrics from the Dwarven song are actually IN Tolkien's novel, which is a first for this franchise, I believe).

Anyway, Suddenly is an innocuous number, but it's a lullaby and I think that's why it's not engaging people as it should be. I like the song by itself, I don't think it's necessarily important to the film, but I think people would be fine with it in general.

I thought the opening title sequence to Life of Pi was pretty great and I remember liking the song and have even listened to it since then, but I still can't get it into my head. It's unmemorable to me, which is strange considering how many others here seem to remember it quite well.

The song from Ted is catchy, but its throwaway music that seems like it was tossed into its film as much as Suddenly was into its film.

Of these, I think Adele's is probably the best even if it's not the best of the year, nor the best of the franchise. It is one of the best in the series, though...
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Re: Categories One-by-One: Original Song

Post by Precious Doll »

This is a category I have never had any passion for.

But I must mention that I have never heard of Adele before Skyfall and wouldn't even be aware of her existence if it were not for the film. GIven the average age of an Academy member is 63(?) chance are a lot of members haven't heard of her either. Her likely win will probably be a mix of members who are aware of her, fans of the film that would like it to win something and those who simply feel it was the best nominated song.

I should point out that I have zero interest in the current music industry and the only person that I do buy CDs on a regular basis is Mariza to whom I was introduced to through my partner. She is even better live.

Funnily enough, even though my partner didn't like the song from Skyfall he went out and bought an Adele CD. He apparently was already aware of her. I probably should download it onto my iPod and give her a listen. It sounds like I may be denying myself something special.

By the way, I would vote of Ted.
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Re: Categories One-by-One: Original Song

Post by The Original BJ »

When even Magilla can't even muster up any enthusiasm for "Suddenly," I have to believe that only the most extreme Les Mis fans will rally around this completely unnecessary number, inserted into a moment in the story that LEAST needed the expansion. A lot of movie musicals have been recognized by Oscar for their new numbers, but few original songs have felt as shamelessly tossed into a movie version just to get a nomination in this category.

"Before My Time" isn't anything offensive, but I find it rather boring. Chasing Ice is the one nominated feature -- outside of the non-Amour foreign films -- that I haven't yet seen, so I can't comment on whether or not it's any more memorable in the movie.

I had a similar experience as Sabin with "Pi's Lullaby." I didn't remember it from the movie, but then when I listened to it again, I thought, ah, the music over those lovely opening titles. It's not really winner level, and I think Life of Pi would REALLY have to sweep the techs to pick this one up, but it's not a bad nominee or anything.

"Everybody Needs a Best Friend" is a really catchy piece of Rat Pack-era pastiche, and a completely deserving candidate. Of course, part of the reason it's such an earworm is that it's played so often during Ted, it's hard not to leave the movie humming it. Obviously not the most original piece of music or lyric, but definitely not just an excuse to get a bonus nomination for the host.

But, like everyone, I assume "Skyfall" will run away with the prize. Voting for "Skyfall" is a way to honor a very popular singer-songwriter, a lucrative franchise during an anniversary year, and a movie song that got generous radio air play (when was the last time we had one of THOSE? Eminem?) That it's featured prominently during a very well-designed opening titles sequence, and that it's catchy but, like most of Adele's output, also feels weightier than most innocuous pop, would definitely seem to give it the best odds in my book.
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Re: Categories One-by-One: Original Song

Post by rolotomasi99 »

criddic3 wrote:"Song of the Lonely Mountain" from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
I was surprised at how much I loved this song. It was hauntingly beautiful in the movie, but is also wonderful to listen to just on its own. I think the Song category is a joke, but if it has to exist a song like this should be rewarded.

I think all the folks who were passionate enough to earn LES MISERABLES a Best Picture nomination will direct that energy to seeing the film win this category. However, everyone else will be probably voting for SKYFALL, not just because they loved the song specifically or the movie in general, but also because everyone loves Adele. LIFE OF PI could pull off a complete shocker of win here in its possible sweep of the tech categories.

I just pray to the movie gods that Seth MacFarlane does not become an Oscar winner. :evil:
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Re: Categories One-by-One: Original Song

Post by Sabin »

This lineup stands out to me because most of the songs are actually tolerable. "Everybody Needs a Best Friend" is innocuous but catchy. I couldn't remember "Pi's Lullaby" when it was nominated, but after listening to it I absolutely do and it's very lovely. I don't remember Mychael Danna's score recalling this refrain much throughout the film but I think I would have responded to the film as a whole a lot more had it done so. And "Skyfall" is the best Bond song and Bond song sequence in my lifetime. I can't say that "Before My Time" did much for me, and to be fair I've yet to see Les Miserables so I'll hold off definitive judgment on "Suddenly" until I see it in the film but it sounds incredibly bland.
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Re: Categories One-by-One: Original Song

Post by Greg »

criddic3 wrote:Another political documentary song winning? No thanks.
Have you actually listened to the song, or are you just dismissing it because it is another "political documentary song?"
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Re: Categories One-by-One: Original Song

Post by criddic3 »

Another political documentary song winning? No thanks. There were a number of songs they could have gone for this year like "Strange Love" from Frankenweenie, "Learn Me Right" or "Touch the Sky" from Brave, "When Can I see You Again" from Wreck-It-Ralph, widely predicted "Still Alive" from Paul Williams: Still Alive, "Ancora qui" from Django Unchained and even "Song of the Lonely Mountain" from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

At least they did nominate five songs. Last year's category was a disaster with only 2. Given a huge list of 50 to 70 songs, you would think they could find 5. So that's one good thing... and I applaud them for bringing back live song performances. I just hope they don't create embarrassing production numbers for them.
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Re: Categories One-by-One: Original Song

Post by rudeboy »

The gorgeous 'Pi's Lullaby' would be my pick but I'm OK with the (quite likely) 'Skyfall' victory. The Les Miserables song was, along with 'Bring Him Home' and Russell Crowe's soliloquies, one of the dullest moments in the movie... a pointless addition to the score seemingly designed only to give the film a shot at an Oscar. If it wins, it will be entirely down to enough voters checking off the musical. Yes Johansson can sing, but 'Before My Time' is a bit of a dirge. 'Everybody Needs a Best Friend' isn't a groundbreaker, but it's bouncy and pleasant to listen to and a win for it wouldn't be a travesty considering the history of this category.

In order of likelihood to win, I'd rank them:

1. Skyfall
2. Everybody Needs a Best Friend
3. Suddenly
4. Pi's Lullaby
5. Before My Time
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