Consider the old days...
I agree that "Long Ago.." is a great song. It's one of the nicest lyrics to sing. It has a dreamlike quality to it.
"Because here’s the thing about life: There’s no accounting for what fate will deal you. Some days when you need a hand. There are other days when we’re called to lend a hand." -- President Joe Biden, 01/20/2021
I think "Swinging On A Star" is darling and I love anything connected to Leo McCarey, but "Long Ago And Far Away" is one of the greatest songs ever -- a sublime blend of music and lyrics -- and should have won.
"Y'know, that's one of the things I like about Mitt Romney. He's been consistent since he changed his mind." -- Christine O'Donnell
I'm not sure if i mind "Swinging on a Star" winning. It is a nice song that was covered by many big singers of the era, although any of the songs you listed for that year would have been fine by me. I wish I would get a CD version of Sinatra's "I'll Walk Alone." I taped it off WNEW years ago. It's a forties radio performance (he never recorded it). Actually all of the songs listed were sung beautifully by Sinatra, though that one song is was inexplicably not put down in a studio. And the only one he sang IN the film it originally appeared in was "I Couldn't Sleep a Wink Last Night."
In case you're wondering why I bring up Sinatra, much of the music out of this era can be entered into through him and I am a huge fan of his work.
In case you're wondering why I bring up Sinatra, much of the music out of this era can be entered into through him and I am a huge fan of his work.
"Because here’s the thing about life: There’s no accounting for what fate will deal you. Some days when you need a hand. There are other days when we’re called to lend a hand." -- President Joe Biden, 01/20/2021
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But--are they CLASSICS like Lullaby Of Briadway(1935),Over The Rainbow(1939), or consider 1944, when Swinging On A Star won over I Couldn't Sleep A Wink Last Night,I'll Walk Alone and Long Ago and Far Away?
No.
I am willing to bet you that in ten years, the only people who will remember the pimp song will be the people on this board.
You may say , but wait! Are they inserted songs or are they an integral part and appropriate for the film? Try On the Atchison Topeka, and the Santa Fe, by Johnny Mercer,(1946) or Spellbound( 1945)
That is what I mean by "the old days" , not the "old days" of Shaft.
No.
I am willing to bet you that in ten years, the only people who will remember the pimp song will be the people on this board.
You may say , but wait! Are they inserted songs or are they an integral part and appropriate for the film? Try On the Atchison Topeka, and the Santa Fe, by Johnny Mercer,(1946) or Spellbound( 1945)
That is what I mean by "the old days" , not the "old days" of Shaft.
Fantastic song, Eric. I love Tarantino's use of it in the opening sequence of Jackie Brown.Eric wrote:"Theme from Shaft" is great. Though, as far as blaxploitation themes go, there were better. Bobby Womack's "Across 110th Street," for starters.
"The mantle of spinsterhood was definitely in her shoulders. She was twenty five and looked it."
-Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
-Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
I agree with criddic (had to happen sometime!). “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp” is a song that’s truly perfect for the category of Best Song. Not only is the song crucial to the plot of the film, but we, the audience, actually see its creation and have something invested in its success (i.e. getting DJay out of the pimp racket). I’d take this choice over any another song that was either playing over the credits of a film or just plain didn’t make any impact whatsoever.
cam, did you see Hustle and Flow? I only ask because if your only exposure to the song was the horrific rendition presented to us on Oscar night, I could partly understand your beef.
cam, did you see Hustle and Flow? I only ask because if your only exposure to the song was the horrific rendition presented to us on Oscar night, I could partly understand your beef.
"The mantle of spinsterhood was definitely in her shoulders. She was twenty five and looked it."
-Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
-Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
The two songs from Hustle & Flow that received awards before and on Oscar night, the title song, and "Pimp," actually work well within the context of the film itself. I see no major problem with the song winning an Oscar, although the performance of it was overblown on the telecast.
I do agree that many songs nominated for Oscars in recent years have not been classics or all that memorable, but to erase the category only to bring it back when a slew of good ones eventually turn up is dishonest. All categories have had their share of bad nominees through the years, but that reflects two things: The state of films in that year, and the tastes of the Academy at the time. I don't think they should stop giving out awards to the songs, but I do think that song writers need to come up with better entries. Also, I think a few original musicals should be made. Take a gamble, Hollywood, and make an original musical with new songs!
I do agree that many songs nominated for Oscars in recent years have not been classics or all that memorable, but to erase the category only to bring it back when a slew of good ones eventually turn up is dishonest. All categories have had their share of bad nominees through the years, but that reflects two things: The state of films in that year, and the tastes of the Academy at the time. I don't think they should stop giving out awards to the songs, but I do think that song writers need to come up with better entries. Also, I think a few original musicals should be made. Take a gamble, Hollywood, and make an original musical with new songs!
"Because here’s the thing about life: There’s no accounting for what fate will deal you. Some days when you need a hand. There are other days when we’re called to lend a hand." -- President Joe Biden, 01/20/2021
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99-1100896887
I have re-re-reading Damien Bona's excellent Inside Oscar.
I urge you all to take a look at the soundtracks and songs of the thirties and forties--hell, even the fifties. Even tunes not nominated in the 30's' and 40's make 2005's "Best Song" look more than pathetic. With all our dismay about the Crash win over far better films, not many of us have not discussed at length this atrocious pimp piece of crap.
I was appalled at the win of The Pimp Song; my choice would have been Dolly Parton's entry, but the others are merely forgettable. My feeling is that the Academy ought to drop this award, as it does nothing but add an Oscar to some film's total awards.
Most unfortunately, the sad state of these affairs began, IMO, with Shaft. Check the winners from then on, compare them with Damien's account of the previous winners, non-winners or non-nominated, since then, and you will see what I mean.
What do you think? It certainly wasn't the gray-heads voting it in, nor I think, people with some refinement.
I urge you all to take a look at the soundtracks and songs of the thirties and forties--hell, even the fifties. Even tunes not nominated in the 30's' and 40's make 2005's "Best Song" look more than pathetic. With all our dismay about the Crash win over far better films, not many of us have not discussed at length this atrocious pimp piece of crap.
I was appalled at the win of The Pimp Song; my choice would have been Dolly Parton's entry, but the others are merely forgettable. My feeling is that the Academy ought to drop this award, as it does nothing but add an Oscar to some film's total awards.
Most unfortunately, the sad state of these affairs began, IMO, with Shaft. Check the winners from then on, compare them with Damien's account of the previous winners, non-winners or non-nominated, since then, and you will see what I mean.
What do you think? It certainly wasn't the gray-heads voting it in, nor I think, people with some refinement.