Looking Ahead at Best Original Song
Tuesday, August 1, 2017 at 8:00AM 
Chris here. What with Nathaniel's updated Oscar predictions and my regular Soundtracking duties, my mind has been on that ever pesky Best Original Song category. How will this year shake out for the sometimes maligned category?
Per usual we haven't had many obvious contenders, though I would argue that Beauty and the Beast's "How Does A Moment Last Forever" is one of the film's bright spots - can you just imagine Celine Dion taking the Oscar stage for the first time since Titanic. Perhaps our best chance at an Original Song behemoth like last year's La La Land and Moana were is The Greatest Showman, this season's original musical. But other questions and curiosities remain: what documentary song will surprise this year? Can credits song queen Sia finally land a nomination (she'll at least have one option with Wonder Woman)?
One contender I'm already hoping has some staying power is A Ghost Story's "I Get Overwhelmed" by Dark Rooms. The track flows fluidly in and out of Daniel Hart's score (naturally, he heads Dark Rooms), encompassing both the film's intimacy and cosmic expansiveness. Lyrically, the song carries meaning for Casey Affleck's songwriter and has a whole new context in the afterlife - so it carries the kind of narrative weight the Academy's songwriting branch has been seeking. But will it even make the eligibility long list?
Do you have any Original Song hopes already?
Reader Comments (18)
Sufjan Stevens for Call Me By Your Name.
You can barely understand the lyrics on that Ghost Story song.
Sufjan's songs for Call Me By Your Name are stunning. And used in the film very well. Would be a dream if he won.
Carly Rae Jepson, although there are conflicting reports on its eligibility.
I think that, among the films that have been seen, "Evermore" is the default frontrunner.
Joe-
"Evermore" is beautiful! I think Beauty and the Beast fares really well in this category despite the very early release date.
I am hoping for Oneohtrix Point Never and Iggy Pop's "The Pure and the Damned." The score is even more fantastic. It all could be a bit too outside the box for the Academy, but it plays a monumental role in the movie.
Wait, what? Sufjan Stevens does the music in Call Me By Your Name? Now I'm officially intrigued.
"I Get Overwhelmed" is amazing, but unfortunately wasn't written for the movie. Saw a Q&A where Hart and Lowery both talked about it.
Is a ghost story any good? I haven't heard anyone really talk about it.
"A Ghost Story" is terrific, one of the year's most essential films.
@Billy, I was going to say the same thing. Lowery said that when writing it, Hart suggested the inclusion of the song. Shame though, since I loved the song's use.
@Norman, A Ghost Story is my favorite movie of the year so far. It's slow and pensive with a beautiful examination of time and memory. I feel Casey Affleck, in all his shitty-ness, chased away a lot of attention. A shame since he's covered through the majority of the movie and this is a reteam from the Aint Them Bodies Saints team.
Patti Cake$ comes out soon and has some contenders, particularly the first song they record "PBNJ"
"Days in the Sun"
Amazing vocal performances by the cast and the highlight of the movie (for me).
Yeah, I prefer "Evermore" over "How Does A Moment Last Forever" for BaTB. Plus Josh Groban could sing the crap out of that song.
David - I agree. Besides, being a Menken & Rice song (two Academy darlings) from the highest grossing film of the year, not to mention critically acclaimed as well, it's almost definitely in (and so far seems a likely winner). Even I See The Light and So Close got in despite mixed reviews and being featured in films considerably less successful.
It that Beauty & the Beast song the one sung by the beast in the film or the end credits one? I can see the Beast's song nominated in that same way the LES MIZ song was nominated despite being garbage.
The CMBYN songs are wonderful, but wasn't quite convinced of how they were used. They stick out.
Not sure if it even qualifies, and if it does it'll be a longshot, but Miyavi's "Live to Die Another Day" from BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL is goddamn awesome.
Amazing vocal performances by the cast .Thanks for sharing