Oscar Volleys: How Many Pop Hits in Best Original Song?
Friday, December 9, 2022 at 9:45PM Team Experience will be discussing each Oscar category as we head into the precursors. Here's Eurocheese and Baby Clyde...
"Ciao Papa" in GUILLERMO DEL TORO'S PINOCCHIO
EUROCHEESE: Well Baby, It's Cold Outside and you know what that means - we're Falling Slowly into awards season, and it's time to name the songs seeking Glory in the City of Stars. There are a few big hits that Take My Breath Away: Rihanna's "Lift Me Up," which seems to be everywhere at the moment; Lady Gaga's "Hold My Hand" in the year's biggest hit that just won't slow down; and the standout song from Del Toro's Pinocchio, "Ciao Papa," which I expect will make the cut. Do you agree these three are solid initial nominees, or do you have High Hopes that rest elsewhere? Any Secret Love that you see near the top of your list?
BABY CLYDE: Hey Mr Cheese, I Just Called To Say I Love You. The Academy must be salivating at the prospect of this year’s nominees. Am I correct in thinking that Rihanna, Gaga, Taylor and Billie Eilish are all legit contenders in this category...
If that happens, we can forget the acting races the whole ceremony will be based around The Battle of the Big Pop Girls. Is there still time or Adele to get a song on the Babylon soundtrack?
I think you’re right about Pinocchio’s chances (I think that film is set to surprise all round) but the one song that should deffo be in the mix is ‘Love is Not Love’. Billy Eichner joining the lineup of divas would be sublime, but of course this has zero chance of happening after Bros bombed.
What else am I missing?
EUROCHEESE: It would be wild to see that pop girl slate. I'm with you on "Love is Not Love," though I agree it's not happening. Eilish might happen, but the Taylor song - does anyone remember that by now? I'm kind of mystified that OneRepublic's radio hit "I Ain't Worried" from Top Gun: Maverick is making very few predictions lists since it's insanely catchy and everyone knows it when they hear it. And can you imagine the live performance of "Naatu Naatu" from RRR if it sneaks in? What a Feeling (RIP Irene Cara) if we could see that performed live!
But I Need to Wake Up - they are likely to have some safe picks. Diane Warren is back, though they just gave her the lifetime honor. Maybe they'd skip her this year because of that recognition? There were lots of excellent ending credit songs: The Woman King, Till, Everything Everywhere... I just don't know what they'd pick.
Any of these stand out to you as likely picks for Oscar Fame? Convince me. I'm Easy.
BABY CLYDE: You clearly take far more notice of end credit songs that I do. I’m usually up and out of my seat as soon as the film finishes. Call Me Irresponsible but I’m still of the opinion that these shouldn’t be eligible.
I too am gagging for an RRR nomination. Debbie Allen could go wild with the choreography!!! There are so many options for fantastic production numbers at this year’s show. That is of course the main purpose of this award these days. So few of the songs are integral to the film that I only really approve of the category for ceremony purposes. It will be a real shame if the music branch doesn’t grab the opportunity to make a big splash.
Diane’s at it again it. You just want to say, "Is that really The Best That You Can Do (Arthur’s Theme)" until Sooner or Later they start ignoring her. Hopefully, the Honorary Award will do the trick for a while.
There are a few other big names in contention. Joe Jonas co wrote a song from Devotion, Jazmine Sullivan sings the song from Till, Harry Styles has "With You All The Time" from Don’t Worry Darling and Selena Gomes wrote a track for her documentary. We probably shouldn’t discount Pasek and Paul who apparently have an entry from the musical Christmas comedy Spirited on Apple. More fun though would be nominations for Rita Wilson who penned the song from her hubby’s new film A Man Called Otto and the Evergreen Mel Brooks wrote "At The Automat" from The Automat, a documentary about vending machines? At 96 he’d be far and away the oldest Oscar nominee ever. MAKE IT HAPPEN!!!
What else is circling In The Windmills of Your Mind?
EUROCHEESE: You could easily Lose Yourself in the all the possibilities, but here's what I see as the most likely:
- Lift Me Up (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)
- Hold My Hand (Top Gun: Maverick)
- Ciao Papa (Pinocchio)
- Naatu Naatu (RRR)
- Nobody Like U (Turning Red)
My mind's not totally set on the last two, and I have no idea why our radio friendly hits (I Ain't Worried, Doja Cat's Vegas) aren't front and center. I'm glad you mentioned the Selena Gomez song, which is lovely, and I don't doubt that Pasek and Paul could pop in again. I also didn't mention the song from Bones and All, but it stood out to me at the time as well.
So if you have to make your call on which five are headed to the Last Dance, who makes your cut?
BABY CLYDE: Say You, Say Me. We have the exact same Top 5! Now, I’m not discounting Taylor Swift’s chances and there is a distinct possibility that Diane Warren makes the list again but these definitely seem like a strong quintet of very possible. The finalist lists are up in a couple of weeks so watch half of our choices not make the cut!
Been an absolute pleasure doing this with you Mr Cheese. We Belong Together.
RELATED:
Best Cinematography - with Eric and Chris
Best Makeup & Hairstyling - with Nathaniel & Elisa
Best Film Editing - with Ben & Nick
Best Costume Design - with Cláudio & Elisa
Best Production Design - with Eurocheese & Nick
Reader Comments (8)
If Diane Warren gets in again for some random movie no one's heard of they should seriously think about reforming this category's voting process from scratch. I'm normally not one to encourage the Academy to just chase populist choices for the ratings, but musical performances by stars are a big part of attracting people to the telecast. It would be different if it seemed like genuinely cool and challenging songs were getting in over the pop stars but if it's just going to be about personal favoritism within the branch then screw it, selling out is preferable.
I'll be over here stumping for Apartment for Sale, from Tar - music/lyrics by Cate Blanchett
Mike, shame on us for leaving that out! One of my favorite moments of the movie.
NO NIN? "(You Made It Feel Like) Home" by Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross for Bones & All?
Really hope "Naatu Naatu" doesn't go the way of, say, "Drive It Like You Stole It" which is SUCH an obvious nominee from a good movie that people liked and yet somehow went ignored. So bizarre.
I'm really hoping for "Turn Up the Sunshine" from that silly Minions movie that is performed by Diana Ross. Imagine having Diana performing.
I must say the Rihanna and Lady Gaga songs aren't my favourite, but it would definitely be fun to have them nominated. And alongside Taylor, who's song is the best thing about CRAWDADS - and does a better job than the movie at creating a sense of mood and atmosphere for the place of the world its set in.
Reckon they chose the wrong PINOCCHIO song to submit if you ask me.
Glenn -- okay, now i need to know which song from Pinocchio you think should have been submitted instead. I've only seen the movie once and the songs didn't stick out much because they're very short.
I feel like the one Ewan McGregor sings at the end was the best? I enjoyed the songs in the movie, but the one they've submitted sung with that very high pitched kids voice wasn't my fave.
82 songs eligible this year for this years' Best original song Oscar (max 3 songs per film allowed):
“Amsterdam”: “Time”
“The Automat”: “(There Was Nothing Like the Coffee) at the Automat”
“Avatar: The Way of Water”: “Nothing Is Lost (You Give Me Strength),” “The Songcord”
“The Bad Guys”: “We’re Gonna Be Good Tonight”
“Beast”: “N’na Duniyaa”
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”: “Lift Me Up”
“The Bob’s Burgers Movie”: “Sunny Side Up Summer”
“Bodies Bodies Bodies”: “Hot Girl”
“Bones and All”: “(You Made It Feel Like) Home”
“Bootyology”: “We Are All But Men”
“Bros”: “Love Is Not Love”
“Bullet Train”: “La Despedida”
“DC League of Super-Pets”: “Count on Me”
“Devotion”: “Not Alone”
“Don’t Worry Darling”: “With You All the Time”
“18 1/2”: “Brasilia Bella,” “Deadly Butterfly,” “Wonder Bread”
“Everything Everywhere All at Once”: “This Is a Life”
“Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore”: “Heaven”
“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio”: “Ciao Papa”
“The Inspection”: “The Hands”
“Iravin Nizhal”: “Kaayam”
“Jacir”: “Unicorn N*****”
“A Jazzman’s Blues”: “Paper Airplanes”
“Kantara: A Legend”: “Karma,” “Varaha Roopam”
“Killing Me Softly With His Songs”: “At the Movies,” “On N’aime Qu’une Fois Comme Ça,” “Sing a Brand New Song”
“Let Me Be Me”: “Feels Like Me”
“Luckiest Girl Alive”: “I Know Where I’ve Been”
“Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile”: “Carried Away,” “Take a Look at Us Now”
“A Man Calld Otto”: “Til You’re Home”
“Marry Me”: “On My Way”
“Me Vasantrao”: “Kaivalya Gaan,” “Le Chali Taqdeer,” “Ram Ram Lori”
“Minions: The Rise of Gru”: “Turn Up the Sunshine”
“My Father’s Dragon”: “Lift Your Wings”
“On the Come Up”: “On the Come Up”
“Persuasion”: “Quietly Yours”
“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish”: “Fearless Hero,” “La Vida Es Una”
“RRR”: “Naatu Naatu”
“Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story”: “Faith to Carry Me,” “La Di Da”
“The Return of Tanya Tucker, Featuring Brandi Carlile”: “Ready As I’ll Never Be”
“Return to Seoul”: “Anybody”
“Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical”: “Still Holding My Hand”
“Rocketry: The Nambi Effect”: “It Hurts”
“Saving Ana”: “Missing Children”
“The School for Good and Evil”: “Who Do You Think You Are”
“The Sea Beast”: “Captain Crow”
“Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me: “My Mind & Me”
“1660 Vine”: “Already Gone,” “Lucky,” “Rodanthe”
“Sonic the Hedgehog 2”: “Stars in the Sky”
“The Sound of Violet”: “You Could Be Anywhere”
“Spirited”: “Do a Little Good,” “Good Afternoon”
“Tell It Like a Woman”: “Applause”
“13: The Musical”: “It Would Be Funny”
“Three Thousand Years of Longing”: “Cautionary Tale”
“Till”: “Stand Up”
“Tomorrow’s Today”: “Tomorrow’s Today”
“Top Gun: Maverick”: “Hold My Hand”
“A Tree of Life: The Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting”: “A Tree of Life”
“Turning Red”: “Nobody Like U”
“Tuzhyasathi Kahihi”: “Bharat Mata Ki Jay,” “Grishmat Kasa Vasant Ful La,” “Khota Dev Mazha”
“Tyson’s Run”: “If You Believe”
“The Voice of Dust and Ash”: “Dust and Ash”
“We Are Art Through the Eyes of Annalaura”: “We Are Art”
“Wendell & Wild”: “Raising the Dead”
“Where the Crawdads Sing”: “Carolina”
“White Noise”: “New Body Rhumba”
“Wildcat”: “A Sky Like I’ve Never Seen”