Spring Break
Oscar music winners from Aladdin to Eminem
Natalie Abreu
Issue date: 2/19/09 Section: Focus
Some of the most popular songs that have etched themselves into our memories, popped up occasionally on the radio or on an iPod playlist, or been sung out loud (in tune or not) have something very special in common other than touching the hearts and minds of listeners: they have been Oscar Winners.
With the Academy Awards approaching this Sunday, one of the most relevant and exciting categories for viewers always seems to be Best Original Song. In this category, films that would often be passed over by Oscar voters are celebrated through their mood -setting songs that leave a definite imprint on the viewer, whether appearing gingerly throughout the film or to conclude the film on a high note at the end credits.
As this decade comes to a close, the trends on which tunes receive the little gold man for Best Original Song have become more pronounced.
Since 2000, recent Best Original Song Awards have been given more artistically inclined musicians and films, such as "The Wonder Boys" song "Things Have Changed" by Bob Dylan (2000), Annie Lennox's "Into the West" for "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (2003) and the Spanish song "Al otro lado del río" from "The Motorcycle Diaries" (2004).
The 1990s seem to sing a different tune. With classic Disney films like "Beauty and the Beast" (also nominated for Best Picture), "Aladdin," (which produced the only Disney film song to date to appear as No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts), "The Lion King" and "Pocahontas" dominating the box office as well as the music charts, popular songs seemed to get top shelf for awards. But live-action films also cashed in on this popularity trend. This decade also brought in "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion, which was one of the most successful singles of all time.
Although this decade has proven to be a more art-inclined era for original songs, they have also been somewhat unconventional, at one end rewarding well-made yet not well-known songs, and at the other, rewarding music genres that have become especially prominent in this era. After all, this is the decade that brought songs like "Lose Yourself" from "8 Mile" and "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" from "Hustle and Flow" (2005).
In total, there have been nine Oscars awarded to artists with eccentric names like Eminem and Three 6 Mafia. The academy also brought an award to Melissa Etheridge's song "I Need To Wake Up," a song not from a traditional film but from Best Documentary winner "An Inconvenient Truth."
Soon another unconventional song will become the Best Original Song winner, for films featuring Hindi language, pulsating music and lyrics like "Jai Ho" and "O... Saya" (featuring rap artist M.I.A.) from the unstoppable force that is "Slumdog Millionaire," or perhaps a catchy, melodic pop song from "Wall-E," a most unconventional animated film featuring little voice acting but brilliant in sound design, music and, of course, story. By looking at past trends of Disney films' domination over the category, "Wall-E" might have the edge here, but then again another "Al otro lado del río"-type win can result in a "Slumdog" having its day.
With the Academy Awards approaching this Sunday, one of the most relevant and exciting categories for viewers always seems to be Best Original Song. In this category, films that would often be passed over by Oscar voters are celebrated through their mood -setting songs that leave a definite imprint on the viewer, whether appearing gingerly throughout the film or to conclude the film on a high note at the end credits.
As this decade comes to a close, the trends on which tunes receive the little gold man for Best Original Song have become more pronounced.
Since 2000, recent Best Original Song Awards have been given more artistically inclined musicians and films, such as "The Wonder Boys" song "Things Have Changed" by Bob Dylan (2000), Annie Lennox's "Into the West" for "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (2003) and the Spanish song "Al otro lado del río" from "The Motorcycle Diaries" (2004).
The 1990s seem to sing a different tune. With classic Disney films like "Beauty and the Beast" (also nominated for Best Picture), "Aladdin," (which produced the only Disney film song to date to appear as No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts), "The Lion King" and "Pocahontas" dominating the box office as well as the music charts, popular songs seemed to get top shelf for awards. But live-action films also cashed in on this popularity trend. This decade also brought in "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion, which was one of the most successful singles of all time.
Although this decade has proven to be a more art-inclined era for original songs, they have also been somewhat unconventional, at one end rewarding well-made yet not well-known songs, and at the other, rewarding music genres that have become especially prominent in this era. After all, this is the decade that brought songs like "Lose Yourself" from "8 Mile" and "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" from "Hustle and Flow" (2005).
In total, there have been nine Oscars awarded to artists with eccentric names like Eminem and Three 6 Mafia. The academy also brought an award to Melissa Etheridge's song "I Need To Wake Up," a song not from a traditional film but from Best Documentary winner "An Inconvenient Truth."
Soon another unconventional song will become the Best Original Song winner, for films featuring Hindi language, pulsating music and lyrics like "Jai Ho" and "O... Saya" (featuring rap artist M.I.A.) from the unstoppable force that is "Slumdog Millionaire," or perhaps a catchy, melodic pop song from "Wall-E," a most unconventional animated film featuring little voice acting but brilliant in sound design, music and, of course, story. By looking at past trends of Disney films' domination over the category, "Wall-E" might have the edge here, but then again another "Al otro lado del río"-type win can result in a "Slumdog" having its day.
Be the first to comment on this story