Monday, February 28, 2011

Randy Newman

As predicted, Randy Newman won the Oscar for Best Original Song for 'We Belong Together' from Toy Story 3. Usually, the Golden Globe nominations are a good indication of the Oscars, not in this case however. Newman wasn't even nominated, and instead the Globe went to 'You Haven't Seen the Last of me' an empowering Cher ballad from the movie 'Burlesque', which wasn't even nominated for the Oscar. This wasn't Newman's first Oscar though. He has also won the same award for the song 'If I Didn't Have You' from Monsters Inc. He has been nominated for best original song 10 times, and for best original score 4 times, ranging all the way back to 1982.

Even though 'You've Got a Friend in Me' from Toy Story 1 was a much more commercially profitable, and catchier song than this one, it didn't win the Oscar, but was nominated in 1996. It lost to 'Colors of the Wind' from Pocahontas, another commercially viable single. Lastly, the Newman family name has been no stranger to Oscar wins. Randy's uncle, Alfred Newman, has been nominated 45 times and won 9 for his compositions, including the 1970 score of 'Hello, Dolly!'.

Randy isn't just a composer of movie music though. The 67 year old musician has created many of his own albums as well. He most enjoys writing about things that are far removed from his regular experiences. Perhaps his most memorable non-movie song is the 1977 song 'Short People' which Newman wrote about biased and prejudice in the world (and did you know that it is Glenn Fry of the Eagles singing the chorus?). What is your favorite Randy Newman song?





Sunday, February 27, 2011

Lose Yourself - Oscar Cross-Over Songs

As I mentioned yesterday, this year is not the best year for Oscar original songs. None of the songs that are up for the prestigious award has very much cross-over appeal. Meaning, they aren’t songs you are going to hear on the radio on your way to work. This hasn’t always been the case though. Many songs in the past have had huge cross over appeal. It has however been since 2002 that this has happened in a big way. I thought that this would be a great subject for today’s entry. The Oscars have been passing out this award since 1934, but I’m going to stick with my lifetime so we’ll fast forward to the 80’s. 
1982 - ‘Up Where We Belong’ from An Officer and a Gentleman 
Performed by Joe Cocker, this song was number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 3 weeks. Interestingly, the film’s producer, Don Simpson, demanded that it be cut from the movie saying, “The song is no good. It isn’t a hit.” Good thing no one listened to him.
1983 - ‘Flashdance...What a Feeling’ from Flashdance
This song was on more charts than I have time to list. It went Platinum in the US as well. It was originally recorded by Joe Esposito, member of the band Brooklyn Dreams, who is best known for their work with Donna Summer on ‘Bad Girls’. They had Irene Cara re-record it so it could be from a woman’s perspective to match the movie. 
1984 - ‘I Just Called to Say I Love You’ from The Woman in Red
This song hit the Billboard Hot 100 number one slot for 3 weeks, as well as numerous other charts around the world. It was also featured on an episode of The Cosby Show. Remember that? The Huxtables knew Stevie Wonder. Best. Family. Ever. 
1985 - ‘Say You, Say Me’ from White Nights
This Lionel Richie song also made it to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts. It ranked #74 of the top songs of all time on the chart as well. Richie parodied this song on The Simpsons changing the lyrics to ‘Hey you, Beer Me’. Gotta love that guy.
1986 - ‘Take my Breath Away’ from Top Gun
This song quickly became an international hit and still has legs today. Jessica Simpson covered the song in 2004 as a tribute to her then husband Nick Lachey. Eternal Love. She did had respectable success with it, reaching #8 on the Billboard Top 40 Mainstream charts. 
1987 - ‘(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life’ from Dirty Dancing
This song reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 list for 1 week, and also topped out the Adult Contemporary chart for 4 weeks. It also won a grammy for best pop performance by a duo. And what girl hasn’t listened to this song wishing that they could take a running leap into Swayze’s arms and fly?
1993 - ‘Streets of Philadelphia’ from Philadelphia
The Boss....Combine him with Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington? Power house gold! Interestingly though, this song never reached number 1 in the U.S., although it did in other countries. Side Note - Springsteen supplied almost all of the instrumentation on this song.
1997 - ‘My Heart Will Go On’ from Titanic
I don’t care who you are, you’ve heard this one. Celine Dion’s biggest hit. One of the best-selling singles in the history of music. Weeks at number one in the U.S. and internationally. Over 1.5 million copies sold. The interesting thing is, it was never meant to be. The song was originally written as an instrumentation to be played throughout the movie. James Horner who wrote the music wanted to make a vocal version as well for the end of the movie, but director James Cameron objected. Horner went ahead anyway and had lyricist William Jennings write the words. They wanted Celine Dion to sing it, but she refused after listening to it. It was her manager/husband Rene Angelil that talked her into making a demo version. Horner played it for Cameron and the rest is history. One last interesting fact. The song was recorded in one take without instrumentation. Love her or hate her, Celine Dion’s voice is a modern wonder that should be respected. 
2002 - ‘Lose Yourself’ from 8 Mile
This song won both the Oscar and a few Grammys. It was also the longest running #1 song of 2002. (12 weeks). It received the most awards won by a single rap song in one year, and VH1 ranked it the #1 greatest song of the past 25 years. The song has been downloaded over 3 million times, and is surpassed only by Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop Believing’. Eminem wrote this song while on a filming break from 8 Mile. He recorded it in a portable studio in one take. The sheet with his lyrics on it was featured in the movie while he was on the bus. It was sold later on eBay for $10,000. 
In a separate category there have been some Disney cartoon songs that have also had mass market appeal, although not necessarily huge radio hits like the above songs. 
1989 - ‘Under the Sea’ from The Little Mermaid
1991 - ‘Beauty and the Beast’ from Beauty and the Beast
1992 - ‘A Whole New World’ from Aladdin
1994 - ‘Can you Feel the Love Tonight’ from The Lion King (Elton John had 3 nominations from The Lion King that year)
1995 - ‘Colors of the Wind’ from Pocahontas
1999 - ‘You’ll be in My Heart’ from Tarzan
Which cross over Oscar song is your favorite from the list? It’s a tough one for me. As a little girl watching Dirty Dancing in awe, I am inexplicably drawn to anything having to do with that movie. And, I would have to say that I’m not the only one seeings how The Black Eyed Peas have recently covered, or should I say, butchered the song for the 21st century. Dirty bit? Really? I am a passionate fan of ‘Lose Yourself’ however. I think it is one of the best rap songs of all time, and it still gives me goosebumps when I hear it today. The message behind the song, the movie and Eminem’s life is hard to ignore. What about you?

Saturday, February 26, 2011

And the Oscar Goes to...

The Oscars are tomorrow, and they are bringing back my favorite part - live song performances! All 4 of the Best Original Song nominees will perform, although it has been reported that this will be done in a manner that makes it seem more fast paced than in the past. So I figured it would be fitting to talk about each of those songs and see which one you think should win the Oscar. 


1. "Coming Home"  from movie 'Country Strong' - Music and Lyric by Tom Douglas, Troy Verges and Hillary Lindsey - performed by Gwyneth Paltrow.


I haven't seen this movie yet, but have heard a lot of the buzz around it. At first I was a little ticked to hear about Gwyneth Paltrow trying to bust into the music business. To me, it's pretty disrespectful to think that you can just all of a sudden 'be country'. However, after hearing a few of the songs from the movie I must admit that she does a nice job performance wise. As far as this song goes, the lyrics are very strong in their imagery. The melody builds nicely, although the chorus isn't exactly what I'd call catchy. It definitely fits the country mold for a song.


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2. "I See the Light"  from movie 'Tangled'  - Music by Alan Menken; Lyric by Glenn Slater - performed by Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi.


The first word that came to mind after listening to this song was 'Nice'. This isn't exactly a song I'd play on my iPod, but it's nice, pretty even. The lyrics are typical for this type of movie. I love a good duet, and I think these two voices meshed together well. The instrumentation is a beautiful blend of symphony and acoustic guitar. All in all though, it just doesn't move me. On a side note, I am a fan of Mandy Moore. I think she's done an amazing job transitioning her career from pop princess to respectable actress and performer. 


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3.  "If I Rise" from movie '127 Hours'  - Music by A.R. Rahman; Lyric by Dido and Rollo Armstrong - performed by Dido  and A.R. Rahman (although at the Oscars it will be performed only by A.R. Rahman because Dido is unavailable).


I really love the groove and feeling of this song. Lyrically though, as Randy Jackson would say, I wasn't feeling it. It seemed random and too glorified. Whereas 'I see the light' is perhaps too obvious in its lyrics, this song is too cryptic. It is a hopeful song, but kind of left me scratching my head. Something else that this song is missing is a clear structure. Where's the hook? Maybe you can explain to me what the big deal is about it. I must add one side note here -  this song is higher up on my list because it was written and performed by the same person. You always get bonus points in my book for that. 


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4.  "We Belong Together" from movie 'Toy Story 3' - Music and Lyric by Randy Newman - Performed by Randy Newman.


As with the above song, this one is written and performed by the same artist. The lovable and super talented Randy Newman. Who doesn't know 'You've Got a Friend in Me' from Toy Story 1? While this song isn't quite as memorable as that tune, it is definitely my pick for the Oscar. It is very catchy, makes you bob your head and has a clear lyrical and musical structure. The lyrics are identifiable and usable in numerous situations without being contrite. It was the only song of the four that I wanted to continue after it was over. Overall, it's just a fun song. 


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So those are the 4 contenders for the Oscar tomorrow that were whittled down from 41 contenders. If you are curious to see the big list and learn about the process that narrowed the 41 to 4 - check it out here. 


So which song do you think should win the Oscar? Use the poll tool on the left bar to vote and/or post your comments below. 

Friday, February 25, 2011

I am a Rock

So, yesterday I talked about ‘I am a Rock’ being an awesome winter song, albeit not one that you should necessarily listen to in the winter. Today I'm going to talk about it in a different context, what I'm calling - 'red flag songs'. A red flag song is a song that someone calls 'their song', that is so weird or 'off' that it should give you a red flag as to something being wrong with the person. For instance, if you are on a first date with a gal and she asks you what your favorite song is and you say, 'Helter Skelter' by The Beatles, that should be a red flag song to her. Relating that strongly to a song that was used in the connection of murder and Manson should be enough for her to excuse herself to the bathroom and not come back. Make sense?

So, 'I am a Rock'. I was friends with this guy in college who was obsessed with his ex girlfriend taking him back. I never understood it because the few times I met her she seemed like a really icy bitch to me. So one night, we're talking about music and he tells me that 'I am a Rock' was her favorite song - 'her song'. I immediately started laughing and told him that it explained a lot about her. He didn't get it. He didn't understand the concept of a 'red flag song'. Out of the millions of songs that have ever been recorded, to pick one about being locked in a fortress deep and mighty as your favorite is like wearing a sign around your neck that says, "I'm a bitch!" - and he thought that I had man issues...

So, now that you have all been informed as to the concept, what other red flag songs could we add to our list? 

Thursday, February 24, 2011

A Winter's Day...

I think Paul Simon is one of the greatest songwriters of all time, so he will definitely show up here from time to time. As I was gazing out my window this morning, looking at the dirt encrusted snow, I could hear the weather man in the background reporting another big snowfall for the area. While the 'freshly fallen silent shroud of snow' would be welcomed in that it would cover the dingy banks that currently line the street, I think I have had enough. 


This song, 'I am a Rock', is set in winter - December to be exact - because no other season could encompass such harsh feelings or depression. In fact, this is a dangerous song to actually listen to in the wintertime lest you crawl into the bathtub and end it all. That being said, I think we have all had a connection with this song at one point in our lives, especially after a bad breakup. Who hasn't sung, 'if I never loved I never would have cried' through broken sobs in our bed or car? Don't answer that. I don't want to be the only one. Luckily though, we've all made it through. 


Anyone who has listened to Paul Simon's Songbook, his figurative one, not the literal album he put out with the same name that he actually hated, knows that Paul is a pretty deep and sometimes depressing dude. Maybe that's why I like him so much. If he can't make you feel something, you should probably be institutionalized. So Paul wrote this song for the above-mentioned Songbook in 1965 that was released only in the UK. To give you a taste of his feelings toward the project here's what he wrote in the linear notes...


This L.P. contains twelve of the songs that I have written over the past two years. There are some here that I would not write today. I don't believe in them as I once did. I have included them because they played an important role in the transition. It is discomforting, almost painful, to look back over something someone else created and realize that someone else was you. I am not ashamed of where I've been and what I've thought. It's just not me anymore. It is perfectly clear to me that the songs I write today will not be mine tomorrow. I don't regret the loss.


Deep, right? He released the all acoustic endeavor, and went about touring as a poor folk artist. It wasn't until a few months later that Bob Dylan's band got ahold of the tracks and added some electric dubs to them that they became the songs we know today. They sent the revisions to the US and they quickly became hits. Simon didn't even know it had happened. When he found out, he and Garfunkel set about adding harmonies and cleaning up the tracks even more. This became the 'Sounds of Silence' album, which starts with 'The Sound of Silence' and ends with 'I am a Rock' - like a pair of beautiful, depressing book ends. 




Original Version from the Songbook (Be prepared! If it's possible, this is more depressing than the radio version)




So that's my 'Winter' song. What's yours? For a list with some ideas, check out Chris Uggen's Blog







Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Boston

I am going on a short trip to Boston tomorrow and so I thought that the Beantown would be a good topic for today's blog. Did you know that there are over 20 songs with 'Boston' in the title? Some are just called 'Boston', others are more creative. That always mystified me as a songwriter that you can't copyright the name of your song. You could have a whole handful of songs all named the same thing. Seems odd in the creative world. On the flipside, a song is so short that you can't quote from its lyrics in a novel without paying royalties. I guess I am a beneficiary of this, seeings how the chapter titles in my novel are all song titles and without them the book would suck (that would be a cool concept, a book where only the chapter titles were worth reading...hmmm) The trouble with this chapter naming strategy is that there could be multiple versions of the song, and how do I let my reader know which one I want them to listen to? For instance, one of my chapters is called, 'At Last'. Immediately, if you are over 30, you are thinking about the famous and overused Etta James version. Under 30, perhaps Christina Aguilera or Beyonce. None of those are the ones I want you to listen to. I would much rather you listen to the pained Joni Mitchell version. But what about Boston?


At the moment, my favorite 'Boston' titled song is called 'Boston' and is by a little known band named Augustana. This song speaks to me personally because I've always been a 'grass is greener' person, and I've had to work very hard in my own life to be satisfied with what I have and to live in the present. I can really relate to the idea of wanting to move somewhere new and thinking that it would solve things, a philosophy that seems embedded in my own family. My only problem with this song is who lives in sunny, beautiful California and wakes up one day and decides they want to live in Boston? I live in New England. Six to seven months out of the year, it sucks.


So, what's your favorite Boston related song? I suppose it could be by 'Boston' the band too. Or if you want to really stretch, it could be a song about Massachusetts, ala 'Homecoming King' by Guster. What should be on my 'Boston' playlist?

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Wanna Be Startin' Something

I figured that it was only right to have the first post be related in someway to the word 'start'. When I thought about songs that have start in the lyrics, MJ immediately came to mind. I know that there are mixed feelings about the King of Pop and that's fine. I'm hoping that this won't be a place for us to judge music, but rather just learn the stories behind it and share our own connections with it. So, hopefully you can put your 'razor tongue' aside and just have some fun.


Some song info - It was released in 1983, so it's been around practically my whole life. This was one of 4 songs that MJ helped to write on the famous 'Thriller' album. He wrote it with Quincy Jones as a song for sister Latoya originally. Apparently, she was having some trouble with her sisters-in-law. She sometimes sings it now in concert. Like him or hate him, its definitely a 'get you pumped' kind of song.


So, why this song? I'd love to tell you something really deep, but it was just the first song that popped into my head. So here's where you get to participate. What song with 'Start' in the title would have been a better song to start the blog with and why? Bonus points if you can explain to me what the hell MJ is singing about at the end of the song!


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