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.
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