Songs Written For The Oscar

[Timon3]

Posted: 3/11/23 at 9:35pm

As it is Oscar weekend

I would like to find out, what song have been written for the Oscar? For a show that come from the stage, to be nominated for an Oscar an additional song needs to be composed, so wondering what additional songs have been composed?

[bwaylyric]

Posted: 3/11/23 at 10:09pm

“Hopelessly Devoted to You” from the Grease movie. It lost to “Last Dance” by Donna Summer. 

[JanMaxwellsBag]

Posted: 3/11/23 at 10:25pm

Since the 90s:
-You Must Love Me from Evita (The only winner in this list)
-I Move On from Chicago (An end credits song)
-Learn To Be Lonely from Phantom of the Opera (Also an end credits song)
-Listen, Love You I Do and Patience from Dreamgirls 
-Take It All from Nine (My personal favorite from this list)
-Suddenly from Les Miserables 

And some other songs that were written for film adaptations but not nominated:
-There’s Nothing Like A Show On Broadway from The Producers
-Come So Far, Got So Far To Go from Hairspray
-The Anonymous Ones from Dear Evan Hansen

I may have missed some but that’s all I can think of now. 

Updated On: 3/11/23 at 10:25 PM

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 3/11/23 at 10:54pm

Of the Oscar losers, “Love You I Do” won the Grammy.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/12/23 at 1:19am

I know SUDDENLY did qualify for the Oscars as a new song, but wasn't that actually a Les Mis trunk song that was cut prior to the English-language production? Or am I misremembering?

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 3/12/23 at 1:50am

It was written for the movie. The Oscars have been pretty strict about that over the last couple decades. I remember Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová having to prove “Falling Slowly” was intentionally written for the movie of Once even though the song was released on one of their albums prior to the film’s release. They’ve also limited the number of songwriters eligible for the award/nomination based on contribution to the songwriting, which is why Beyoncé wasn’t nominated as a songwriter of “Listen.”

[seaweedjstubbs]

Posted: 3/12/23 at 3:04am

“Mean Green Mother From Outerspace” from LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS was nominated but lost to “Take My Breath Away” from TOP GUN. “Mean Green” was the first song with profanity nominated for Best Original Song.

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 3/12/23 at 11:41pm

There are a lot of these “bonus songs” listed here 

Movie Bonus Songs
 

I’m surprised so few of them were ever nominated for an Oscar, let alone won, especially since that seems to be the primary reason for added songs. 

[Ke3]

Posted: 3/13/23 at 12:56am

I always think about Harvey wanting Janet Jackson to do an end credits song for Chicago. I would've loved that just for the Chicago themed music video she might've done for it.

[chewy5000]

Posted: 3/13/23 at 12:59am

Menken Fan said: "I’m surprised so few of them were ever nominated for an Oscar, let alone won, especially since that seems to be the primary reason for added songs."

Because they rarely add anything of value to the movie

 

[jo]

Posted: 3/13/23 at 9:49am

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "I know SUDDENLY did qualify for the Oscars as a new song, but wasn't that actually a Les Mis trunk song that was cut prior to the English-language production? Or am I misremembering?"

It wasn't on the original concept album ( in French) which related to the Paris staging 5 years ahead of the Mackintosh English production.

There was nothing in the book by Edward Behr on the development of the stage musical English version  that has any mention of such a song.

I think it was written for the film adaptation to fill in the gap of the missing second Valjean epiphany not highlighted in the stage musical version. Valjean's first epiphany was the grace of redemption ( articulated in Valjean's Soliloquy). The second one was the discovery of love through little Cosette through the song SUDDENLY.  Both epiphanies were highlighted strongly in the Victor Hugo novel.

Interestingly, the song could also be interpreted as a romantic song when one meets "the one" or even as a wedding processional song (sung by the groom as he sees his prospective bride walking down the aisle). I think the Michael Ball version highlighted the romantic tone.  Hugh Jackman's interpretation sounded more like a lullaby.

 

Updated On: 3/13/23 at 09:49 AM

[hak5]

Posted: 3/13/23 at 6:56pm

that Taylor Swift song  (name escapes me) from Cats ?

[Jeff Tupolski]

Posted: 3/13/23 at 11:50pm

Cabaret’s film had three great bonus songs with “Mein Herr”, “Money, Money”, and “Maybe This Time”, which have since gone on to become staples of future stage productions. Shockingly enough, while the first two were nominated at the Globes, none of them were nominated at the Oscars.

[darquegk]

Posted: 3/13/23 at 11:53pm

The movie additions to Cabaret are essential. If you ask someone to name the three best songs in Cabaret, you’re going to hear at least one of the three be a song that appeared in the movie first.