Oscar Blitz 2024 – Original Song

Hello everyone, and welcome to the first entry in this year’s Oscar Blitz! Assuming all goes well, I’ll be covering all 23 categories, either in print or video form, over the next several weeks until the big night. Who knows how the winds will change and how momentum might shift along the way? But what’s important right now is giving each of the individual fields and nominees their moment in the spotlight, ensuring a fair shake as I determine who would get my vote if the Academy ever deigned to give me one (though it should be noted that if they ever do, I have to end this series, as Academy members are not allowed to publicize their vote in any way). As always, I’ll take an honest, mostly snark-free look at each candidate before I offer my personal ranking.

First up this year is Original Song, which can at times lead to some of the most memorable moments of the Oscars telecast. Whether it’s Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga coming within seconds of openly fucking on stage as they performed “Shallow” or Robin Williams leading a rousing production number of “Blame Canada,” the Original Song race is prime territory for great television.

For this go-round, we have a chance at a single grand performance, but otherwise, there’s not much to it. This is chiefly down to two reasons. For one, Diane Warren is nominated yet again, and yet again she will lose. I’ve spent more than enough words in this space over the course of the blog’s existence railing against the naked chicanery involved in her annual reserved place, so I’ll just leave it at that. The second reason is that, realistically speaking, this is a two-horse race from one movie. We saw it when the shortlists were announced, and it’s the only real drama in this year’s contest.

For one reason or another, the Music Branch pretty much cleared the way for a song from Barbie to win the award. I don’t have a huge problem with that, per se, as Barbie had the best overall musical profile of the year, between its original tracks, solid use of catalog songs, and the joyously batshit in-movie renditions of “Closer to Fine” and “Push.” It makes total sense that they’d take the maximum two slots in the final five, and that three would make the semifinals, creating some suspense as to which one would be left out (sorry, Dua Lipa). The movie was so stacked with bangers that Lizzo’s hilarious expositional song, “Pink,” which opens the film, didn’t even make the shortlist because in addition to the other limits, individual writers can only be submitted twice for the same project, and the core of Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt were credited on two of the three that did make the cut.

I’m fine with all that, but there is something shady about how far behind Barbie the rest of the field is. As usual there’s a bloc within the branch that saved a spot for Warren, but of the other nine titles on the shortlist, nothing really stood out as being all that unique or different. Sure, the songs from Flora and Son were really good, but my life isn’t noticeably altered for having heard them, unlike the music from John Carney’s best work, Once. The other hopefuls have some quality, but a lot of noteworthy numbers from 2023 were conspicuously absent, even though they perfectly fit the Academy’s stated goal of having truly original works that were contextually essential to their respective films. When you see a list that contains a generic ballad from Lenny Kravitz but not “Peaches” or “Out-Alpha the Alpha,” you can tell there was an intent to reduce competition. When you think about The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Theater Camp, or Dicks: The Musical, their big songs almost instantly come to mind, so to leave them out in favor of another slew of forgettable tracks that play over the credits as you’re exiting the auditorium feels a bit fishy.

Still, that’s a grievance to be rectified in the future, not something we can control in the here and now. We have our list of contenders, and no matter my opinion of how they got in, all that counts now is how they compare with one another.

This year’s nominees for Original Song are…

“The Fire Inside” from Flamin’ Hot – Music and Lyrics by Diane Warren

Despite her best efforts, Diane Warren actually did create a thematic link between “The Fire Inside” and its associated picture, Flamin’ Hot. See, that movie is a shoddily-made lie about a man who claimed to have created something new, and Warren herself is nominated for the 15th time for yet another shoddily-made lie where she claims to have created something new.

I’ll give mild credit where it’s due, in that this track doesn’t sound exactly the same as her previous nominations, but the differences are largely superficial. The tempo is slightly faster than her normal output, and the backing “orchestration” (air quotes) is a bunch of computerized Latin beats with a whistle effect. The lyrics are still the usual empty tautologies about how the listener is a special little snowflake that will overcome any obstacle – even though objectively that’s not true for the vast majority of people – and the few musical changes will probably only result in Warren herself not being able to sit on the stage at the Oscars to play this on piano, as there is no piano in the piece.

The performance of one Becky G (star of “Worst Trailer in the World” winner Good Mourning a couple years ago) is figuratively, and almost literally, one note, sounding like aural diarrhea with Auto-Tune, which I guess is fitting because the music video opens with her busking the IBS-inducing snack as a child before she “grows up” into her sexpot self because she’s got that “fire.” I mean, Warren actually asks her in the clip if she’s “ready” to perform the song, only for Becky to say she was “born ready” while applying her lipstick. Because if there’s one thing that truly demonstrates your inner passion, it’s exterior cosmetics.

As ever, from a contextual standpoint, the song has nothing to do with the movie. It plays over the credits, and has no bearing on the outcome or the themes of the actual story. It wasn’t even released on the film’s soundtrack record, instead opting for a separate single so it could get more radio airplay a week before the flick even came out (though I assume it played at the SXSW premiere in March of last year). In short, this is a nothing track that will be promptly defenestrated after the ceremony like your blood-stained underwear after eating the cheese doodles.

“I’m Just Ken” from Barbie – Music and Lyrics by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt

Whether you loved it or hated it, Barbie leaned hard into its potential for absurd fun throughout, and no better is this exemplified than in the climactic song-and-dance battle that is “I’m Just Ken.” Led by an electric Ryan Gosling in a getup that makes him look like a glam rock William Zabka, finally bringing his simmering masculine conflict with Simu Liu to a boil, the number is awash in pure silliness, and you can’t help but smile, because given all the other bonkers moments in the movie, the Kens’ pursuit of patriarchy couldn’t have ended any other way.

The reason I love it so much is that in spite of its oddness, it does still stand on its own as a legitimately great show-stopper, and it properly functions as an extension of the themes and plot of the movie. If you’ve ever been “friend-zoned,” you know the exaggerated anguish that Gosling’s Ken is going through, and you can at least sympathize while still not condoning his childish behavior. There are a lot of strangely poignant levels to something designed to be a huge goof, and that takes some real talent to pull off.

And not for nothing, but I miss having big musical numbers as a regular part of cinema. Part of the reason “Naatu Naatu” won last year was because it was a moment of pure, unbridled euphoria that dragged every viewer of RRR into the experience in a way that transcended the language barrier. This has the same infectious effect. Even if you don’t listen to the actual music, the visual representation of the “I’m Just Ken” scene is enough to get the point across, which makes it an integral part of experiencing the film. Even when done as a large-scale joke, the reason this category exists is to highlight moments like this, where music becomes an essential, if not defining, element. It’s not the most pop radio friendly tune of the bunch, but it is arguably the most crucial to the success of its associated picture, and that can’t be discounted.

God I hope this gets the grand production it deserves on the Academy stage.

“It Never Went Away” from American Symphony – Music and Lyrics by Jon Batiste and Dan Wilson

I kind of got the feeling this would happen after I saw the shortlists. Every few years or so you have a film that makes the first cut for Documentary Feature, but ultimately doesn’t make it to the nominations. However, the affair is capped off by a decent song that still warrants attention. And that was the case this time.

At least in this instance it’s kind of appropriate. American Symphony is about a year in the life of Oscar-winning composer and musician Jon Batiste, including the trials and tribulations of balancing his professional life with caring for his wife as she battles cancer. The loving struggle is palpable throughout, so it is fitting that the man himself sums it all up with this dedication.

Musically, this is a very simple but moving piece. Batiste plays a somber piano accompanied by subtle strings, singing his basic lyrics in syncopation with the instrumentation, and that’s enough to send the message clear as day. Relationships are never smooth or predictable. There are plenty of bumps in the road, but if the love is there, the journey will always be worth the pain. That’s how Batiste feels about Suleika Jaouad, and the sentiment comes through absolutely. Like the jazz that laid the foundation for his musical education, sometimes the notes you don’t play are just as important as the ones you do. This minimalist tribute is a perfect example.

“Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)” from Killers of the Flower Moon – Music and Lyrics by Scott George

By far the most unique entry in this year’s set, “Wahzhazhe” is important not only for the musical achievement, but for what it represents in the creation of the film. As Martin Scorsese was making the movie, a lot of the focus and story changed to highlight the plight of the Osage people. The longer the production went on, the more Scorsese committed himself to involving the Osage nation as much as possible, making sure to depict events honestly and with proper perspective.

“Wahzhazhe” is a key part of that process. After Scorsese attended a traditional dance ceremony in 2021 (along with lead actors Lily Gladstone and Leonardo DiCaprio), he was so moved by the energy of the music that he wanted to create something similar to close out the picture. However, he didn’t want to use an already established piece. With the help of his tribal consultants, Scott George was eventually hired to write an original work in the Osage tradition.

That passion can be heard in the performance by the Osage Tribal Singers. The vocals have more fire and force than a million bags of disgusting Cheetos, and the drumming is hypnotic. The lyrics, written and performed in the Osage language, encourage the people to rise up, be strong, and have faith in each other, as they have survived countless ordeals and are still a proud community. Even if you can’t understand the words, you can feel the power and resilience behind them, and that means a lot, especially as the coda to a film that deals in stark tragedy.

“What Was I Made For?” from Barbie – Music and Lyrics by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell

I make no secret that I’m not a fan of Billie Eilish. Most of her early output was nothing more than faux-goth bullshit with incoherent mumbled lyrics, written by a child who had no real problems in life, and her brother did most of the work. She was a product of failed actors turned stage parents who basically engineered her for stardom rather than fostering a functioning member of society, and she relied almost entirely on social media to cultivate a persona and mystique rather than just writing and singing some good songs. She was basically an emo Veruca Salt. When she was handed an Oscar by fiat two years ago for a song that was a) an admitted ripoff of another Oscar-winning song, and b) shouldn’t have been eligible as it came out over a year before the movie it was written for, I was pretty pissed off, as it was yet another sign of the Academy and their corporate overlords at Disney caring more about marketing than quality or merit.

I tell you this again because I want you all to know where I’m coming from when I say this next sentence. I unreservedly, unabashedly, unashamedly, love this song. As someone who doesn’t care for pop music in general, I have an odd trend of being able to find one song from every major pop performer that I will latch onto as an assurance that it’s not all just mass-produced garbage. When it comes to Billie Eilish, this is that song for me.

Coming during the closing moments of Barbie and serving as the thematic climax, our Stereotypical lead (Margot Robbie) steps into an empty, dimly-lit void with the ghost of Ruth Handler (an excellent Rhea Perlman), where they discuss the existential implications of the doll’s creation. Why was she made? What does she represent? What is she supposed to represent? And most importantly, is it worth it to try to live in the real world? These are the weighty issues Barbie has to decipher, not just for herself, but potentially for all Barbies going forward. There are no easy answers, but she has to make up her mind as to how she’ll move forward, providing a cathartic resolution for not just the character, but for the audience, as the joys and challenges of being a woman are laid out better than at any point in America Ferrera’s blunt force trauma of a third act monologue.

All the while, a soft piano plays in the background. When Barbie makes up her mind, Eilish becomes the only other voice in the room, as we cut to a montage of clips of women and girls just, living, before Barbie smiles, sheds a tear, and declares simply, “Yes.”

It’s a perfect moment, only enhanced by this uncharacteristically hopeful tune. Eilish’s light vocals don’t obfuscate the evocative, relevant lyrics, allowing the listener to process their own self-doubt in any manner they choose. There’s no digital nonsense, just melody and verse. For all the over-the-top comedy, action, and moralizing of the larger film, the whole scene is so succinctly summed up by Perlman’s command to just “feel,” giving the viewer an unexpected emotional whammy right before the final punch line. It’s bliss. I haven’t fully come around on Billie Eilish yet, and I may never, but I could listen to this song pretty much anytime.

***

So where do I stand after this? Like I said in the opening, the two songs from Barbie stand a physically disproportionate head and shoulders above the rest of the field, but which one should win? I’ve gone back and forth a dozen times or more, and I’ll probably do so again after I publish. But for now, I’ll make my choice and stick to my guns. I’d be happy if either was the victor, but by the thinnest of margins, I’m opting for bombastic fun over the very good cry.

My Rankings:
1) “I’m Just Ken”
2) “What Was I Made For?”
3) “It Never Went Away”
4) “Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)”
5) “The Fire Inside”

Who do you think should win? Vote now in the poll below!

Up next, we go from the sounds that support the story to the men who support the cast. It’s Best Supporting Actor!

Join the conversation in the comments below! Which song was your favorite? Should the nomination process be overhauled to prevent favoritism and/or rigging? What tracks do you love from performers you normally can’t stand? Let me know! And remember, you can follow me on Twitter (fuck “X”) and YouTube for even more content!