Episode 046 - Top 10 Oscar-Nominated Songs

This week, in preparation for this year's Academy Awards on March 2, we dive into the best rock-n-roll songs that have been nominated for Best Original Song. Of the hundreds of songs that have been nominated, it was a challenge to find 10 really good ones that rose above the movies they were nominated for, and hold up today. But we did it, and we're excited to share our list of the Top 10 Oscar-Nominated songs of all time, so please join us this week on The Rock-N-Roll Show Podcast!

00:00 Introduction to the Rock and Roll Show Podcast
00:55 The Evolution of Music in Movies
02:28 The Shift to Popular Music in Films
03:59 Criteria for the Top 10 List
05:55 Honorable Mentions and Overlooked Songs
08:43 Number 10
12:03 Number 9
14:18 Number 8
18:30 Number 7
21:08 Number 6
23:56 Number 5
26:48 Number 4
30:04 Number 3
32:55 Number 2
35:54 Number 1
39:04 Conclusion and Farewell

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Transcript

Alex Gadd: 0:01

Welcome to the Rock and Roll Show podcast. I'm your host, Alex Gadd, and this week I've got another top 10 list for you. In honor of the Academy Awards, which are coming up in just a little less than two weeks, this is a list of my favorite songs that were nominated for Best Song by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. These are songs that were recorded and released either on a soundtrack album or just put in a movie before they were released on an album by the artist who performed it. We'll get into it, so stick around for a list of my favorite rock songs that were nominated for an Oscar coming up right now. Since the dawn of movies, there has been music that accompanied them. In the silent film era, there would almost always be an organist or a small ensemble playing a musical score in the theater while the movie screened. With the advent of movies that had sound, which were called talkies, starting with 1927's The Jazz Singer, starring Al Jolson, movies were released with synchronized scores and dialogue. And with that, musicals became a popular genre of movies. From 42nd Street in 1933 to 1939's The Wizard of Oz musicals were among the top performing movies of the 30s. I had always thought that 42nd Street was a stage production before it was a movie, but nope. It was a movie first. Well, it was a book first, but then adopted for the screen before the stage. Top Hat was the second highest grossing film of 1935, starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, with music written by Irving Berlin, including the now standard song, Cheek to Cheek. Snow White was the first animated musical in the top grossing movie of 1937, and The Wizard of Oz was the top grossing film of 1939, a year which also included the releases of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and Gone with the Wind, which are considered two of the greatest films ever made. Yet Americans were off to see the Wizard first and foremost that year. The 40s and 50s continued the musical trend with many adaptations from Broadway shows, which continued through the 60s with films like West Side Story, The Sound of Music, and Funny Girl, all making the leap from Broadway to the silver screen. By the 70s, films started moving away from musicals, not altogether, but a bit. There were still musicals, including lots of Broadway adaptations from Fiddler on the Roof to Cabaret to the Rocky Horror Picture Show to Grease, The movies we've mentioned so far all incorporated their most popular songs in the film, with the characters singing to them or dancing to them. But there was already a new trend starting, using songs by popular music artists in the movie, but not having the characters in the movie singing them. Robinson was an early example of this in the 1967 film The Graduate, as was Everybody's Talkin by Nelson and Midnight Cowboy. The 70s saw a ton of popular music being used in films, from Isaac Hayes Oscar winning theme from Shaft, to Jackson Browne's Late for the Sky, which appeared in Taxi Driver, to The Doors, The End, which was so effectively used in Apocalypse Now. Then we got to the 80s, and examples were everywhere, including Scorsese's use of Harry Nelson's jump into the fire during the scene in which Henry Hill gets busted during Goodfellas. This continued to great effect, like the use of Elton John's Tiny Dancer in Almost Famous, and Hooked on a Feeling by Blue Swede along with every other song in the three Guardians of the Galaxy movies, where filmmaker James Gunn cultivated a classic rock goldmine for each movie's soundtrack. These songs were all released prior to the films that made them famous, or at least rekindled their popularity. I'm not talking about them. Today, I want to talk exclusively about songs that were nominated for an Academy Award, an Oscar. There are songs that I considered, but don't particularly love, like Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head, which won the Oscar in 1969 and was written by the incredible songwriting duo of Burt Bacharach and Hal David for the 1969 film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. It became a huge hit for singer BJ Thomas. But that song really kind of bland. If you ask me, Arthur's theme, the best that you can do by Christopher Cross, another Oscar winner for the 1981 Dudley Moore film, Arthur, but it's not to my taste at all. Even Aerosmith got into the act with a bland ballad. I don't want to miss a thing for the Armageddon soundtrack in 1998, and it lost to a song. I never even heard called When You Believe, which was sung by the powerhouse duo of Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey, still never heard of it, from the animated film The Prince of Egypt. The same with Bryan Adams Everything I Do, I Do It For You, from the Kevin Costner 1991 version of Robin Hood, too melodramatic for me, but it lost out to the title song from Disney's Beauty and the Beast, which is even more saccharine. So looking for rock songs, or even just exciting, interesting, powerful pop songs among the hundreds of songs that have been nominated for an Oscar, I was disappointed to find so few that I actually liked. In fact, the trend of the sappy ballad by a rock artist, or a duet between two rock artists, emerged in the 80s and early 90s movies. And left me sad from almost paradise to take my breath away, to against all odds, to Elton John's songs for the original Disney film, The Lion King and Phil Collins songs for the animated Tarzan movie. There were a ton of songs created for the love scenes or the sad scenes and movies that really don't hold up for me. So I scratched all of those. Given that there are actually a ton of really good rock and roll and R& B and soul songs produced for movies, it's really disappointing that so few of them even get nominated for best song. Songs by Stillwater in the movie Almost Famous, particularly the track Love Comes and Goes and also Fever Dog, the entire Smell the Glove album from Spinal Tap, especially Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight and Hell Hole, and Tonight Is What It Means to Be Young by Ellen Aime and the Attackers from the 1984 movie Streets of Fire. All good examples of legitimately cool rock songs that got no recognition from the academy. And those are all songs from what I call fictional bands. I did a deep dive episode of my favorite fictional bands back in episode 26. That's a good episode. Check it out. Anyway, didn't count any of those because they weren't nominated.

Alex Gadd (2): 6:45

So in preparation for this year's Academy Awards, I'm limiting my list to only songs that have been nominated for an Oscar, which left me stretching to get to 10 songs I was excited about that have stood the test of time and still hold up. Especially again, as I've said, since so many good songs from movies weren't ever nominated. Think about it. Elvis recorded a ton of songs for the movies. He recorded Can't Help Falling Into Love for 1961's Blue Hawaii. No nomination. Even more egregious was that the Beatles produced four soundtrack albums for their four theatrical movie releases. And that included songs like A Hard Day's Night, Help, You've Got to Hide Your Love Away, and so many other of their classic songs. No nominations. The list goes on. Lulu recorded the amazing title song to the 1967 movie To Sir, We Love. No nomination. Simon and Garfunkel wrote Mrs. Robinson for The Graduate. Decade defining song. No nomination. Bob Dylan wrote Knocking on Heaven's Door for the 1973 movie Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. Incredible song. No nomination. The Bee Gees got no nominations after producing the first truly massive soundtrack album of pop music tracks, not performed by Elvis of the Beatles for Saturday Night Fever in 1978, and even though it's still the second highest selling soundtrack album ever today, No nominations, even the Ramones got into the act writing the song Rock and Roll High School for the 1979 movie of the same name and got nothing, nada for their efforts, even after they also appeared in the movie as themselves. Come on now. So the pickings are thin. I think I've made that clear, but I made it work and I'm happy with the results. Even still, I know I'll exclude a few tracks that you think are worthy of inclusion in this list. So please let me know which ones you'd like to add in the comments. And now let's get to my 10 favorite rock songs that were nominated for the best song at the Academy Awards. First up at number 10 is Shallow from the 2018 remake of A Star is Born. It was sung by the movie stars, Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. This song won the Oscar for best song at the 91st Academy Awards, beating out the Kendrick Lamar SZA duet, All the Stars from Black Panther, among others. The song was written by Gaga, Anthony Rosamondo, and super producers Andrew Wyatt and Mark Ronson, and it's the first time in the movie that the two main characters sing together. It's a powerful moment, but the song itself isn't even the best performance in the movie. Gaga's rendition of the standard La Vie en Rose, Is simply amazing and she sung it in French perfect and Bradley's performance of the Jason is bell written. Maybe it's time. It's just so good. Both those tracks to me outshine shallow, but neither was even considered for the award. Bradley's vocal performance in shallow is pretty impressive. For an actor, especially just as Gaga's acting performance is pretty impressive for a musician when Gaga starts belting I'm in the deep end. That's the lift I feel the song needs but then it backs down again before the brief crescendo The real issue that I have with the song is I think the chorus is underwritten It feels kind of lazy to just sing in the sha ha ha ha ha ha ha low So this is a song I want to like more than I do, especially for an Oscar winner, but it's still really good, especially when you see the two of them perform it together live at a Lady Gaga show in Las Vegas. Take a look

10:15

Yeah. In the saddle of a saddle In the saddle of a saddle In the saddle of a saddle Far from the saddle now Um, the To face the world Run to the sun and ask where it gives us We're far from the shadow now In the shadows, shadows In the shadows, shadows The shadows now

Alex Gadd (2): 12:02

song. Number nine is Donna Summer's last dance from the 1979 film. Thank God. It's Friday Yes a disco song on our rock and roll show podcast But as I've said before any artist who's in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is worthy of inclusion on this show And Donna Summer was inducted Posthumously in 2013, anyway, thank God. It's Friday is a pretty mediocre movie about a Friday night at a disco in LA. Film was very much of the time produced in part by Donna Summer's record label Casablanca. It felt to me like it was just a way for Casablanca to promote disco music and keep the disco thing happening as Casablanca was primarily a disco label. However, the movie had some other things going for it. Jeff Goldblum gets his first starring role in the movie and Deborah Winger gets her first major studio role. As does Donna Summer who acted in the movie. The only thing I really remember about the. Plot is that there are two girls who go to the disco, the zoo, to win a dance contest at this place so that they can win first prize. And the first prize was two tickets to see Kiss in concert. And that made no sense to me, even when I was 10 years old, that They'd be going to a disco dance contest to win kiss tickets. And of course, by the end of the film, the girls decide that kiss is lame and they want to be full time disco dancers. And I think that kiss was only included because they were the only rock and roll band signed to the Casablanca label in the late seventies. And they were the label's biggest act while the movie was a mild success in its first week. It quickly faded into obscurity, but the song last dance was a massive hit going to number three on the hot 100 singles chart and winning the Golden Globe for best original song, as well as the Grammy for best female R and B vocal performance. If disco was riding high in the late seventies. It almost certainly was launched into the mainstream by Saturday Night Fever in 1977. But as I mentioned, that soundtrack and all of its incredible songs from the Bee Gees, Yvonne Elliman, Tavares, and The Tramps got no attention from the Academy. Then, one year later, Last Dance not only was nominated, but won for Best Original Song. And while it's not Donna Summer's best song, it was plenty good enough to land at number 9 on our list. And to win the Academy Award coming in at number eight is Survivor's Eye of the Tiger, which was the theme song to 1982's Rocky three and became one of those songs that at this point everybody knows, even if they've never seen the movie, and I'm guessing that anyone under 40 probably hasn't seen the movie unless you're a huge Creed fan, and you wanted to check out the Rocky movies. The song was put together after Sylvester Stallone tried and failed to get the rights to use Queen's Another One Bites the Dust as the theme for the movie. Queen was riding high after they released that album, And either the rights were too expensive or Queen just wasn't interested in having their song tied to a sports movie. So Stallone then reached out to Survivor, who at that point were just another rock band from Chicago. They had one minor hit under their belt at the time and the band's guitarists, Frankie Sullivan and Jim Pederick, got the call and basically won the musical lottery. Stallone sent them a rough cut of the movie's opening sequences and asked them to write something with the same kind of energy as the Queen song had, which he couldn't get, and they came up with the famous guitar riff that everybody knows, you know, the one that makes you want to start shadowboxing as soon as you hear it. I've read that they actually wrote it to match the rhythm of Rocky's punches in that training sequence at the opening of the movie. Now the song exploded when it came out. It spent six weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. This was during the summer of 82. We had ET breaking box office records and Joan Jett's I Love Rock and Roll was dominating the early part of the year on the radio and in the sales charts. Survivor went from obscurity to suddenly being all over radio and MTV so when the song then came out. On the band's own 1982 album, that album blew up instantly going to number two in the U S selling millions of copies worldwide. What's really interesting is how the song got way more respect from the Academy than almost any other rock song from movies did back then. The fact that it got nominated for an Oscar was pretty rare for a hard rock song in 1982, and while it lost out to a more traditional Oscar like song in Up Where We Belong from An Officer and a Gentleman, it might be the hardest rock song to ever be nominated. And it isn't even really a hard rock song. But here's the thing about Eye of the Tiger. It's become bigger than just a song from a movie soundtrack, and you'll hear that again and again on this list. Anytime someone needs to get pumped up in a TV show or in a movie, it's likely that this guitar riff will start playing. It's like musical shorthand for, it's time to get serious. It's been used in everything from serious sports documentaries to goofy scenes and sitcoms where someone's getting psyched up to, I don't know, watch a movie marathon. And the phrase Eye of the Tiger has become part of our everyday language. What's kind of amazing is how well the song has aged. A lot of early 80s rock songs sound really dated now, but Eye of the Tiger, for me, still works. Maybe it's because it's so straightforward. Just a driving beat, some power chords, and very little synthesizer. And the lyrics aren't trying to be clever or deep. Their song is just trying to get you amped up. And more than 40 years later, it's still doing exactly that, which is not bad for a song that only exists because Queen said no to Sly Stallone.

17:43

Now I'm back on my. You change your passion for glory.

Alex Gadd (2): 18:30

In the seventh spot, we have Jon Bon Jovi's first solo hit, Blaze of Glory, from the Young Guns 2 soundtrack. Jon supposedly wrote the song after the movie star, Emilio Estevez, approached him asking him to lend his hit song, Wanted Dead or Alive, to the music soundtrack. Now, John apparently didn't think the song was the right fit for the movie, as Wanted Dead or Alive was really about the life of a touring musician always being on the road, drawing an analogy to The Outlaw, but not really being about outlaws. But the request supposedly got him thinking, and this song was the result. He made this record separate from his band, so there was no Richie Sambora there to play the guitar lead. John then went and asked one of his favorite guitar players to play the slide guitar part. That guitarist was Jeff Beck, who said yes. And is playing on the track as part of an all star backing band. Which also consisted of Benmont Tench from Tom Petty's Heartbreakers on the Hammond B3 organ, Randy Jackson, who later found significantly more fame as an original judge on American Idol, he played bass on this track, and superstar drummer Kenny Aronoff from John Mellencamp's band filled out the rhythm section. That was a killer band. The song ended up going to number one on the Hot 100 chart in the U. S. as well as hitting number one in other countries, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The soundtrack album also did well, getting up to number three on the Billboard 200 album chart and number two in the UK. Then it got nominated for an Academy Award where it lost out to Madonna's Torch Song sooner or later from the Dick Tracy soundtrack, which was written by the great Stephen Sondheim. I'll give it that, but Blaze of Glory made a hell of an impression. It's still a song. I love to play when I'm sitting around with my acoustic guitar.

20:31

I.

Alex Gadd (2): 21:09

Song 6 is On the Road Again by Willie Nelson from the 1980 movie Honeysuckle Rose. Some songs aren't just songs, right? They become something bigger. They take on a life of their own, playing on repeat in the background of our lives, embedded in the culture long after their original moment has passed. Willie Nelson's on the road again, I'm going to say is one of those songs. Now it was written in 1980, came out in a movie. that Nelson starred in as a country musician who was always on the road. The song was nominated for best original song, and while it didn't win, it hasn't stopped it from outlasting just about every other nominee from that year and a whole lot of other Oscar winners too. By 1980, Oscar nominated songs had developed a trend, big dramatic ballads, love themes with swelling strings and slow sentimental numbers dominated the category. On the Road Again is none of those things. It's not a love song. It's not a tearjerker. It's a straight up road anthem the story goes that Nelson wrote it quickly on the back of an airplane airsick bag when he was asked to come up with something about life on the road. I hope that's true. That song does sound like it's just Willie telling you about his life on the road. Musically, On the Road Again is about as simple as it gets. No elaborate orchestration, no overwrought drama, just a chugging rhythm that perfectly captures the sensation of moving forward. Unlike some other Oscar nominated songs that feel tied to a particular film or moment in time, On the Road Again has remained timeless. He plays it at concerts every year, in stadiums, and it also should be on every road trip playlist worth its salt. It certainly outlived the movie it came from by miles. Seriously, how many of you have even heard of Honeysuckle Rose? So why didn't it win for best original song? Who knows? Maybe the Academy just prefers its songs with a little more drama, a little more sentimentality. But when it comes to legacy, On the Road Again has more than held its own. After more than 40 years, it's still one of the best songs ever nominated for an Oscar.

23:12

On the road again I just can't wait to get on the road again Making music with my friends And I can't wait to get on the road again On the road again Going places that I've never been Seeing things that I may never see again And I can't wait to get on the road again. On the road again. We go down the highway. We're the best of friends. The world keep turning is on the road again.

Alex Gadd (2): 23:56

The fifth song on our list is Emine Mss, Lose Yourself the absolute juggernaut of a song from Eight Mile, which was a semi autobiographical 2002 film about a struggling rapper trying to make it in Detroit. And yes, again, a rap song is on this list because the Rock and Roll Show podcast is nothing if not inclusive of all good music, and this song was a monster hit. And it actually won the Oscar for Best Original Song, making Eminem the first ever hip hop artist to take home that award. From the moment the haunting piano riff starts, you feel this song. There's a tension, a sense that something big is about to happen. And when the beat drops, it's pure adrenaline. Eminem is at the absolute peak of his powers here, his flow is so tight, every line is delivered with intensity, and lyrically it's flawless. The song is about much more than just the movie's main character, I think his name was B Rabbit. It's got a universal theme about taking a, your shot. It's got a universal theme about taking that shot to rise above your situation and aim for the stars. Unlike a lot of Oscar nominated songs and Oscar winning songs. Lose Yourself wasn't just a hit because it was tied to a successful movie, it was a hit on its own terms. It topped the Hot 100 singles chart for 12 weeks, and went on to become one of the most streamed rap songs of all time. It's still an anthem in sports arenas, it's on workout playlists and hype up montages everywhere you go. Even people who don't listen to rap know Lose Yourself, it's that kind of big. The song's impact was so massive that when Eminem didn't show up to the Oscars in 2003 to accept the award because he assumed he had no chance to win, everyone was shocked. And nearly 20 years later, when he finally performed the song at the 2020 Academy Awards, the entire audience lost their minds. So yeah, this is a no brainer for a top 10 Oscar nominated song. It's powerful, it's motivational, and it changed the game for hip hop and film. The Academy may not always get it right, but when they awarded Lose Yourself that Oscar, they absolutely nailed it.

26:04

Snap back to reality. Oh, there goes gravity. Oh, there goes gravity. Choke. He's so mad, but he won't give up. Daddy's he know he won't have it. He knows it's all facts that he's broke. It don't matter. He's dope. He knows that, but he's broke. He's so stagnant. He knows when he goes. Back to this mode, the whole mess with it, back to the lab again, yo, it's so rap shit, you better go capture this moment, yo, come on, come on, you better lose yourself in the music, the moment, you own it, you better never let it go, you only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow, this opportunity comes once in a, chance to blow, this opportunity comes once in a lifetime, this opportunity

Alex Gadd (2): 26:48

Coming in at number four is That Thing You Do, the insanely catchy title track from the 1996 film of the same name. The song was performed in the movie by the fictional one hit wonder band, The Wonders, who had originally gone by the name The Oneeders, if you know, you know. But in reality, it was written by Adam Schlesinger, best known as the founding member, the bass player, and the songwriter for the band Fountains of Wayne. And it lost out for best original song to you must love me from a Vita. No disrespect to Madonna, but that thing you do is the track from that year that stood the test of time. Song is meant to sound like a mid sixties, beetle less pop hit, and it absolutely nails it. It's bright, bouncy, and packed with jangly guitars, hand claps, and harmonies that could have easily landed on the actual billboard hot 100 chart in 1964. I think the real genius of that thing you do is that it had to do something very few movie songs have ever pulled off. It had to be a song that within the world of the movie becomes a massive hit. If the song wasn't instantly infectious and believable as a catchy pop rock British invasion influence single, the entire plot of the movie doesn't work. But from the first time it's played in the film, which is at a slower tempo, a more generic tempo, Kind of sound to the moment that Guy Patterson, who was played by Tom Everett Scott speeds it up at the talent show, launching that band into stardom. You know, that song is a winner. Schlesinger understood exactly what made those early 1960 hits work simple, but memorable melodies. Tight vocal harmonies and a relentless hook that gets stuck in your head, whether you like it or not. And crucially, it's a song that sounds just polished enough to be a real radio hit, but still raw enough to feel like it could have come from a bunch of small town kids who just got lucky. That's a tough balance to strike, but that thing you do does it flawlessly. So why didn't it win the Oscar? Maybe because Evita was a bigger, more traditional Oscar movie or because Madonna, but if you ask anyone today, which song they remember more, it's not even close. The fact that that thing you do still sounds as fresh today as it did in 1996. Sounding like it was fresh in 1964. Speaks for itself. It may not have won the trophy. But it accomplished something else. It became a song that people actually left the theater singing and remembered it the next day. And that's what a great movie song should do.

29:11

Oh, neither. Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!

Alex Gadd (2): 30:04

Next up at number three is Isaac Hayes ultra cool Theme from Shaft, the undeniable theme song from the 1971 blaxploitation classic Shaft. This one actually did win the Oscar for Best Original Song, making Hayes the first black composer to take home that award. And let's be honest, this song deserved every bit of that gold statue. Theme from Shaft isn't just one of the best Oscar winning songs of all time. It's one of the best movie themes ever, period. The brilliance of Theme from Shaft is that it doesn't just accompany the film. It kind of defines it. The second that iconic hi hat intro starts ticking away, you know you're in for something different. Then the wah wah guitar kicks in, setting the mood for the private detective, John Shaft, to strut through Harlem like the absolute boss he is. And just when you think the groove can't get any cooler, in comes Isaac Hayes with one of the most effortlessly smooth vocal deliveries in movie history. He's barely even singing. He's just kind of talking his way through the verses, oozing confidence and swagger as he defines Shaft as a bad mother. Shut your mouth. The way Hayes layers instruments, starting with the hi hats, slowly building the song up with the wah wah, the deep bass, horns, and strings, it creates an unstoppable groove. And then there's that chorus, where the backing singers shout, Shaft! While Hayes responds, Can you dig it? Hell yeah we can. Unlike a lot of Oscar winning songs, And similar to a lot of the songs on our list this week, Theme from Shaft didn't just stay tied to its movie. It became a hit in its own right. It hit number one on the Hot 100 singles chart and helped launch Hayes into mainstream stardom. More than 50 years later, it still sounds just as fresh and cool as it did in 1971. It's not just a song. It's a vibe it's a masterclass in film scoring, proving that you don't need a giant orchestra to create something cinematic. You just need the right groove, the right attitude, which kind of describes Isaac Hayes.

32:10

Who black. Can you dig it? There's a cat that won't come out What is your all about? Right on Listen to this cat shout You're a bad mother Too much shell

Alex Gadd (2): 32:55

Song number two is Streets of Philadelphia, the devastatingly beautiful song Bruce Springsteen wrote for the 1993 film Philadelphia. This one actually won the Oscar for Best Original Song also, and rightfully so. It's not just a great song, it's one of the most powerful and emotionally resonant tracks ever written for a movie. And like all the best film songs, it completely transcended the movie itself. Springsteen's challenge here was kind of unique. He wasn't writing an anthemic rock song like he was used to, or a sweeping movie ballad like the Oscars were used to. He was writing something deeply intimate, something that captured the quiet pain, the isolation of Tom Hanks character as he battles AIDS in a world that's all but abandoned him. And Bruce absolutely nailed it, which was especially impressive, given that he abandoned his classic sound in favor of drum loops and synthesizers. From the first chords, the song feels cold and distant, mirroring the loneliness at the heart of the movie. The drum machine ticks away like a slow march, and Springsteen's vocals sound almost hollow, like he's barely hanging on. The whole thing is stripped down and haunting in a way that just kind of stuck with me. Lyrically, it's some of Springsteen's best work. The opening line, I was bruised and battered, I couldn't tell what I felt, sets the tone immediately. There's no metaphor, none of Springsteen's poetic flourish. It's just raw and direct. And that's what makes it so gut wrenching. It's a song about fading away or trying not to. And feeling invisible in your own city about walking amongst people who refuse to see you and that matched the movie's tone exceptionally well, which allowed the song to hit even harder. Unlike a lot of Oscar winning songs, Streets of Philadelphia didn't just win because it played over the end credits of a great movie. It became a cultural moment, also. The song was a hit, charting high in multiple countries, winning four Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year, and even now it holds up. It's been covered, referenced, played in countless tributes, played by Springsteen every once in a while, because some songs never lose their impact. So yeah, this one absolutely deserves a spot on our list. It's not just one of the best Oscar winning songs, it's one of the best songs ever written for a film, full stop. It's Springsteen at his most vulnerable, a song that feels just as important now as it did in 1993.

35:15

He's bruised and battered like a tiller on a canvas Unrecognizable to myself Saw my reflection in a window No brown face or pillow Gonna leave me wasting away On the streets of Philadelphia La la la la la La la la la la La la la la la I'm going to do a little dance.

Alex Gadd (2): 35:54

And finally, coming in at number one is Live and Let Die by Paul McCartney and Wings. Sir Paul wrote this tune as the title track for the 1973 James Bond film of the same name. If there's one thing Bond movies are always known for, it's their theme songs. And while there have been some really great ones over the years, I say Live and Let Die is the best one of them all. And that's said despite my love for Shirley Bassey. Now, Paul McCartney was fresh off his Beatles years when he wrote this, and you can hear it in the sheer ambition of the track. It doesn't stick to just one style, it has different movements like a classical piece. It opens like a traditional Bond ballad, with those elegant piano chords and McCartney's smooth, almost nostalgic vocals. But then, bang, the whole thing explodes into one of the most dramatic, over the top, orchestral rock sections. The strings and brass come crashing in, the guitars crank up, and suddenly you're in full action movie mode. And just when you think you've got it figured out, the song takes another left hand turn into a reggae inspired breakdown, before launching back into the pure rock and roll. Musically, it's a masterpiece. It's cinematic, it's unpredictable, and it's packed with enough energy to blow the doors off of any theater. And that's exactly what makes it perfect for a Bond film. It's sleek, it's stylish, and dangerous, just like 007 himself. Plus, it has that massive punch you in the face chorus that still sounds just as thrilling today as it did in 1973. It's no wonder the song became a staple of McCartney's live shows, where it's usually accompanied by a lot of pyrotechnics. So why didn't it win the Oscar? That is a mystery. It lost to The Way We Were by Barbra Streisand, which is a fine song, a much more traditional Oscar song. But let's be honest. That song doesn't have anywhere near the staying power of Live and Let Die. 50 some odd years later, it's still a rock and roll powerhouse. It's been covered, most famously, by Guns N Roses, and remains one of the most recognizable Bond themes of all time. At the end of the day, Live and Let Die is more than just a Bond song. The fact that it was nominated for an Oscar just proves that every so often, the Academy actually can get it right. But the fact that it didn't win, well that proves that the Academy doesn't have a great track record of identifying the best songs from movie soundtracks.

38:17

Used to say, live and let live Live this ever changing world In which we're living Makes you give in and cry To live and let die To die and die

Alex Gadd (2): 39:04

Well, that's it for this week's episode. Thank you for joining us. We'll be back next Tuesday. And if you like what you heard today, we'd appreciate it. If you would like and subscribe or follow to make sure you get notified about every new episode and please tell your friends also a reminder that we release a playlist for every episode. So look for the rock and roll show podcast playlist on Spotify every week, this week, featuring songs from the acts I mentioned here today. So check that out. Additionally, we want to know what you think. There's plenty of room for other opinions at the rock and roll show podcast. So please leave us a comment. We'll try to respond to every one of them. The rock and roll show podcast is a world highway media production. I'm your host, Alex Gadd. And until next time, remember that life is short. So get those concert tickets.