Well, the Academy Award nominees were
announced on January 15th.
They are: Our questions this
week are all about songs that WON the Oscar for ‘Song of the Year’. We’ll narrow it down even further and keep our
focus on the 1980’s and ‘90’s. Not too
far back to remember now is it? So,
let’s get started...may I have the envelope please
QUESTIONS
1. A male/female duo
sang the Oscar winner for ‘Best Original Song’ in 1983. Sadly, the male singer passed away last December. The romantic movie starred Richard Gere and
Deborah Winger (whatever happened to her career anyway?) and there were plenty
of starched white navy uniforms in it as well.
Do you know the name of this Academy Award winning song? Don’t look it UP now (HINT ALERT!)
2. A different
male/female duo sang the Academy Award winning ‘Best Original Song’ in 1992. Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson sang the song,
which climbed to # 9 on Billboards’ Hot 100 chart in April of 1992. It was from a Walt Disney animated feature
featuring talking/singing teapots, candelabras and a tortured soul. What’s the name of this Academy Award winner?
3. 1989 was the
year. The film was another animated
feature from the Walt Disney organization that featured talking and singing
crabs. In 1990, one of the songs from
that feature won the Oscar for ‘Best Original Song’. If you know who wrote the answer to question
# 2, then you’ll also know who wrote this Academy Award winning song. Think little for this one (HINT ALERT!)
4. The performer and
co-writer of this Oscar winning ‘Best Original Song’ in 1995 was inducted into
the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 and has had nearly a dozen # 1 hits,
including “Crocodile Rock”, Bennie And The Jets”, “Lucy In The Sky With
Diamonds” and “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”.
Once again, this was a Walt Disney animated feature (boy do they win
awards). Some of the names of the
characters in the feature are Simba, Scar, Pumbaa and Timon. The animated film takes place in Africa where
all the animals talk. The movie was
later turned into a six time Tony Award winning Broadway play that continues to
play in New York. There are also several
touring companies as well.
5. Another
male/female duo recorded the Academy Award winning ‘Best Original Song’ in 1988. In fact, it was the same woman who sang the
answer to Question # 1, although a different guy was singing with her this time. The male singer was a Righteous Brother. Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey (with her
old nose) starred in the movie. Can you
name this Oscar winning song?
ANSWERS
1. 1983 was the year
that “Up Where We Belong” from the 1982
motion picture “An Officer And A Gentleman” won the Oscar for ‘Best Original
Song’. The late Joe Cocker and Jennifer
Warnes sang it. The music was composed
by Jack Nitzsche (Phil Spector’s long time arranger) and Buffy Sainte-Marie (who
were married at the time) with lyrics by Will Jennings. “Up Where We Belong” was # 1 for three weeks
on Billboards’ Hot 100 chart, from November 6th until November 20th. It was also # 1 on Australian and Canadian
charts. Jack Nitzsche was also nominated
for an Academy Award in ’83 for his musical score for “An Officer And A
Gentleman”, but lost to John Williams for “E.T.”.
2. Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson sang the Academy
Award winner in 1992 for ‘Best Original Song’ – the theme from “Beauty And The Beast”. Alan Menken wrote the music and Howard Ashman
wrote the lyrics for the songs in “Beauty And The Beast”. That year, the duo was nominated three times in
the ‘Best Original Song’ category. Once
for the winning theme song as well as “Belle” and “Be Our Guest”. Celine Dion also sang another Oscar winner in
1998 with “My Heart Will Go On” from James Cameron’s epic 1997 film “Titanic”. Peabo Bryson never did.
3. Disney’s 1989 animated feature, “The Little
Mermaid” was the movie that featured the 1990 Academy Award winner for ‘Best
Original Song”, “Under The Sea” with
music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman. Menken won a second Academy Award that March
night in Los Angeles in 1990 when he grabbed the Oscar for ‘Best Original
Score’, beating out John Williams, who was nominated twice in that category –
once for the score to “Born On The Fourth of July” as well as the score for “Indiana
Jones and The last Crusade”.
4. In 1995, Elton John wrote the music and sang
the ‘Best Original Song’ Oscar winner. Fellow
Brit Tim RIce wrote the lyrics. The
song? “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” from 1994’s “The Lion King”. EJ and Tim actually had great odds of winning
in the ‘Best Original Song’ category because they were nominated three times
and there were only five entries. Their
three nominees were “Can You Feel The Love Tonight”, “Circle of Life” as well
as “Hakuna Matata”. “The Lion King” was
honoured again that year when composer Hans Zimmer won the Academy Award for ‘Best
Original Score’. “The Lion King” had an
estimated budget of $45,000,000. So far,
it has returned over $400,000,000. To the Disney coffers.
5. The 1988 ‘Best Original Song’ Oscar winner, “(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life” was sung by Bill Medley and Jennifer
Warnes (boy, this Oscar winner gets around).
Medley was formerly one half of The Righteous Brothers with the late
Bobby Hatfield and Jennifer sang the 1983 ‘Best Original Song’ Oscar, “Up Where
We Belong” with the late Joe Cocker. The
movie the song was from was “Dirty Dancing”.
1988 was also the year Michael Douglas won the Oscar as ‘Best Actor in a
Leading Role” for ”Wall Street” and Cher won ‘Best Actress In A Leading Role’
for her performance in “Moonstruck”.
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