Coming in at 75 songs and including such stinkers as Owl City’s “When Can I See You Again?” (Wreck-It Ralph) and Holladay’s “Never Had” (10 Years), the Oscars 2012 short list for “Best Original Song” isn’t exactly the tidy thing one might hope for. Nevertheless, there are a handful of happy inclusions worth mentioning. Our favorite might just be “The Baddest Man Alive” by the Black Keys and RZA for The Man With the Iron Fists, but Fiona Apple’s jagged This Is 40 contribution, “Dull Tool,” offers tough competition. Adele’s divisive Skyfall theme is in the mix, of course.
Also included: Karen O’s spooky Frankenweenie song “Strange Love,” Beck’s mournful Jeff, Who Lives at Home addition “Looking for a Sign,” Arcade Fire’s old-timey Hunger Games anthem “Abraham’s Daughter,” the Crystal Method’s funk-infused RE:GENERATION track “I’m Not Leaving,” and Bill Carter’s West of Memphis original “Anything Made of Paper.” Oh, and fresh off of a Grammy nomination, the decidedly not fearful Rick Ross the Bawse makes it on for “100 Black Coffins” from Django Unchained.
We’ll see how many of that solid 10 (SPIN’s actually short list) make the cut come January 10 at the Academy Awards’ official nominations ceremony. The competition is fierce, with entries from Christina Aguilera, Katy Perry, Mumford & Sons, Florence + the Machine, Dolly Parton, Jordin Sparks, John Legend, and Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda with help from the Deftones’ Chino Moreno. Plus, you know, Will Ferrell singing “Yo No Se” in Casa De Mi Padre, which could go on to become one for the ages.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=SiaWfToqVss%3Frel%3D0
The full 2013 Academy Awards Best Original Song short list:
Keith Urban “For You” from Act of Valor
Rufus Wainwright, “Metaphorical Blanket” from Any Day Now
Badly Drawn Boy, “Let It Rain” from Being Flynn
Mumford & Sons, “Learn Me Right” from Brave
Julie Fowlis, “Touch the Sky” from Brave
Brooklyn Brothers, “Airport” from Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best
Brooklyn Brothers, “Come on Girl” from Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best
Brooklyn Brothers, “Someday” from Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best
John Forté, “Protect the King” from Brooklyn Castle
Adam Franklin, “California Solo” from California Solo
Christina Aguilera, “Casa De Mi Padre” from Casa De Mi Padre
Cecilia Noël, “Del Cielo” from Casa De Mi Padre
Will Ferrell, Mitch Manker and others, “Yo No Se” from Casa De Mi Padre
Sunny Levine, “No Other Plans” from Celeste and Jesse Forever
J. Ralph ft. Scarlett Johansson, “Before My Time” from Chasing Ice
Trevor Jennies Gore, “By the Light of the Moon” from Crossroad
Jeff Young and the World Sambola Chorus, “The Sambola! International Dance Craze” from Damsels in Distress
“When You Comin’ Home” from Darling Companion
“Death by China” from Death by China
Sameer annd Shankar Mahadevan, “Delhi Safari” from Delhi Safari
Elisa Toffoli, “Ancora Qui” from Django Unchained
Anthony Hamilton, “Freedom” from Django Unchained
Rick Ross, “100 Black Coffins” from Django Unchained
John Legend, “Who Did That to You?” from Django Unchained
Ed Helms and the Lorax Singers, “How Bad Can I Be?” from Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax
Ed Helms and the Lorax Singers and others, “Let It Grow” from Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax
Fletcher Sheridan and the Lorax Singers, “Thneedville” from Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax
Michael Bacon and Nellie McKay, “Ain’t No Train” from Downtown Express
Alexander Rosenbloom, “You Don’t Have to Be a Star” from Fame High
James Horner, “Jose’s Martyrdom” from For Greater Glory: The True Story of Cristiada
Karen O, “Strange Love” from Frankenweenie
Xx Bottom ft. Donna Britton, “Voodoo” from Halloween Party
Il Volo, “Luna Nascosta” from Hidden Moon
Neil Finn, “Song of the Lonely Mountain” from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Arcade Fire, “Abraham’s Daughter” from The Hunger Games
Gutt, “Master of the Seas” from Ice Age Continental Drift
Keke Palmer, “We Are” from Ice Age Continental Drift
Beck, “Looking for a Sign” from Jeff, Who Lives at Home
Dolly Parton, “From Here to the Moon and Back” from Joyful Noise
Dolly Parton, “He’s Everything” from Joyful Noise
Keke Palmer, “I’m Yours” from Joyful Noise
Katy Perry, “Wide Awake” from Katy Perry: Part of Me
The Bootleggers, “Cosmonaut” from Lawless
Charlie Hirsch, “Beaten Up and Broken Down” from Least Among Saints
Hugh Jackman, “Suddenly” from Les Misérables
Mychael Danna, “Pi’s Lullaby” from Life of Pi
Eleisha Eagle, “When I Grow Up” from Losing Control
Peter Asher, “Love Always Comes as a Surprise” from Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted
Matthew McConaughey, “Ladies of Tampa” from Magic Mike
The Black Keys and RZA, “The Baddest Man Alive” from The Man with the Iron Fists
Glen Hansard, “This Gift” from The Odd Life of Timothy Green
Paul Williams, “Still Alive” from Paul Williams Still Alive
Liz Phair, “Dotted Line” from People Like Us
The Milk Carton Kids, “Snake Eyes” from Promised Land
Mike Shinoda ft. Chino Moreno, “Razors.Out” from The Raid: Redemption
Crystal Method, “I’m Not Leaving” from RE:GENERATION
Renée Fleming, “Still Dream” from Rise of the Guardians
Drew and Z Guyeezz, “Undercover Love” from Rock of Ages
Ryan Miller, “Big Machine” from Safety Not Guaranteed
“I Be Here” from Saint Dracula
“I Have Secrets” from Saint Dracula
Adele, “Skyfall” from Skyfall
Florence + The Machine, “Breath of Life” from Snow White and the Huntsman
Ionna Gika, “Gone” from Snow White and the Huntsman
Jordin Sparks, “One Wing” from Sparkle
Jon Bon Jovi, “Not Running Anymore” from Stand Up Guys
Michael Van London, “Feel Love” from Struck by Lightning
Norah Jones, “Everybody Needs a Best Friend” from Ted
Holladay, “Never Had” from 10 Years
Fiona Apple, “Dull Tool” from This Is 40
Clint Black, “She Won’t Let Go” from Until They Are Home
Nick Urata and the Candelabras, “Kiss Me Goodbye” from Virginia
Bill Carter, “Anything Made of Paper” from West of Memphis
Khaled Mouzanar, “Hashishet Albi” from Where Do We Go Now?
Owl City, “When Can I See You Again?” from Wreck-It Ralph
