Best Jeff Commings Podcasts (2024)

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Episode 78: Ain’t Nothin’ But a Blue Sky Now (2010) 58:30

6d ago58:30

58:30

Only four songs were nominated for the Original Song Oscar for 2010, and three of them were written by previous Oscar winners. learn more about these four songs, and the ones that Diane Warren had hoped would get her back in the Oscar race, but were shut out.By Jeff Commings

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Episode 77: Fairy Tales Can Come True (2009) 1:12:03

12d ago1:12:03

1:12:03

The Academy increased its number of Best Picture nominees from five to 10 for the 2009 movie year, but the minimum of Best Original Song nominees dropped from three to two. Was this a signal that maybe the music branch was worried about getting at least three quality songs nominated? That wasn't a problem in 2009, when Randy Newman got two nominati…

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Episode 76: There’s No Better Place to Go (2008) 53:28

19d ago53:28

53:28

Only three songs were nominated for the Academy Award in 2008, the first time that had happened in 20 years. In this episode, we learn about the three songs, including two from prolific Bollywood composer A.R. Rahman that gave us some new sounds that had not been presented in Hollywood films. The other song gave Thomas Newman another chance to end …

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Episode 75: Feeling Like a Motherless Child (2007) 1:08:29

26d ago1:08:29

1:08:29

Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz monopolized the Original Song Oscar nominees for 2007, giving us three songs from their Disney musical Enchanted that paid homage to previous Disney classic songs and paid homage to them at the same time. Also nominated was a poignant song from a movie drawing from the Oliver Twist story, and a love song from a very…

1
Episode 74: You’ve Taken My Heart (2006) 1:04:42

1M ago1:04:42

1:04:42

Another film earned three Oscar nominations for original song, and this time it was the film adaptation of the Broadway smash musical Dreamgirls. Henry Krieger, the original composer of the stage show, enlisted new lyricists to work with him on the songs that impressed the Academy enough to get three into the list of five. Melissa Etheridge's histo…

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Episode 73: I’m Just a Weary Pilgrim (2005) 43:54

1M ago43:54

43:54

Only three songs were nominated by the Academy's music branch from 2005, perhaps signaling that the quality of songs was going downward sharply. But, maybe this marked just a blip in the movie music industry. Take a listen to the nominated songs and why the Academy only picked three in 2005.By Jeff Commings

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Episode 72: Laugh In Your Loneliness (2004) 55:49

2M ago55:49

55:49

Andrew Lloyd Webber finally got the movie version of The Phantom of the Opera into movie theaters, and got an Oscar nomination for putting an original song into the film. The other nominees for the 2004 Original Song Oscar included two songs not performed in English, the first time that had happened. But, more memorable about the year was who perfo…

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Episode 71: I Want to Be Wrinkly (2003) 53:23

2M ago53:23

53:23

The Oscar nominees for 2003 featured a toe-tapping song from a groundbreaking animated movie, a sincere love song from a very funny mockumentary, and a song that closed out one of the most popular trilogies of all time. Two songs from the Civil War drama Cold Mountain were also in the mix, written by Sting and Elvis Costello. A year removed from th…

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Episode 70: We’re Not the Dying Swan (2002) 1:07:38

2M ago1:07:38

1:07:38

Eminem made history with his hit song "Lose Yourself," writing the first rap song to be nominated for the Oscar. The controversial rapper wasn't the first choice for producer Brian Grazer's film about a wannabe rapper, but Grazer couldn't take his eyes off the superstar, and 8 Mile gave Eminem the opportunity to act and give us one of his signature…

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Episode 69: You and Me Together (2001) 1:03:40

2M ago1:03:40

1:03:40

Randy Newman was still winless in the Original Song Oscar category after seven losses, and his song "If I Didn't Have You" for the Pixar movie Monsters, Inc. was going to put him in rare company if it didn't nab him the Oscar. The song didn't get much recognition before the Academy Awards, so Newman was looking like song nomination number eight was…

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Episode 68: The World Is Not My Playground (2000) 1:15:24

3M ago1:15:24

1:15:24

Randy Newman was looking for his first Oscar win with his seventh songwriting nomination, this time for the comedic song "A Fool In Love." He had some competition from three great singer-songwriters, as Bob Dylan, Bjork, and Sting earned their first nominations for writing movie music. Find out which music superstar took home the 2000 Original Song…

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Episode 67: They Just Want to Fart and Curse (1999) 1:03:04

3M ago1:03:04

1:03:04

The five Oscar-nominated songs from 1999 were all worthy of winning the big award, including the latest song from a Disney animated movie, one from Pixar's sequel to Toy Story, a raunchy song about parental anger, and a song by *NSYNC praising a teacher's love. Host Jeff Commings talks about the songwriters responsible for these songs, and why Mado…

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Episode 66: A Kind and Steady Heart (1998) 1:18:35

3M ago1:18:35

1:18:35

The year after the juggernaut Oscar-winning song "My Heart Will Go On," songwriters had a high standard to reach for the songs featured in films released in 1998. From Stephen Schwartz and Randy Newman to Diane Warren and Carole Bayer Sager, the nominated tunesmiths offered the Academy five nominees that gave us no frontrunner status for the big aw…

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Episode 65: Two Tickets Torn In Half (1997) 1:06:25

3M ago1:06:25

1:06:25

The juggernaut song "My Heart Will Go On" was crowned an Oscar winner the second that Titanic made its theatrical debut, but the other four songs nominated with it for the 1997 Original Song Oscar were no duds. Host Jeff Commings brings you the stories behind these songs, and the songwriters who created them.…

1
Episode 64: We Had It All (1996) 1:42:08

3M ago1:42:08

1:42:08

Host Jeff Commings talks with songwriters Jud Friedman and Allan Rich about almost not having their song "For the First Time" appear in the movie One Fine Day (thanks to Rod Stewart), and learns from Tim Rice the process behind putting a new song into the iconic Evita score and getting an Oscar nomination for it. Space Jam featured many songs that …

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Episode 63: Sighs and Whispers (1995) 1:12:47

4M ago1:12:47

1:12:47

The members of the music branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences split the original score category in two in 1995, but the rules for original song stayed the same. Pop songs and traditional movie songs were still in the running for the biggest movie award, including a chance for Alan Menken to earn a record-tying fourth Original S…

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Episode 62: Kings and Vagabonds (1994) 1:24:29

4M ago1:24:29

1:24:29

Tim Rice returns to the show to offer a masterclass in songwriting as he talks about writing the lyrics for the three Oscar-nominated songs from the animated movie The Lion King. He details how the song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" changed and why writing a song for a warthog shouldn't feel much different from writing for "the wife of an Argenti…

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Episode 61: Don’t Turn Your Back On Me (1993) 51:42

4M ago51:42

51:42

The pop music world invaded the Academy Awards honoring films from 1993, with Janet Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, and James Ingram among the nominees for the Best Original Song Oscar. Host Jeff Commings has many stories to share about the creation of the five Oscar-nominated songs, and why Danny Elfman couldn't join the roster for his son…

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Episode 60: Won’t You Hold Me In Your Arms?(1992) 1:55:12

4M ago1:55:12

1:55:12

Host Jeff Commings invited not one, not two, but THREE Oscar-nominated songwriters to this episode to share their behind-the-scenes tales of creating two of the five Oscar nominees for original song of 1992. Jud Friedman and Allan Rich talk about writing "Run to You" for Whitney Houston and creating a guerilla campaign for an Oscar nomination. Tim …

1
Episode 59: The Stars Are All My Friends (1991) 55:06

5M ago55:06

55:06

History was made with the Original Song Oscar nominees from 1991, as three songs from one movie made the list. Those songs came from the Disney animated film Beauty and the Beast, which was a landmark film in more ways than its song nominations. Host Jeff Commings guides you through this major year for movie songs, highlighting a worldwide hit by B…

1
Episode 58: I’m a Devil on the Run (1990) 54:21

5M ago54:21

54:21

Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim earned his first Oscar nomination for writing a song for the action film Dick Tracy, pitting himself for the industry's highest award against a number-one song by Jon Bon Jovi, and a rare song composition by John Williams. Host Jeff Commings also details the hit songs that missed out on a nomination, including other…

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Episode 57: I Guess It Must Be Fate (1989) 1:22:38

5M ago1:22:38

1:22:38

Dean Pitchford returns to the show to talk about achieving his fourth Oscar nomination, this time for the love ballad "After All." He discusses writing a more "mature" song than he had written for previous films, why Cher and Peter Cetera didn't record their vocals at the same time, and why he felt his song had little chance to win the Original Son…

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Episode 56: Riding on the Water (1988) 48:10

5M ago48:10

48:10

Only three songs were nominated for the Academy Award in 1988, the first time the list of nominees was that low since the 1930s. An Academy rule forced the list to be cut to three in that year, and the ones that made the final list gave Oscar voters a tough choice over which should be picked as the best of the year. Host Jeff Commings details those…

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Episode 55: Let ‘Em Say We’re Crazy (1987) 1:09:33

6M ago1:09:33

1:09:33

Only one of the Oscar-nominated songwriters for 1987 had previously been invited to the Academy Awards, giving us 10 men and women getting their first chances to win an Oscar. They all gave us a list of five nominated songs -- many of which have become classics -- that made the competition for the Academy Award very tight that year. The public love…

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Episode 54: If Love Can See Us Through (1986) 1:14:22

6M ago1:14:22

1:14:22

Academy voters increasingly became aware of the synergy between Hollywood and the music industry, voting for a Billboard #1 song for its Oscar for the past five years. Would that continue with the nominated songs from 1986? Two number-one songs were in contention, including a song performed by two mice and another for a sultry love scene for an act…

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Episode 53: I Have Learned to Let You Go (1985) 1:06:05

6M ago1:06:05

1:06:05

After the historic list of Oscar-nominated songs of 1984, the five nominees for 1985 had a lot to live up to. On this episode of The Best Song Podcast, host Jeff Commings tells of Lionel Richie's double nomination in the same year as his successful "We Are the World" composition, and the popular movie songs that missed out on a nomination.…

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Episode 52: I Just Wanna Cheer (1984) 1:52:28

6M ago1:52:28

1:52:28

Dean Pitchford returns to The Best Song Podcast to talk about bringing the 1984 movie Footloose to the big screen, and finding the best collaborators to write the songs from the hit soundtrack. That includes working with Kenny Loggins, who wrote and recorded the title song under very interesting circumstances. Host Jeff Commings talks with Pitchfor…

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Episode 51: The Ice-Blue Line of Insanity (1983) 1:16:50

7M ago1:16:50

1:16:50

The 50th anniversary of the Original Song Academy Award featured two songs from the mega-popular movie Flashdance, which re-ignited the movie soundtrack craze, and two songs from Barbra Streisand's directorial debut Yentl. The other nominated song really did feel like a fifth wheel alongside these four songs, and we'll learn more about the journeys…

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Episode 50: All We Have Is Here and Now (1982) 1:20:38

7M ago1:20:38

1:20:38

Alan and Marilyn Bergman made history with their Oscar nominations for original song of 1982, becoming the first people to earn three song nominations in one year from three different films. Their work came in three different films, including Luciano Pavarotti's first (and last) movie role and a love song for the biggest comedy of 1982. Learn more …

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Episode 49: Play For Me (1981) 1:01:57

7M ago1:01:57

1:01:57

The star power among the Oscar-nominated songwriters for 1981 was very high. Lionel Richie, Christopher Cross, Carole Bayer Sager, and Randy Newman were just a few of the top names looking to become Oscar winners for their work writing songs for the movies. Host Jeff Commings tells the stories behind creating these hit songs, including Lionel Richi…

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Episode 48: Baby, Hold Me Tight (1980) 1:35:04

7M ago1:35:04

1:35:04

Dean Pitchford joins the show to talk about writing the Oscar-nominated title song from the 1980 movie Fame. In addition to his recollections of the process he and composer Michael Gore took to arrive at the global hit song, Pitchford talks about the future recording star who helped add a "hook" to the song, and why Dolly Parton was his song's bigg…

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Episode 47: Reaching Out to Touch You (1979) 1:06:29

7M ago1:06:29

1:06:29

Kermit the Frog's film debut brought Oscar winner Paul Williams his final Oscar nomination, writing the classic song "The Rainbow Connection" with Kenny Ascher. Host Jeff Commings shares Williams' thoughts about the meaning of the wistful lyrics and why Paul Williams was not able to continue his work in the 1980s. Other Oscar winners in contention …

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Episode 46: The World Goes Tumbling On (1978) 59:50

8M ago59:50

59:50

The pressure of creating a hit song after the success of "Evergreen" and "You Light Up My Life" was felt in 1978, though the Oscar-nominated songs did not really reach that bar. But not for lack of trying. The musical Grease became the highest-grossing musical of the time, cemented Olivia Newton-John as a movie star and gave her a great love song t…

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Episode 45: The Way That You Hold Me (1977) 1:17:00

8M ago1:17:00

1:17:00

One of the most popular songs of the 1970s found its way onto the list of Academy Award nominees for 1977, and the story of the song's rise to fame is just a small part of the legacy of "You Light Up My Life." Host Jeff Commings talks about the song's history and its post-Oscars aftermath, as well as the two songs nominated from Disney movies that …

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Episode 44: Girls in Sleeveless Jackets (1976) 1:12:02

8M ago1:12:02

1:12:02

Horror, comedy, romance, and action are all represented in the five songs nominated for the Academy Award from 1976. Host Jeff Commings tells the stories of the creation of Barbra Streisand's first songwriting effort, Bill Conti's on-the-cheap recording of the Rocky theme song, and how Peter Sellers made an earnest love song laugh-out-loud funny.…

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Episode 43: Take My Hand and Pull Me Down (1975) 1:19:54

8M ago1:19:54

1:19:54

The first guest of The Best Song Podcast is Keith Carradine, who talks with host Jeff Commings about writing the Oscar-nominated song "I'm Easy" for the 1975 Robert Altman film Nashville. Carradine tells of the origins of the film's concept, including having actors write and perform their own songs, and how he handled the sudden award attention for…

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Episode 42: Your Laugh Turned On the Sun (1974) 40:46

9M ago40:46

40:46

The list of five songs nominated for the 1974 Academy Award were about as diverse as you could get. Not only did Mel Brooks give us a comedy song about the fake sheriff at the center of his movie Blazing Saddles, but an unknown songwriting duo offered up a jaunty song about a loveable dog. There's also the conventional love ballad and a sweet tribu…

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Episode 41: With Affection From a Sentimental Fool (1973) 1:17:25

9M ago1:17:25

1:17:25

After many years of trying, a theme song from a James Bond movie finally broke through and received an Oscar nomination! Paul and Linda McCartney made history with "Live and Let Die," not only ushering in a new chapter for James Bond songs, but showing that rock music can be a part of Academy history two years after "Theme From Shaft" won the Acade…

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Episode 40: Listen to the Distant Drums (1972) 1:03:12

9M ago1:03:12

1:03:12

The conversation surrounding the Oscar-nominated songs from 1972 might start with the songs that were not nominated, instead of the five that made the cut. Two original songs from the hit movie Cabaret, which remains one of the oddities of Academy Award history, especially knowing how loved the movie itself was by the Academy. Host Jeff Commings gi…

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Episode 39: Let It Shine All Around Them (1971) 1:02:52

9M ago1:02:52

1:02:52

Johnny Mercer's 18th and final Oscar nomination for songwriting came for a conventional movie song that was competing for the big award alongside a song that was the equivalent of a 9.1 earthquake. Shaft featured a no-holds-barred black New York private investigator and a no-holds-barred theme song that shook up the list of five Oscar nominees from…

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Episode 38: We’ve Got a Lifetime to Share (1970) 1:19:09

10M ago1:19:09

1:19:09

Competition was tight for the Original Song Oscar for songs released in 1970, as six of the 11 Oscar nominees had already won at least one Oscar. The five songs weren't immensely popular with the public, but they did provide some intriguing storylines as two members of a moderately popular rock and roll band wrote a conventional love ballad and use…

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Episode 37: Fields of Gold and Forests of the Night (1969) 1:01:25

10M ago1:01:25

1:01:25

Songwriters tried very, very hard to bring rock 'n' roll music into the Oscar nominees for Original Song in 1969, but the old guard strongly resisted and left off some now-classic tunes from the final list of five. Burt Bacharach and Hal David tried very hard to fight against the old ways of Hollywood, and managed to get a nomination for a classic …

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Episode 36: I Keep Them In Stitches (1968) 55:34

10M ago55:34

55:34

Julie Andrews and Barbra Streisand originated two of the songs nominated for the Original Song Oscar in 1968: "Star" and "Funny Girl." The men who wrote those songs had some tough competition for the award that year, including a married couple who were making their big breakthrough with a seemingly nonsensical song that doesn't fit into any genre. …

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Episode 35: A Look That Time Can’t Erase (1967) 1:19:05

10M ago1:19:05

1:19:05

History was made in 1967, when Quincy Jones became the first Black man to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Jones was having a banner year, writing the nominated song "The Eyes of Love," the title song for the eventual Best Picture winner In the Heat of the Night, and the Oscar-nominated score for In Cold Blood. Though he w…

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Episode 34: You’re No Longer On the Shelf (1966) 41:52

10M ago41:52

41:52

Though the British Invasion of pop songs took place two years earlier, British cinema was becoming popular in the mid-1960s thanks to London taking the theme of the Swinging '60s very literally. Two of the Oscar-nominated songs from 1966 are title songs about two sexually-charged Brits, while one of its Oscar competitors is a very innocent (and bri…

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Episode 33: She’s the Devil (1965) 1:10:45

11M ago1:10:45

1:10:45

One year after the Beatles gave us a rock 'n' roll movie musical, Frenchman Michel Legrand gave us the first fully sung-through original movie musical with The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. He and lyricist/director Jacques Demy set the world on fire with this candy-colored film that featured a moving Oscar-nominated song competing for the award with two …

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Episode 32: Wish You Were Here to Warm This Heart (1964) 1:08:41

11M ago1:08:41

1:08:41

Though 1964 was celebrated for the return of the original movie musical with the release of Mary Poppins, there was another movie release that set the world on fire with its revolutionary music. A Hard Day's Night was the film debut of the Beatles during their yearlong "invasion" in the United States. What is remarkable about 1964 as far as the Osc…

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Episode 31: Be a Happy Camper (1963) 46:52

11M ago46:52

46:52

Movie songs were on an upswing of popularity with the public after the success of "Moon River," but 1963 did not help that cause with a list of five Oscar-nominated songs that were not major hits. One of the songs came from a cringe-inducing Italian documentary, while another was from a Jackie Gleason movie that started as a musical but got many of…

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Episode 30: You Better Walk Humble (1962) 47:21

11M ago47:21

47:21

Film composers were starting to take over the duties of writing the music for movie songs in the 1960s, and that was evident in the list of Oscar-nominated songs from 1962. Four of the five songs contain music by score composers instead of trained songwriters, which signaled the likely end of an era for the Hollywood songwriter. Sammy Fain was the …

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Episode 29: Bewildered By the World We See (1961) 51:48

12M ago51:48

51:48

Director Blake Edwards and composer Henry Mancini had been working in Hollywood in relative obscurity for a while, but in 1961, they blasted into superstardom with the release of the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's. The Oscar-nominated song "Moon River" became one of the most popular songs that year, though studio executives had briefly fought to cut …

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