1943 Best Original Song - God Bless Ethel Waters

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WON: "You'll Never Know," Hello, Frisco, Hello

SHOULD'VE WON: "Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe," Cabin in the Sky

In reviewing these 10-nominee Best Original Song line-ups from the '40s, I can't help but think of Oprah Winfrey and her extravagant giveaways of the past - only here, it's "you get an Oscar nomination...and you get an Oscar nomination too.....and hey, you get one too, because why not!" That's the only way I can rationalize a frivolous minute-and-10-second fluff tune like "Saludos Amigos" having garnered recognition - the Academy must've just been bestowing nominations upon everything.

Not to start sounding redundant in my analysis, but '43 marks yet another hit-or-miss year in original tunes at the Oscars, with just two truly outstanding nominees (neither of which is the winner), a few solid, if rather unremarkable tracks and then a whole lot of category filler.

Let's first get the more lackluster nominees out of the way here - besides the aforementioned "Saludos Amigos" (which unequivocally, absolutely, without the slightest doubt simply has to be the worst Disney song ever nominated in this category), "Say a Prayer for the Boys Over There" (Deanna Durbin at her most bombastic), "Change of Heart" (a poorly produced Jule Styne piece where the music is so dense and overpowering, it's difficult to comprehend the lyrics), "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To" (a decent Cole Porter composition later covered nicely by the likes of Dinah Shore and Nina Simone but not sold very well here by Don Ameche and Janet Blair) and "We Mustn't Say Goodbye" (an Al Dubin piece nicely performed by Lanny Ross but not even among the more memorable songs from Stage Door Canteen) just aren't of Oscar-calibur.

There are two songs here that are sumptuously performed - "My Shining Hour" (by the lovely and awfully underrated Joan Leslie) and, the winner, "You'll Never Know" (by the terrific Alice Faye, who just two years later would see her film career temporarily end on account of bizarre contractual issues...she would not return to the big screen until 1962, in the remake of State Fair). Both tunes are a pleasure to listen to, if perhaps a bit unremarkable beyond the great vocals. Glenn Miller's "That Old Black Magic," on the other hand, is an absolute treasure to take in instrumentally, but the Johnny Johnston version showcased in Star Spangled Rhythm is, at least in my humble opinion, not quite of the same calibur as many of the covers to come - Ella Fitzgerald, Margaret Whiting, Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland, and perhaps more beyond that, breathed more life into the song. 

Now let's get to the really good stuff.

"They're Either Too Young or Too Old" is a delightfully charming, witty song and it's the only occasion on which Bette Davis has performed a musical number on the big screen. Frank Loesser, who would later win an Oscar for "Baby, It's Cold Outside," but was really more known for his work on Broadway (Guys and Dolls and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying) wrote this charmer and Davis sells it effortlessly. In most years, I'd almost certainly give this one the prize.

Alas, this is a year with Ethel Waters.

Waters, who would later that decade garner an Oscar acting nod for her tremendous work in Elia Kazan's Pinky, commands the screen in a way so few could as she sings "Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe" from Vincente Minnelli's film adaptation of Broadway's Cabin in the Sky. The song, composed by the Harold Arlen-Yip Harburg team who gave us The Wizard of Oz, is also plenty wonderful on its own terms and was covered to great success by the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Judy Garland, among others (note that Arlen also composed two other nominees this year - "My Shining Hour" and "That Old Black Magic"). But it really is Waters' powerhouse vocal that puts the tune so over-the-top in the film.

The Oscar-winners ranked (thus far)...

  1. "Over the Rainbow," The Wizard of Oz (1939)
  2. "The Way You Look Tonight," Swing Time (1936)
  3. "You'll Never Know," Hello, Frisco, Hello (1943)
  4. "White Christmas," Holiday Inn (1942)
  5. "When You Wish Upon a Star," Pinocchio (1940)
  6. "Thanks for the Memory," The Big Broadcast of 1938 (1938)
  7. "Lullaby of Broadway," Gold Diggers of 1935 (1935)
  8. "The Last Time I Saw Paris," Lady Be Good (1941)
  9. "Sweet Leilani," Waikiki Wedding (1937)
  10. "The Continental," The Gay Divorcee (1934)

1942 Best Original Song - My Apologies to Bing and Judy...

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WON: "White Christmas," Holiday Inn

SHOULD'VE WON: "I've Heard That Song Before," Youth on Parade

Another year, another rather mixed bag on the whole, another tough call among two or three truly great songs.

The travesty of 1942 Best Original Song is the two strongest songs of the year are nowhere to be found among the Oscar nominees - the timeless "I'm Old Fashioned," from the Fred Astaire-Rita Hayworth musical You Were Never Lovelier (instead represented here by the decidedly inferior "Dearly Beloved"), and the delightful "(We're Off on the) Road of Morocco" from the classic Bing Crosby-Bob Hope comedy Road to Morocco.

Instead, we're stuck with a couple of fleeting, frivolous tracks in "Always in My Heart" and "There's a Breeze on Lake Louise" (great title...not much of a song, unfortunately). Bambi's "Love Is a Song," which you may (or may not, given its quality) recall plays over the film's opening credits, certainly isn't among the more memorable Disney songs. And "Pig Foot Pete," while charmingly peppy and bouncy enough, doesn't leave much of an impression either. (Note: "Pig Foot Pete," officially, was nominated for the musical Hellzapoppin'...even though it's not featured in that picture, but instead the Abbott and Costello comedy Keep 'Em Flying.)

"(I've Got a Gal in) Kalamazoo" is performed with considerable finesse and energy by the Glenn Miller Orchestra in Orchestra Wives but in hindsight is perhaps most notable for being the A-side to B-side "At Last," which of course would go on to be an unforgettable record decades later for Etta James. "Kalamazoo," while fun, isn't exactly an unforgettable time.

For me, this year comes down to the Judy Garland-performed "How About You," the Margaret Whiting-performed (well, dubbed) "I've Heard That Song Before" and the winner, the Bing Crosby-performed classic "White Christmas."

"How About You" is a real charmer, with a marvelous Garland vocal...it really does transport you back to '40s New York. And while I actually much prefer Darlene Love's cover of "White Christmas" (on the 1963 Phil Spector Christmas album, which is really one of the all-time great albums in any genre), Crosby's original is an unimpeachable classic.

Ultimately, however, I have to (again) side with the Jule Styne nominee, "I've Heard That Song Before," from a film I've never heard of before, Youth on Parade. The combo of Styne's music, Sammy Cahn's reliably terrific lyrics and Whiting's sensational vocal is too much for me to resist. Harry James and Helen Forrest would later go on to perform an even more wonderful cover of the song, which was used to perfection throughout Woody Allen's Hannah and Her Sisters.

The Oscar-winners ranked (thus far)...

  1. "Over the Rainbow," The Wizard of Oz (1939)
  2. "The Way You Look Tonight," Swing Time (1936)
  3. "White Christmas," Holiday Inn (1942)
  4. "When You Wish Upon a Star," Pinocchio (1940)
  5. "Thanks for the Memory," The Big Broadcast of 1938 (1938)
  6. "Lullaby of Broadway," Gold Diggers of 1935 (1935)
  7. "The Last Time I Saw Paris," Lady Be Good (1941)
  8. "Sweet Leilani," Waikiki Wedding (1937)
  9. "The Continental," The Gay Divorcee (1934)

1941 Best Original Song - All Hail Those Andrews Sisters

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WON: "The Last Time I Saw Paris," Lady Be Good

SHOULD'VE WON: "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B," Buck Privates

1941, the year when How Green Is My Valley famously (and, in my humble opinion, deservedly) defeated Citizen Kane for the Best Picture prize, isn't the most spectacular year in Best Original Song, I'm afraid.

Five of the nine nominated tracks fail to leave much of an impression at all. For 1940, I rather shockingly opted to give the Frances Langford-performed "Who Am I" my support over "When You Wish Upon a Star." Langford is back in '41, this time with "Out of the Silence" from the supremely obscure, '80s-teen-sex-comedy-sounding All-American Co-Ed. But while Langford's vocal is just as glorious on this track, the song completely lacks the lyrical strength of Jule Styne's "Who Am I." Two more tracks, "Blues in the Night" and "Since I Kissed My Baby Goodbye," are soulfully performed, by William Gillespie and the Four Tunes respectively, but short and fleeting. "Be Honest with Me" is a mildly charming little ditty from Gene Autry but again, at a minute and a half, it comes and goes without really leaving a dent. "Dolores" is like microwaved Johnny Mathis.

The winning song, "The Last Time I Saw Paris," composed by Jerome Kern and written by Oscar Hammerstein II, is the track that famously inspired the Academy to alter its rules in Best Original Song and only allow songs specifically written for their motion picture to be eligible for consideration - Kern, who didn't bother to attend this year's ceremony, on account of not believing he'd win, basically protested the victory, as the song wasn't written for Lady Be Good or performer Ann Sothern specifically. The thing is, despite Sothern's fine vocal, "Paris" really isn't one of Hammerstein's better works, at least in my humble opinion. Given its release in the WWII era, it's understandable how and why it prevailed, but I don't think it has the same weight looking back on it today.

For me, the three best nominees here are quite clearly "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," "Baby Mine" and "Chattanooga Choo Choo."

The Dumbo and Sun Valley Serenade tunes are both unforgettable because of the ways they're incorporated in the respective pictures. The "Baby Mine" scene is downright devastating, almost certainly the most heartbreaking thing ever portrayed in a Disney picture. And "Chattanooga Choo Choo," performed by the irresistible Dorothy Dandridge, is showcased in a dance number that's an absolute ball to watch. The thing is, though, these are songs that don't play nearly as well in strictly audio form - you've got to have the visual to boot, or else the effect just isn't there. Frankly, I'd probably skip "Baby Mine" in an audio compilation of Disney songs, because the music itself isn't all that compelling - it just happens to be featured in such a beautiful scene.

This isn't the case with "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," a joyful, timeless number, performed masterfully here by the Andrews Sisters and covered time and time again over the half century and more to follow, most notably by Bette Midler. You can't help but sing along, even if the tune is technically a little on the slight side.

The Oscar-winners ranked (thus far)...

  1. "Over the Rainbow," The Wizard of Oz (1939)
  2. "The Way You Look Tonight," Swing Time (1936)
  3. "When You Wish Upon a Star," Pinocchio (1940)
  4. "Thanks for the Memory," The Big Broadcast of 1938 (1938)
  5. "Lullaby of Broadway," Gold Diggers of 1935 (1935)
  6. "The Last Time I Saw Paris," Lady Be Good (1941)
  7. "Sweet Leilani," Waikiki Wedding (1937)
  8. "The Continental," The Gay Divorcee (1934)

1940 Best Original Song - Pinocchio, Bing, Fred, Mickey and Judy, Oh My!

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WON: "When You Wish Upon a Star," Pinocchio

SHOULD'VE WON: "Who Am I," Hit Parade of 1941

My jaw is just as sunken to the ground as yours'. Before I comment on why I have sided with the decidedly uber-obscure "Who Am I" over the legendary "When You Wish Upon a Star," let's just take a moment to stare in wonder at the star-studded nature of this line-up - you have not just one of the all-time great Disney tracks, but also tunes performed by the A-list likes of Fred Astaire ("Love of My Life"), Bing Crosby ("Rhythm on the River"), Betty Grable & Don Ameche ("Down Argentine Way") and the charming-as-ever duo of Judy Garland & Mickey Rooney ("Our Love Affair"). Doesn't mean their songs are especially noteworthy - in fact, in most of the cases, they're not very memorable at all - but still, damn, talk about a stacked category. Imagine if these tunes were performed live back in the day!

With that said, this category is a bit of a mixed bag, in spite of the star wattage. The weakest links are the Grable-Ameche duet, a bouncy but awfully hokey ode to, according to the song, just about the dandiest country on earth, Argentina; "It's a Blue World," a very short number competently performed by Tony Martin in the forgettable Rita Hayworth musical Music in My Heart; and, surprisingly, the Astaire and Crosby tracks, which are decidedly second or even third-tier in their respective discographies (Astaire has famously declared Second Chorus his all-time worst picture and, judging by this generic nomination, it's not hard to see why). "Waltzing in the Clouds," another Deanna Durbin number, is a slight step up from these, nicely performed but still not much to write home about.

From there, we have two solid numbers - the Garland/Rooney duet ("Our Love Affair") and "I'd Know You Anywhere" from the Boris Karloff/Bela Lugosi comedy (!!!) You'll Find Out. Stripped of their performers, neither of these songs is especially noteworthy. Garland and Ginny Simms (on the second track, sounding dazzling, just like Margaret Whiting) sell the songs so perfectly, though, that it's tough not to get sucked in, even if the tracks are lyrically just OK.

Ultimately, this comes down to the Pinocchio and Hit Parade of 1941 songs for me. And boy, it's a toughie. "When You Wish Upon a Star" is such a dreamy, charming piece, a perfect opener for its film. But it's still never really been one of my personal favorite Disney songs. It's iconic as hell, but also a bit on the fleeting side and it isn't as lyrically moving as say, "Part of Your World" or "Beauty and the Beast." Nonetheless, I was fully prepared that I'd crown it an easy winner here. That is, until listening to the heartrending "Who Am I," a piece gloriously - and I mean gloriously - performed by Frances Langford, in a scene that recalls Singin' in the Rain and features the lushest of orchestrations. Talk about a forgotten track, and what a shame that is.

I certainly can't fault the Academy for going with "When You Wish Upon a Star," but, when I hang my hat up in having reviewed all of these Best Original Song categories, I have no doubt "Who Am I" will stand out as one of my greatest discoveries.

The Oscar-winners ranked (thus far)...

  1. "Over the Rainbow," The Wizard of Oz (1939)
  2. "The Way You Look Tonight," Swing Time (1936)
  3. "When You Wish Upon a Star," Pinocchio (1940)
  4. "Thanks for the Memory," The Big Broadcast of 1938 (1938)
  5. "Lullaby of Broadway," Gold Diggers of 1935 (1935)
  6. "Sweet Leilani," Waikiki Wedding (1937)
  7. "The Continental," The Gay Divorcee (1934)

1939 Best Original Song - That Glorious, Untouchable Rainbow

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WON AND SHOULD'VE WON: "Over the Rainbow," The Wizard of Oz

Between the years of 1938 and 1945, on seven occasions, the Academy nominated 10 or more entries in the Best Original Song category. The one year in that batch the Academy opted not to do - and instead rather strangely recognize just four tracks - was 1939.

What a damn shame that was, considering you could practically fill an entire category with just classics from The Wizard of Oz - not only the timeless, sumptuous "Over the Rainbow," unforgettably performed by Judy Garland (and later the likes of Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, Harry Nilsson and more), but also "We're Off to See the Wizard," "If I Only Had a Brain," "The Merry Old Land of Oz" and heck, even "Ding Dong, the Witch Is Dead."

Instead, inexplicably, the Academy nominated three supremely lackluster songs from other pictures - two truly grating tracks, "Faithful/Forever" from Paramount's first-ever animated feature Gulliver's Travels and "Wishing (Will Make It So)," which has to be the absolute worst part of the classic Love Affair. The final nominee, "I Poured My Heart into a Song," is a rather middling Irving Berlin effort, performed not-so-memorably by Tyrone Power in the not-so-memorable Berlin musical Second Fiddle.

Its competition aside, "Over the Rainbow" really is one of the all-time great movie songs - the American Film Institute understandably ranked it number one on their "100 Years...100 Songs" list - so even if the Academy screwed up by not nominating any other Oz classics and instead recognized garbage, at least they got the winner right.

The Oscar-winners ranked (thus far)...

  1. "Over the Rainbow," The Wizard of Oz (1939)
  2. "The Way You Look Tonight," Swing Time (1936)
  3. "Thanks for the Memory," The Big Broadcast of 1938 (1938)
  4. "Lullaby of Broadway," Gold Diggers of 1935 (1935)
  5. "Sweet Leilani," Waikiki Wedding (1937)
  6. "The Continental," The Gay Divorcee (1934)