It’s a month full of birthdays...7 including a new one, my hubby’s niece gave birth to a baby girl on May 7th, named Molly Olivia. My hubby’s birthday is on May 25th and he will be ....65!! He is officially a senior citizen but only in age, not in his heart. I decided to choose 1957, hubby’s birth year to choose 3 songs from the movies- one that won the Oscar, one that was nominated and one that missed out on both. Let’s see if you can guess which is which.
1. ALL THE WAY SUNG BY FRANK SINATRA
This song is from the film, “ The Joker Is Wild” starring Frank Sinatra which turned into one of his bigger hits. This song was written by Jimmy Van Heusen with lyrics by Sammy Cahn.
2. AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER SUNG BY VIC DAMONE
I know the movie very well and even the music but I didn’t know, or remember, the lyrics. I guess it’s because the song was heard at the very beginning and then sung by Marni Nixon who always subbed for Deborah Kerr. ( among others). This song was composed by Harry Warren with lyrics by Leo McCarey and Harold Adamson.
3. LOVING YOU SUNG BY ELVIS
Elvis is Elvis we don’t even have to say his last name and we know who it is. He starred in the film with the same name. This is a really nice song written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.
So which song won the Oscar, which was nominated and which song lostnon both counts?
Hi, Birgit!
ReplyDeleteHappy Oscar Song Wednesday, dear friend! Congratulations to your hubby's niece on the birth this month of Molly Olivia! Happy birthday in advance to your hubby. Please tell him Shady sez he would give anything to turn back the clock and be 65 again. Gosh, I was so young and foolish back then - a sprig, a dandy, a rover. :)
Yessum, I remember all of these great songs. As a 7and 8 year old boy, I listened to them, learned them and sang along. My parents brought home a 45 rpm copy of Sinatra's "All The Way" and I played it often on my tiny tinny turntable down in the basement. It has always been one of my favorite songs. However, I don't think I ever watched The Joker Is Wild.
Like you, I am very familiar with the melody of "An Affair To Remember," but was not as familiar with the lyrics. However, having listened to Vic Damone's vocal recording, I do remember the words now.
Whenever I am reminded of the song or the movie "Loving You," I think of Yvonne Lime, one of my favorite "it girls" of the 50s and early 60s. Yvonne had the uncredited role of Sally in Elvis Presley's Loving You film, and also dated The King for a while. As you might recall, Yvonne's "Joyce Martin" character from High School Hellcats now hosts her own series at Shady's Place. My parents didn't buy Elvis Presley records, but my big brother did, and that is how I was first exposed to the hit song "Living You."
Now, to sort the songs and place them into the correct columns. I don't think Elvis Presley and rock & roll (even rock & roll ballads) had entered the mainstream enough by 1957 to warrant a Best Song nomination or win.
"All The Way" is a great love ballad, but I don't think The Joker Is Wild was the kind of film that would yield a Best Song Oscar.
The 50s were all about romance, and the tearjerker movie An Affair To Remember, which featured two major Hollywood stars of the period, Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr, is one of my favorites. Upon its release, I went to see it in the theater with my folks. It is a powerful love story, and the highly evocative theme makes me misty-eyed just hearing it again and remembering the poignant wheelchair scene. I wish I had been operating a Kleenex tissue concession stand in the theater at the time, because I'd have made a small fortune. So, my belief is that An Affair To Remember was a big enough film and the love theme powerful enough to win the trophy for Best Song. If it didn't win, it deserved to.
Thanks for the morning musical challenge, dear friend BB. Have a happy Almost Wordless Wednesday and I'll be waiting for you tamale (with a Clark Bar) in the balcony- "At The Movies!"
Ah yes, that gal is on your blog on occasion. Elvis dated a lot!
DeleteNow, you would think An Affair would have won but it didn't! I'm surprised by that too. It was Frank's song that won and Affair was nominated. . You're right about the Elvis spng not even making nominated....they were too busy condemning Elvis the Pelvis
I like all 3, but if I had to pick a favorite All The Way.
ReplyDeleteTake care.
Yeah is the one that won the Oscar
DeleteWell, I have no idea, but I'll guess #2 won and the Elvis song wasn't even nominated. I assume I'm wrong, but I'm okay with that.
ReplyDeleteYou're right about Rlvis song not even nominated but Frank's song won while Affair was nominated
DeleteI cheated and looked it up, so I won’t say! The reason is, 1957 is my year too, but we don’t get to be of pensionable age till 66. John just hit that! My earliest memory of my aunt / godmother is her trying to get me to say that Frank Sinatra was my favourite singer and me laughing and refusing. Of course, I had no idea who he was but I remember thinking that Sinatra was a strange name and loving the sound of it.
ReplyDeleteThat's good that you looked it up. Sinatra was one weird dude.
DeleteHi Birgit!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the new addition!
You have them lined up in the order you asked-won, nominated and missed out. :-)
All the Way is one of Sinatra's best, he really finds all the poignant layers of the song and it was a most deserving winner. Actually it was so popular when the studio re-released The Joker is Wild (a very good film) to theatres they renamed it "All the Way".
An Affair to Remember is a nice song, very swoony and romantic so quite fitting for the uber romance it represents but the Academy in this instance picked correctly. All the Way has much more depth.
Loving You is likewise a fine song, it goes without saying its well sung but it's not one of Elvis' immortals in his canon....nor is the film of the same title though it's much better than many of his and has one of the best casts surrounding him with Lizabeth Scott, Wendell Corey, a pre-convent Dolores Hart and personal fave James Gleason.
This was an excellent year at the movies and the Academy did pretty well with their nominations though there was so many worthy performances there were bound to be exclusions.
Of what was actually nominated I can't say they chose unwisely though I would have rather seen Charles Laughton win for Witness for the Prosecution instead of Alec Guinness and Carolyn Jones rather than Miyoshi Umeki but the winning performances are good ones so those are quibbles.
The two exclusions that really burns are Marlene Dietrich who was flat out brilliant in Witness for the Prosecution (I'm guessing it was category confusion-no question she was a star so a Best Actress nom would seem fitting but she was really supporting but that would be a come down that she might have tolerated). The other is Patricia Neal in A Face in the Crowd. She is riveting and I have no clue what stood in her way since the category save winner Joanne Woodward is filled with inimitable work. Such are the vagaries of awards though.
You are right that I went with the list.
DeleteI so agree with you about Marlene and Laughton should have won, I my humble opinion. Patricia was excellent in Face in the Crowd. . I believe not much has changed
We all know that Elvis was a hottie, but Vic Damone? Hubba hubba. What a cutie he was.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to your hubs, Birgit.
Poor Vic had a strong voice but no star making for him.
DeleteI'm guessing Frank Sinatra. His arrangement is quite complex and I feel like he fits in the era.
ReplyDeleteYou are CORRECT! oops my caps went on. Affair was nominated and poor Elvis never had a chance
DeleteI guess Vic Damone’s song won, Elvis’ was nominated, and Sinatra’s was neither. Welcome Molly Olivia! Happy Birthday to Mr. Birgit!
ReplyDeleteNope Sinatra won, Damone was nominated and Elvis was 0. Thank you for the birthday wishes for my hubby
DeleteI haven't heard any of these or even the films they were in. Sorry I'm not much for that type music.
ReplyDelete