Today, we dive into a new decade study surrounding the always entertaining and ever controversial Golden Globe Awards. As you probably know by now from the Grammy and Oscar series, I'm not a big awards show fan, but since I am a big music fan I believe the songs that are honored with these prestigious awards definitely deserve some attention. That being said, the Golden Globes always end up being fun to watch as the celebrities' inhibitions get lower and lower throughout the dinner and ceremony, resulting in some great speeches.
The Golden Globe Awards were organized and presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association in 1944 to "recognize excellence in both American and international film and television." As of this year (2023), the HFPA has undergone a huge restructuring due to a lot of background issues (there's tons of articles out there on it), and the awards show is now in the hands of the Golden Globe Foundation and Dick Clark Productions. The awards are the hosted in late winter or early spring each year.
While the First Annual Golden Globe Awards were held in 1944, music came on the scene a little later, with Best Original Score debuting in 1947 and Best Original Song following a while later in 1962. Like with the Oscars, Best Original Song is the award we will focus on in this series, and all winners are from the motion picture category, as there are not any music specific categories for television. The Best Original Song awards are presented to the songwriters who have written an original song specifically for a feature film. Keeping that in mind, let's start our journey way back in 1962.
1962
The 19th Golden Globe Awards were held March 5th, 1962 and celebrated film and television achievements from 1961.
Best Original Song - Town Without Pity by Gene Pitney (written by D. Tiomkin, N. Washington)
Town Without Pity, with music by Dimitri Tiomkin and lyrics by Ned Washington, was the only nominee for the inaugural Best Original Song category. The song was featured in Gottfried Reinhardt's 1961 film Town Without Pity, which was based on the 1960 Manfred Gregor novel Das Urteil. Starring Kirk Douglas and Barbara Rütting, Best Original Song was the film's only nomination and subsequent win at this ceremony. Other notable recordings of this song include those by Herb Altman & the Tijuana Brass and The Stray Cats. I'm not sure what I was expecting when I first heard this song, but the swingy number feels like it would've been at home in a 50's sock hop. It's pretty good though, not gonna lie.
When you're young and so in love as we/And bewildered by the world we see/Why do people hurt us so, only those in love would know/What a town without pity can do/If we stop to gaze upon a star/People talk about how bad we are/Ours is not an easy age, we're like tigers in a cage/What a town without pity can do
1963
The 20th Golden Globe Awards were held March 3rd, 1933 and celebrated film and television achievements from 1962.
No Best Original Song Award was given this year.
1964
The 21st Golden Globe Awards were held March 11th, 1964 and celebrated film and television achievements from 1963.
No Best Original Song Award was given this year.
1965
The 22nd Golden Globe Awards were held February 8th, 1965 and celebrated film and television achievements from 1964.
Best Original Song - Circus World by Dimitri Tiomkin (written by D. Tiomkin)
Circus World, with music and lyrics by Dimitri Tiomkin, was one of five nominees for Best Original Song 1965, beating out Dear Heart from Dear Heart; From Russia with Love from From Russia with Love; Sunday in New York from Sunday in New York; and Where Love Has Gone from Where Love Has Gone. The song was featured in Henry Hathaway's 1964 film Circus World. Starring John Wayne and Claudia Cardinale, Best Original Song was the film's only win that night out of two total nominations (the other being Best Actress - Drama for Rita Hayworth). This song is remarkably difficult to find as it's not streaming, but you can find it on YouTube which I highly suggest. It's an eerie but beautiful song with an almost haunted feel, and fits a "circus" vibe to a tee. I wasn't able to find a good version of the lyrics, but again, still check it out.
1966
The 23rd Golden Globe Awards were held February 28th, 1966 and celebrated film and television achievements from 1965.
Best Original Song - Forget Domani by Connie Francis (written by R. Ortolani, N. Newell)
Forget Domani, with music by Riz Ortolani and lyrics by Norman Newell, was one of five nominees for Best Original Song 1966, beating out Ballad of Cat Ballou from Cat Ballou; The Shadow of Your Smile from The Sandpiper; The Sweetheart Tree from The Great Race; and That Funny Feeling from That Funny Feeling. The song was featured in Anthony Asquith's 1966 film The Yellow Rolls-Royce, which was inspired by the 1947 Helmut Käutner film In Those Days. Starring Rex Harrison and Ingrid Bergman, Best Original Song was the film's only win out of two total nominations (the other being for Best Original Score). Other notable recordings of this song include those by Perry Como and Frank Sinatra. I ended up liking this song so much I downloaded it. It's a lot of fun, very bouncy and just feels bright and sunny and like it can totally change your mood for the better.
Let's forget about tomorrow/Let's forget about tomorrow/Let's forget about tomorrow for/Tomorrow never comes/Domani, forget domani/Let's live for now and anyhow/Who needs domani/The moonlight, let's share the moonlight/Perhaps together we will never be again
1967
The 24th Golden Globe Awards were held February 15th, 1967 and celebrated film and television achievements from 1966.
Best Original Song - Strangers in the Night by Frank Sinatra (written by B. Kaempfert, C. Singleton, E. Snyder)
Strangers in the Night, with music by Bert Kaempfert and lyrics by Charles Singleton & Eddie Snyder, was one of five nominees for Best Original Song 1967, beating out Un Homme et une Femme from A Man and a Woman; Born Free from Born Free; Alfie from Alfie; and Georgy Girl from Georgy Girl. The song was featured in Ronald Neame & Cliff Owen's 1966 film A Man Could Get Killed, based on the 1956 David E. Walker novel Diamonds for Danger. Starring James Garner and Melina Mercouri, Best Original Song was the only nomination and subsequent win for the film. Other notable recordings of this song include those by Andrea Bocelli, Barry Manilow, Mel Tormé, Bette Midler, James Brown, Vera Lynn, Paul Anka, Marvin Gaye, and Diana Ross & The Supremes. This song is so well known, many probably don't even know it was originally from a movie. That being said, Sinatra actually HATED this song and fought tooth and nail to avoid having to record it, even though it ended up becoming one of his biggest hits.
Strangers in the night, two lonely people/We were strangers in the night, up to the moment/When we said our first hello, little did we know/Love was just a glance away, a warm embracing dance away/And ever since that night, we've been together/Lovers at first sight in love forever/It turned out so right for strangers in the night
1968
The 25th Golden Globe Awards were held February 12th, 1968 and celebrated film and television achievements from 1967.
Best Original Song - If Ever I Would Leave You by Gene Merlino (written by F. Loewe, A. Lerner)
If Ever I Would Leave You, with music by Frederick Loewe and lyrics by Alan Lerner, was one of five nominees for Best Original Song 1968, beating out Talk to the Animals from Doctor Doolittle; Circles in the Water from Live for Life; Please Don't Gamble with Love from Ski Fever; and Thoroughly Modern Millie from Thoroughly Modern Millie. The song was featured in Joshua Logan's 1967 film Camelot, which is based on the 1960 Lerner & Loewe musical of the same name as well as T.H. White's 1958 story collection The Once and Future King. Starring Richard Harris and Vanessa Redgrave, Best Original Song was one of three wins that night out of five total nominations (the other wins being for Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy for Richard Harris and Best Original Score - Motion Picture). Other notable recordings of this song include those by Robert Goulet, Tom Jones, Andy Williams, Aretha Franklin, Shoshana Bean, Colm Wilkinson, and Jordan Donica. Lerner & Loewe songs are so iconic and have such a distinct sound to them, and I love seeing one honored here. I'm not as familiar with Camelot, but this is definitely a great song especially for classical theater lovers.
If ever I would leave you, it wouldn't be in summer/Seeing you in summer, I never would go/Your hair streaked with sunlight, your lips red as flame/Your face with a lustre that puts gold to shame/But if I'd ever leave you, it couldn't be in autumn/How I'd leave in autumn, I never will know/I’ve seen how you sparkle when fall nips the air/I know you in autumn and I must be there
1969
The 26th Golden Globe Awards were held February 24th, 1969 and celebrated film and television achievements from 1968.
Best Original Song - The Windmills of Your Mind by Noel Harrison (written by M. Legrand, A. Bergman, M. Bergman, E. Marnay)
The Windmills of Your Mind, with music by Michael Legrand and lyrics by Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman, & Eddy Marnay, was one of five nominees for Best Original Song 1969, beating out Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell from Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell; Chitty Chitty Bang Bang from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang; Funny Girl from Funny Girl; and Star from Star!. The song was featured in Norman Jewison's 1968 film The Thomas Crown Affair. Starring Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway, Best Original Song was the only win out of two total nominations for the film (the other being for Best Original Score - Motion Picture). Other notable recordings of this song include those by Dusty Springfield, José Feliciano, and Eva Mendes. It was nice revisiting this song after the Oscars series. It's a pretty good song, and it's one of those that you're a bit surprised and taken aback feeling it may have ended too soon.
Like a tunnel that you follow to a tunnel of its own/Down a hollow to a cavern where the sun has never shone/Like a door that keeps revolving in a half forgotten dream/Or the ripples from a pebble someone tosses in a stream/Like a clock whose hands are sweeping past the minutes of its face/And the world is like an apple whirling silently in space/Like the circles that you find in the windmills of your mind
1970
The 27th Golden Globe Awards were held February 2nd, 1970 and celebrated film and television achievements from 1969.
Best Original Song - Jean by Rod McKuen (written by R. McKuen)
Jean, with music and lyrics by Rod McKuen, was one of six nominees for Best Original Song 1970, beating out Goodbye, Columbus from Goodbye, Columbus; Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid; Stay from The Secret of Sana Vittoria; True Grit from True Grit; and What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life? from The Happy Ending. The song was featured in Ronald Neame's 1969 film The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, which was based on the 1961 Muriel Spark novel of the same name. Starring Maggie Smith and Robert Stephens, Best Original Song was the only win out of three nominations for the film that night (the others being Best Motion Picture - Drama and Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama for Maggie Smith). This was a fun, pretty song. It's got that classic '60s movie love song sound to it, and it's overall a very pleasant listening experience.
Jean, Jean, roses are red/All the leaves have gone green/And the clouds are so low, you can touch them, and so/Come out to the meadow, Jean/Jean, Jean, you're young and alive/Come out of your half-dreamed dream/And run, if you will, to the top of the hill/Open your arms, bonnie Jean
1971
The 28th Golden Globe Awards were held February 5th, 1971 and celebrated film and television achievements from 1970.
Best Original Song - Whistling Away the Dark by Julie Andrews (written by H. Mancini, J. Mercer)
Whistling Away the Dark, with music by Henry Mancini and lyrics by Jonny Mercer, was one of five nominees for Best Original Song 1971, beating out Ballad of Little Fauss and Big Halsy from Little Fauss and Big Halsy; Pieces of Dreams from Pieces of Dreams; Thank You Very Much from Scrooge; and Till Love Touches Your Life from Madron. The song was featured in Blake Edwards's 1970 film Darling Lili. Starring Julie Andrews and Rock Hudson, Best Original Song was the only win out of three nominations for the film (the others being Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy and Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy for Julie Andrews). I've never seen this Julie Andrews movie, but the minute I hear her beautiful, iconic singing voice I immediately feel like a child again and it makes me so happy. This song is gorgeous, and Andrews is definitely part of its magic.
Often I think this sad old world is whistling in the dark/Just like a child who, late from school, walks bravely home through the park/To keep their spirits soaring and keep the night at bay/Neither quite knowing which way they are going, they sing the shadows away/Often I think my poor old heart has given up for good/And then I see a brand new face, I glimpse some new neighborhood/So walk me back home, my darling, tell me dreams really come true/Whistling, whistling here in the dark with you
I hope this was a fun trip down musical memory lane for everyone! Happy listening, and see ya'll next week!
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