Welcome back to our Golden Globe decade study! The Best Original Song award given by the Hollywood Foreign Press is presented to the songwriters who have written an original song specifically for a feature film. This week, we're going back to the award show's second decade, starting at the show's 29th iteration in 1972.
1972
The 29th Golden Globe Awards were held February 6th, 1972 and celebrated film and television achievements from 1971.
Best Original Song - Life Is What You Make It by Percy Faith & His Orchestra (written by M. Hamlisch, J. Mercer)
Life Is What You Make It, with music by Marvin Hamlisch & Johnny Mercer, was one of five total nominees for Best Original Song 1972, beating out Long Ago Tomorrow from The Raging Moon; Rain Falls Anywhere It Wants To from The African Elephant; Something More from Honky; and Theme from Shaft from Shaft. The song was featured in Jack Lemmon's 1971 film Kotch, which was based on the 1965 Katharine Hopkins novel of the same name. Starring Walter Matthau and Deborah Winters, Best Original Song was the film's only nomination and subsequent win at this ceremony. I was a little surprised to see an instrumental number winning this award in the 70s, but that doesn't mean it's not a good song. Percy Faith always delivers, and while it sounds pretty similar to a lot of other popular film scores from this era, it's pleasant to listen to and very enjoyable.
1973
The 30th Golden Globe Awards were held January 28th, 1973 and celebrated film and television achievements from 1972.
Best Original Song - Ben by Michael Jackson (written by D. Black, W. Scharf)
Ben, with music & lyrics by Don Black & Walter Scharf, was one of eight total nominees for Best Original Song 1973, beating out Carry Me from Butterflies Are Free; Dueling Banjos from Deliverance; Marmalade, Molasses and Honey from The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean; Mein Herr from Cabaret; The Morning After from The Posideon Adventure; and Take Me Home from Molly and Lawless John. The song was featured in Phil Karlson's 1972 film Ben, which was the sequel to Daniel Mann's 1971 film Willard. Starring Lee Montgomery and Joseph Campanella, Best Original Song was the film's only win out of four total nominations at this ceremony. Other notable recordings of this song include those by Lee Montgomery and Marti Webb. To be totally honest, this is not Michael Jackson's best work in my opinion. It has nothing to do with his age (he was 13 at the time and already incredibly successful because, you know, Michael Jackson), it's just not the strongest song out there.
Ben, the two of us need look no more/We both found what we were looking for/With a friend to call my own, I’ll never be alone/And you, my friend, will see, you've got a friend in me/You've got a friend in me/Ben, you're always running here and there/You feel you're not wanted anywhere/If you ever look behind and don't like what you find/There's something you should know, you've got a place to go/You've got a place to go/I used to say "I" and "me”/Now it's "us", now it's "we”/I used to say "I" and "me”/Now it's "us", now it's "we"
1974
The 31st Golden Globe Awards were held January 26th, 1974 and celebrated film and television achievements from 1973.
Best Original Song - The Way We Were by Barbra Streisand (written by A. Bergman, M. Bergman, M. Hamlisch)
The Way We Were, with music by Marvin Hamlisch and lyrics by Alan & Marilyn Bergman, was one of six total nominees for Best Original Song 1974, beating out All That Love Went to Waste from A Touch of Class; Breezy's Song from Breezy; Lonely Looking Sky from Jonathan Livingston Seagull; Rosa Rosa from Kazablan; and Send a Little Love My Way from Oklahoma Crude. The song was featured in Sydney Pollack's 1973 film The Way We Were, which was based on the 1972 Arthur Laurents novel of the same name. Starring Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford, Best Original Song was the film's only win out of two total nominations at this ceremony. Other notable recordings of this song include those by Kristin Chenoweth, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Doris Day, and Beyoncé. Ya'll, I've written about this song so much at this point, you know what's up (check out the #1's of the Decade, Grammy, and Oscar series, that should about cover it). It's a great song with great vocals, which we should all expect coming from Babs.
Memories light the corners of my mind/Misty watercolor memories of the way we were/Scattered pictures of the smiles we left behind/Smiles we gave to one another for the way we were/Can it be that it was all so simple then/Or has time rewritten every line/If we had the chance to do it all again/Tell me, would we, could we
1975
The 32nd Golden Globe Awards were held January 25th, 1975 and celebrated film and television achievements from 1974.
Best Original Song - I Feel Love by Charlie Rich (written by E. Box, B. Box)
I Feel Love, with music & lyrics by Euel & Betty Box, was one of five total nominees for Best Original Song 1975, beating out I Never Met a Rose from The Little Prince; On and On from Claudine; Sail the Summer Winds from The Dove; and We May Never Love Like This Again from The Towering Inferno. The song was featured in Joe Camp's 1974 film Benji. Starring Peter Breck and Christopher Connolly, Best Original Song was the film's only nomination and subsequent win at this ceremony. This was a fun, sweet little song that fits the vibe of classic dog film Benji perfectly. It's a family song for a family film and is a very pleasant little bop to listen to.
I feel love all around/I can feel it shining down/It lights up the day like the morning sun/Reaching out and touching everyone/I feel love all day long/Like a promise, like a song/And it’s feeling good like I knew it would/Everywhere I go, I feel love
1976
The 33rd Golden Globe Awards were held January 24th, 1976 and celebrated film and television achievements from 1975.
Best Original Song - I'm Easy by Keith Carradine (written by K. Carradine)
I'm Easy, with music & lyrics by Keith Carradine, was one of five total nominees for Best Original Song 1976, beating out How Lucky Can You Get from Nashville; My Little Friend from Paper Tiger; Now That We're in Love from Whiffs; and Richard's Window from The Other Side of the Mountain. The song was featured in Robert Altman's 1975 film Nashville. Starring David Arkin and Barbara Baxley, Best Original Song was the film's only win out of eleven total nominations at this ceremony. Other notable versions of this song include those by Ron Nigrini, Dane Donohue, and Randy Crawford. This song's alright; it doesn't grab me the same way others on this list do, but it gets the job done, I suppose. It sounds like it would have been every bit as much at home on country radio as it was on its soundtrack.
Don't lead me on if there's nowhere for you to take me/If loving you would have to be a sometime thing/I can't put bars on my insides, my love is something I can't hide/It still hurts when I recall the times I've cried/But I'm easy, I’m easy/Take my hand and pull me down/I won't put up any fight/Because I'm easy
1977
The 34th Golden Globe Awards were held January 29th, 1977 and celebrated film and television achievements from 1976.
Best Original Song - Evergreen by Barbra Streisand (written by B. Streisand, P. Williams)
Evergreen, with music by Barbra Streisand and lyrics by Paul Williams, was one of six total nominees for Best Original Song 1977, beating out Bugsy Malone from Bugsy Malone; Car Wash from Car Wash; I'd Like to Be You for a Day from Freaky Friday; Hello and Goodbye from From Noon till Three; and So Sad the Song from Pipe Dreams. The song was featured in Frank Pierson's 1976 film A Star Is Born, which was based on the 1937 William A. Wellman and 1954 George Cukor films of the same name. Starring Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson, Best Original Song was one of five wins out of five total nominations at this ceremony (the other awards being for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy; Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy (Kristofferson); Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy (Streisand); and Best Original Score - Motion Picture). Other notable versions of this song include those by Frank Sinatra, Luther Vandross, and Kenny Rogers. I do like this song, but I think The Way We Were is the better one out of Streisand's wins this decade. Controversially, I definitely think Evergreen is better than Shallow from the 2018 remake - yeah, I said it.
You and I will make each night a first/Every day a beginning/Spirits rise and their dance is unrehearsed/They warm and excite us/‘Cause we have the brightest love/Two lights that shine as one/Morning glory and midnight sun/Time we've learned to sail above/Time won't change the meaning of one love/Ageless and ever evergreen
1978
The 35th Golden Globe Awards were held January 28th, 1978 and celebrated film and television achievements from 1977.
Best Original Song - You Light Up My Life by Kasey Cisyk (written by J. Brooks)
You Light Up My Life, with music & lyrics by Joe Brooks, was one of five total nominees for Best Original Song 1978, beating out Down Deep Inside from The Deep; How Deep Is Your Love from Saturday Night Fever; New York, New York from New York, New York; and Nobody Does It Better from The Spy Who Loved Me. The song was featured in Joseph Brooks's 1977 film You Light Up My Life. Starring Didi Conn and Joe Silver, Best Original Song was the only nomination and subsequent win for the film. Other notable versions of this song include those by Debby Boone, LeAnn Rimes, and Whitney Houston. This is a pretty little song, though I'm a bit surprised at its win over a song like New York, New York. It's fairly predictable as far as musicality and doesn't take a lot of risks, but it's still a decent song.
Rollin' at sea, adrift on the water/Could it be finally I'm turnin' for home/Finally a chance to say, "Hey, I love you”/Never again to be all alone/‘Cause you light up my life/You give me hope to carry on/You light up my days/And fill my nights with song
1979
The 36th Golden Globe Awards were held January 27th, 1979 and celebrated film and television achievements from 1978.
Best Original Song - Last Dance by Donna Summer (written by P. Jabara)
Last Dance, with music & lyrics by Paul Jabara, was one of five total nominees for Best Original Song 1979, beating out Grease from Grease; The Last Time I Felt Like This from Same Time, Next Year; Ready to Take a Chance Again from Foul Play; and You're the One That I Want from Grease. The song was featured in Robert Klane's 1978 film Thank God It's Friday. Starring Donna Summer and The Commodores, Best Original Song was the only nomination and subsequent win for the film. While I'm bummed that two Grease songs were nominated and neither won, Last Dance is an undeniable bop. Donna Summer is a certified disco icon, and it's almost impossible not to dance along to it as it plays.
Last dance, last chance for love/Yes, it's my last chance for romance tonight/Oh, oh, I need you by me, beside me to guide me/To hold me, to scold me, 'cause when I'm bad, I'm so, so bad/So let's dance the last dance/Let's dance the last dance/Let's dance the last dance tonight
1980
The 37th Golden Globe Awards were held January 26th, 1980 and celebrated film and television achievements from 1979.
Best Original Song - The Rose by Bette Midler (written by A. McBroom)
The Rose, with music & lyrics by Amanda McBroom, was one of five total nominees for Best Original Song 1980, beating out Better Than Ever from Starting Over; The Main Event from The Main Event; Rainbow Connection from The Muppet Movie; and Through the Eyes of Love from Ice Castles. The song was featured in Mark Rydell's 1979 film The Rose, which is very loosely inspired by the life of musician Janis Joplin. Starring Bette Midler and Alan Bates, Best Original Song was one of three wins out of five total nominations for the film (the other wins being for Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy and New Star of the Year in a Motion Picture - Female, both to Midler). I would've given the win to Rainbow Connection personally, but The Rose is still a good song. Midler's vocals are iconic, and this song and role both helped put her on the map.
Some say love, it is a river/That drowns the tender reed/Some say love, it is a razor/That leaves your soul to bleed/Some say love, it is a hunger/An endless, aching need/I say love, it is a flower/And you, its only seed/It's the heart, afraid of breaking/That never learns to dance/It's the dream, afraid of waking/That never takes the chance/It's the one who won't be taken/Who cannot seem to give/And the soul, afraid of dying/That never learns to live
1981
The 38th Golden Globe Awards were held January 31st, 1981 and celebrated film and television achievements from 1980.
Best Original Song - Fame by Irene Cara (written by M. Gore, D. Pitchford)
Fame, with music by Michael Gore and lyrics by Dean Pitchford, was one of five total nominees for Best Original Song 1981, beating out 9 to 5 from 9 to 5; Call Me from American Gigolo; Love on the Rocks from The Jazz Singer; and Yesterday's Dreams from Falling in Love Again. The song was featured in Alan Parker's 1980 film Fame, which is partially inspired by the 1975 Broadway musical A Chorus Line. Starring Eddie Barth and Irene Cara, Best Original Song was the only win out of four total nominations for the film. I can't believe this song won over 9 to 5, but oh well I guess. It's definitely high energy with great vocals from Cara, but the song goes on way too long for me.
Baby, hold me tight, 'cause you can make it right/You can shoot me straight to the top/Give me love and take all I got to give/Baby, I'll be tough, too much is not enough, no/I can ride your heart 'til it breaks/Oh, I got what it takes/I’m gonna live forever/I’m gonna learn how to fly/I feel it coming together/People will see me and cry/I’m gonna make it to heaven/Light up the sky like a flame/I’m gonna live forever/Baby, remember my name
Hopefully this was a fun cinematic nostalgia trip for everyone this week like it was for me. Happy listening, and see ya'll next week!
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