Not the same old song at the Oscars when one film has multiple nominees in the category

The original song category is one of the few at the Oscars in which a single film can receive multiple nominations. Oddly, even though the category has been presented since 1934, that never happened until 1980, but it has happened fifteen times since then, including this year when two songs from "Slumdog Millionaire" competed against one another (as well as another nominee).

In June 2008, the academy implemented a new rule: No film would be allowed to receive more than two nominations for best original song. Why? Because there was a growing sense — and evidence to back it up — that films with many worthy original songs were being not rewarded but punished because multiple nominations often resulted in vote-splitting that prevented any of the songs from accruing enough votes to win.

Indeed, only two of four films that produced three best original song nominees ended up winning the Oscar for any of them, and the most recent ("Dreamgirls," 2006, and "Enchanted," 2007) won none. As for double nominees, the numbers are only slightly better: only seven of eleven films that produced two best original song nominees ended up winning the Oscar for either of them — barely more than 50%. When you add those numbers up and realize that, overall, only nine of the 15 films that produced multiple nominations for best original song won any of them, you can understand why this year's best original song win for "Slumdog Millionaire" nominee "Jai Ho" over "Slumdog Millionaire" nominee "O Saya," as well as another nominee, was anything but a sure bet.

Here is a look back at all of the films that have produced multiple nominations for best original song....

• 1980 "Fame" (2) — "Fame" (music by Michael Gore, lyrics by Dean Pitchford) WON, "Out Here on My Own" (music by Michael Gore, lyrics by Leslie Gore)
• 1983 "Flashdance" (2) — "Flashdance ... What a Feeling" (music by Giorgio Moroder, lyrics by Keith Forsey, Irene Cara) WON, "Maniac" (music and lyrics by Michael Sembello, Dennis Matkosky) 
• 1983 "Yentl" (2) — "Papa, Can You Hear Me?" (music by Michel Legrand, lyrics by Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman), "The Way He Makes Me Feel" (music by Michel Legrand, lyrics by Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman)
• 1984 "Footloose" (2) — "Footloose" (music and lyrics by Kenny Loggins, Dean Pitchford), "Let's Hear It for the Boy" (music and lyrics by Tom Snow, Dean Pitchford)
• 1985 "White Nights" (2) — "Say You, Say Me" (music and lyrics by Lionel Richie) WON, "Separate Lives" (music and lyrics by Stephen Bishop)
• 1989 "The Little Mermaid" (2) — "Kiss the Girl" (music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman), "Under the Sea" (music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman) WON 
• 1991 "Beauty and the Beast" (3) — "Be Our Guest" (music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman), "Beauty and the Beast" (music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman) WON, "Belle" (music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman)
• 1992 "Aladdin" (2) — "A Whole New World" (music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Tim Rice) WON, "Friend Like Me" (music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman)
• 1992 "The Bodyguard" (2) — "I Have Nothing" (music by David Foster, lyrics by Linda Thompson), "Run to You" (music by Jud Friedman, lyrics by Allan Rich) 
• 1993 "Philadelphia" (2) — "Philadelphia" (music and lyrics by Neil Young), "Streets of Philadelphia" (music and lyrics by Bruce Springsteen) WON 
• 1994 "The Lion King" (3) — "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" (music by Elton John, lyrics by Tim Rice) WON, "Circle of Life" (music by Elton John, lyrics by Tim Rice), "Hakuna Matata" (music by Elton John, lyrics by Tim Rice)
• 2003  "Cold Mountain" (2) — "Scarlet Tide" (music and lyrics by T-Bone Burnett, Elvis Costello), "You Will Be My Ain True Love" (music and lyrics by Sting)
• 2006 "Dreamgirls" (3) — "Listen" (music by Henry Krieger, Scott Cutler, lyrics by Anne Preven), "Love You I Do" (music by Henry Krieger, lyrics by Siedah Garrett), "Patience" (music by Henry Krieger, lyrics by Willie Reale)
• 2007 "Enchanted" (3) — "Happy Working Song" (music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Stephen Schwartz), "So Close" (music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Stephen Schwartz), "That's How You Know" (music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Stephen Schwartz)
• 2008 "Slumdog Millionaire" (2) — "Jai Ho" (music by A.R. Rahman, lyrics by Sampooran Singh Gulzar) WON, "O Saya" (music and lyrics by A.R. Rahman, Maya "MIA" Arulpragasam)

RELATED POSTS

• "Best score and best song often go together, as 'Slumdog' reminds us"

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Photo: Jennifer Hudson, Beyonce Knowles, and Anika Noni Rose in "Dreamgirls," which earned three nominations for best original song and lost them all (Paramount)

Comments

[rupert]

"Flashdance... What a Feeling" won the Oscar. You don't have it marked.