This year's Best Song should sound Enchanted

As some of you folks know,I take the Best Song catagory rather seriously when it comes up in the Oscar race(I'm still not happy about the Snakes On A Plane theme being overlooked) and while I didn't see any of films that recieved noms in this catagory,that doesn't mean that I don't have a dog in this hunt,so to speak.

This time out,I'm rooting for one of the songs from Enchanted to grab the Oscar gold."Aw,come on, Lady T! Not another Disney tune,please! Doesn't that Alan Menken guy have a couple of Oscars already?" Yes,he does but I refuse to hold that against him ,and after listening to all of the songs up for this award,the one I like the best is from Enchanted.



Realistically speaking,Enchanted being a triple nominee here may hurt it's chances for a win,much like Dreamgirls was in last year's show. Alot of people would prefer "Falling Slowly" from the indie film "Once" to win,especially many of the critics who adore this movie to bits. The song is good and nicely romantic but I just can't warm up to it.


August Rush,another music lover's themed film,is clearly up for Most Unlikely to score a win here for "Raise It Up" but never say never when it comes to unexpected Oscar wins. After all,did anyone anticipate Crash to rob Brokeback Mountain of it's rightful place amongst the Best Picture awards?(another thing that still peeves me)



So,what is it about the songs from Enchanted that I like so much? Well,I must confess to being an all day sucker for show stopping tunes. Those big production numbers that have everyone singing along in the audience or just that one song that challenges the diva in question to stretch her pipes to the breaking point. Over the topness is the cherry on the singing sundae for me.

While "So Close" is the typical slow moving love song that Oscar voters usually go for(and has the best chance of winning),my personal pick would be "That's How You Know". "Happy Working Song" is great fun and as much as I'm hoping for an old school musical performance that has Amy Adams dancing onstage with rats and roaches, THYK is more of a grandstanding type of song that can stand on it's own,apart from the film itself:





Songs like that are the backbone of musicals and one of the main reasons that the genre refuses to die out. While Enchanted gives out more than a few winks and nudges to the Disney animated musical pantheon of films which is one of the pillars of the studio's success,it's obvious that this merry mockery is all in fun and out of love for the whole crazy mess.



Another plus in Enchanted's column is that it has enough of a sugar coating to make the parody go down the Academy's throat. While they have nominated songs from the likes of Little Shop of Horrors and South Park:Bigger,Longer and Uncut,the black humor of the tunes seems to get stuck midway,causing them a win.

"That's How You Know" is more in line with the likes of "Under The Sea" or "Be Our Guest", a joyful celebration of a song that makes you feel good just thinking about it. Not considered the most artistic of statements,I know,but it's one that is not as easy to create or manufacture as many would think and should be appreciated when done right in my opinion. Let me share with you a few of my favorite show stoppers from Disney films of the past and present:

OLIVER AND COMPANY

WHY SHOULD I WORRY



PERFECT ISN'T EASY



LION KING

I JUST CAN'T WAIT TO BE KING



AlADDIN

PRINCE ALI



FRIEND LIKE ME



We'll know who the winner is soon enough and while that decision has already been made,I'll still have my fingers crossed on Oscar night when the nominees are announced. Of course,it would've been great if Hairspray had been able to be up for Best Song(couldn't someone try to get a Best Adapted Song catagory put in place? If it can be done for screenplays,I don't see why not song),since it had the ultimate show stopper of the year with "You Can't Stop The Beat",a tune that the Obama campaign might want to consider adopting at some point in the game: