The Best Song Podcast

Episode 27: I Wish That I Could Love Her Too (1959)

Sammy Cahn quickly became the king of the movie songs, earning Oscar nominations 15 and 16 for two title songs that he wrote in 1959 for Frank Sinatra and Johnny Mathis. Sammy Cahn's nemesis, Dimitri Tiomkin, was back in the Oscar songwriting game with Ned Washington, both of whom had started the trend of giving dramatic films a rousing title song. Who's going to emerge victorious for songs written for 1959? You'll have to listen to this episode of The Best Song Podcast to find out!

Episode 26: What Makes a Sad Heart Sing (1958)

The Academy's music branch made the nomination process for the Best Original Song Oscar a lot more interesting beginning in 1958. The new preliminary shortlist was started in this year, whittling down the many potential nominees down to 10 before another vote gave us the official five nominees. How will that affect the songs that make it through to the final five? Host Jeff Commings will let you know some of the songs that just missed the cut, and give his thoughts on why they didn't pass the first round. The hit musical Gigi had a chance to get two original songs nominated, but perhaps the preliminary ballot prevented history from being made that year.

Episode 25: Take My Hand With a Fervent Prayer (1957)

One would think that the movie musical was dying in 1957, given that only one of the Oscar-nominated original songs from that year came from a musical. Usually, three or four original songs are nominated from musicals. That doesn't mean that the movie musical is officially dying, but title songs from dramatic pictures are now becoming more successful. Learn more about the four title songs and one very dramatic tune nominated for 1957 that were vying for the big award on this episode of The Best Song Podcast.

Episode 24: The Future’s Not Ours to See (1956)

Six of the nine men nominated for the Best Original Song Oscar for 1956 had already won at least one Academy Award. Will this year's winner add another golden boy to their mantels? Or will it be first-timers Tom Adair and Leith Stevens for their song "Julie"? Will Cole Porter ride the popularity that Bing Crosby has in the Academy and win an Oscar for "True Love?" Find out with host Jeff Commings on this episode!

Episode 23: I Need Your Love (1955)

Rock and roll officially invaded the movie theaters in 1955 with the release of the drama Blackboard Jungle. That movie did not feature an original song, which probably made the eight men nominated for the Oscar that year a little relieved. But the competition was still tough that year, featuring a song that made very few ripples in 1955 but would become a megahit 35 years later. Find out more about this year in movie music on this episode of The Best Song Podcast!

Episode 22: Make It Mine (1954)

The battle for the Academy award for Best Original Song became a little more intense in 1954, as the film composer competed with the professional songwriter for control over who writes songs for the movies. Dimitri Tiomkin began the war after winning the Oscar for "The Ballad of High Noon" in 1952, with Sammy Cahn serving as his rival. Will it be Tiomkin's soaring title song from The High and the Mighty that wins in 1954, or Cahn's lush title song from Three Coins in the Fountain? Host Jeff Commings will tell you the stories behind these and the other nominees, and reveal the winner at the end of this episode of The Best Song Podcast.

Episode 21: Bells Will Ring (1953)

Nat King Cole, Doris Day, and Dean Martin introduced three of the five Oscar-nominated songs for 1953, and all three are serious contenders for the Academy Award. Two of the songs have become favorites many decades later, written by men that had great track records of creating memorable Oscar-winning songs. Find out more about these tunes and the people who wrote them with host Jeff Commings on this episode of The Best Song Podcast!

Episode 20: Don’t Be Glum (1952)

Sammy Cahn's fifth consecutive Oscar nomination for songwriting came for his second gig writing for opera star Mario Lanza. Cahn will have tough competition for the Academy Award for Original Song, as the new writing duo of Ned Washington and Dimitri Tiomkin came up with a new twist on the title song and Oscar winners Harry Warren and Leo Robin came up with a catchy tune for Bing Crosby and Joan Wyman. Find out who wins the award for 1952 on this episode of The Best Song Podcast!