Best Song: "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" (2005)

Scene from Hustle & Flow

Welcome to Best Song, a new weekly column released on Sunday dedicated to chronicling the Best Original Song category over the course of its many decades. The goal is to listen to and critique every song that has ever been nominated in the category as well as find the Best Best Song and the Best Loser. By the end, we'll have a comprehensive list of this music category and will hopefully have a better understanding not only of the evolution, but what it takes to receive a nomination here. It may seem easy now, but wait until the bad years.

The Preface

The year is 2005 and The Academy is celebrating its 78th year. Director Paul Haggis' Crash won Best Picture and became the most notorious upset of the decade. It was the first Best Picture winner since Rocky to only win three Oscars. Director Ang Lee's win for Best Director (Brokeback Mountain) made him the first non-Caucasian winner in the category. For the first time since 1962, all of the four acting categories featured solely first time nominees. George Clooney became the fifth person to receive directing, acting, and writing nominations in the same year, and the first for two different films (Good Night, and Good Luck and Syriana). John Williams' dual nominations for Memoirs of a Geisha and Munich gave him a total of 45 nominations over his career, tying with Alfred Newman as the most nominated individual in history. Meanwhile, Hustle & Flow becomes the second film to win Best Original Song category with a rap song called "It's Hard Out Here For a Pimp."

The Nominees

Song: "In the Deep"

Film: Crash

Performers: Bird York

I will admit that I am not one of those that dislikes Crash. I do think that it suffers from an unfortunate legacy of beating a ton of better films. However, I have to admit that this is a good song stretched out way past its appropriate buoyancy. It starts off beautiful and melodic, but it eventually hits the third minute and begins to outstay its welcome. It's an okay song, but it just doesn't know when to quit. Still, Bird York is a pretty good singer, and she gives it her all in spite of a song that never quite reaches its full potential.

Song: "Travelin' Thru"

Film: Transamerica

Performers: Dolly Parton

I guess that this year wasn't the best for music. For one thing, neither of these nominees are particularly great. They both start off with potential before having to fill the back half with plenty of ad libbing and random redundant singing that adds nothing to the overall song. Dolly Parton gets an edge because her song has more substance at the start. Otherwise, it's a good song stretched beyond its buoyancy, and that's a shame. There could be so much more in this song besides three minutes of nonsensical hooting and hollering.

The Winner

Song: "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp"

Film: Hustle & Flow

Performers: Terence Howard, Taraji P. Henson

It's just hilarious that this song won. I think it's fine and in a line-up of mediocre songs, it's the least mediocre. However, it did lead to a memorable speech and the revelation that we as a society gave Three 6 Mafia an Oscar before Martin Scorsese. Keep that in mind, people. 

Best Loser

A comprehensive list and ranking of the songs that were nominated but did not win. This is a list predicated on which song that was nominated I liked the best.

1. "When She Loved Me"  Toy Story 2 (1999)
2. "The Green Leaves of Summer" - The Alamo (1960)
3. "That's Amore" - The Caddy (1953)
4. "A Town Without Pity" - A Town Without Pity (1961)
5. "The Rainbow Connection" - The Muppet Movie (1979)
6. "Somewhere Out There" - An American Tail (1986)
7. "The Circle of Life" - The Lion King (1994)
8. "The Man That Got Away" - A Star is Born (1954)
9. "Ben" - Ben (1972)
10. "You've Got a Friend in Me" - Toy Story (1995)
11. "Somewhere in My Memory" - Home Alone (1990)
12. "I Love to See You Smile" - Parenthood (1989)
13. "The Sweetheart Tree" - The Great Race (1965)
14. "Carioca" - Flying Down to Rio (1934)
15. "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B" - Buck Privates (1941)
16. "Nobody Does it Better" - The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
17. "Belleville Rendez-vous" - The Triplets of Belleville (2003)
18. "Out Here on My Own" - Fame (1980)
19. "Journey Into the Past" - Anastasia (1997)
20. "Belle" - Beauty and the Beast (1991)
21. "I've Seen it All" - Dancer in the Dark (2000)
22. "Ghostbusters" - Ghostbusters (1984)
23. "Friend Like Me" - Aladdin (1992)
24. "Eye of the Tiger" - Rocky III (1982)
25. "Gonna Fly Now" - Rocky (1976)
26. "Charade" - Charade (1963)
27. "Pieces of Dreams" - Pieces of Dreams (1970)
28. "Wild is the Wind" - Wild is the Wind (1957) 
29. "(Love is) The Tender Trap" - The Tender Trap (1955) 
30. "Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)" -Mahogany (1975)
31. "Papa, Can You Hear Me?" - Yentl (1983)
32. "Pass That Peace Pipe" - Good News (1947)
33. "They're Either Too Young Or Too Old" - Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943)
34. "Cheek to Cheek" - Top Hat (1935)
35. "I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo" - Orchestra Wives (1942)
36. "Georgy Girl" - Georgy Girl (1966)
37. "The Trolley Song" - Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
38. "Ac-Cent-U-Ate the Positive" - Here Comes the Wave (1945)
39. "Again" - Poetic Justice (1993)
40. "Come Saturday Morning" - The Sterile Cuckoo (1969)
41. "Cry Freedom" - Cry Freedom (1987)
42. "Live and Let Die" - Live and Let Die (1973)
43. "That'll Do" - Babe: Pig in the City (1998)
44. "Blazing Saddles" - Blazing Saddles (1974)
45. "Life is What You Make It" - Koch (1971)
46. "Thoroughly Modern Millie" - Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967)
47. "Where Love Has Gone" - Where Love Has Gone (1964)
48. "Zing a Little Zong"  - Just For You (1952)
49. "Ready to Take a Chance Again" - Foul Play (1978)
50. "Look to Your Path" - The Chorus (2004)
51. "The Hands That Built America" - Gangs of New York (2002)
52. "That Thing You Do" - That Thing You Do (1996)
53. "Walk on the Wild Side" - Walk on the Wild Side (1962)
54. "Almost in Your Arms (Love Song from Houseboat)" - Houseboat (1958)
55. "Build Me a Kiss to Dream On" - The Strip (1951)
56. "Separate Lives" - White Night (1985)
57. "Star!" - Star! (1968)
58. "Two Hearts" - Buster (1988)
59. "Wilhemina" - Wabash Avenue (1950)
60. "Travellin' Thru" - Transamerica (2005)
61. "Vanilla Sky" - Vanilla Sky (2001)
62. "Through a Long and Sleepless Night" - Come to the Stable (1949)
63. "Waltzing in the Clouds" - Spring Parade (1940)
64. "Endless Love" - Endless Love (1981)
65. "Strange Are the Ways of Love" - The Young Land (1959)
66. "Ole Buttermilk Sky" - Canyon Passage (1946)
67. "Julie" - Julie (1956)
68. "Dust" - Under Western Stars (1938)
69. "The Woody Woodpecker Song" - Wet Blanket Policy (1948)
70. "I Poured My Heart Into a Song" - Second Fiddle (1939)
71. "Remember Me" - Mr. Dodd Takes the Air (1937)
72. "I've Got You Under My Skin" - Born to Dance (1936)

Best Best Song

A comprehensive list and ranking of the songs that won this category. 

1. "Moon River" - Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
2. "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" - The Wizard of Oz (1939)
3. "My Heart Will Go On" - Titanic (1997)
4. "A Whole New World" - Aladdin (1992)
5. "The Way We Were" - The Way We Were (1973)
6. "The Way You Look Tonight" - Swing Time (1936)
7. "The Morning After" - The Poseidon Adventure (1972)
8. "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" - Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
9. "Swinging on a Star" - Going My Way (1944)
10. "Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)" - The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
11. "Under the Sea" - The Little Mermaid (1989)
12. "Lose Yourself" - 8 Mile (2002)
13. "It Goes Like It Goes" - Norma Rae (1979)
14. "You'll Be in My Heart" - Tarzan (1999)
15. "Colors of the Wind" - Pocahontas (1995)
16. "Theme From Shaft" - Shaft (1971)
17. "For All We Know" - Love and Other Strangers (1970)
18. "All the Way" - The Joker is Wild (1957)
19. "Never on Sunday" - Never on Sunday (1960)
20. "Chim Chim Cher-ee" - Mary Poppins (1964)
21. "I'm Easy" - Nashville (1975)
22. "Beauty and the Beast" - Beauty and the Beast (1991)
23. "Talk to the Animals" - Dr. Dolittle (1967)
24. "Baby, It's Cold Outside" - Neptune's Daughter (1949)
25. "In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening" - Here Comes the Groom (1951)
26. "Born Free" - Born Free (1966)
27. "Fame" - Fame (1980)
28. "Three Coins in the Fountain" - Three Coins in the Fountain (1954)
29. "High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin')" - High Noon (1952)
30. "Love is A Many Splendored Thing" - Love is a Many Splendored Thing (1955)
31. "It Might as Well Be Spring" - State Fair (1945)
32. "White Christmas" - Holiday Inn (1942)
33. "Thanks for the Memory" - The Big Broadcast of 1938 (1938)
34. "The Last Time I Saw Paris" - Lady Be Good (1941)
35. "Things Have Changed" - Wonder Boys (2000)
36. "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" - The Lion King (1994)
37. "High Hopes" - A Hole in the Head (1959)
38. "Into the West" - Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
39. "Gigi" - Gigi (1958)
40. "Mona Lisa" - Captain Carey, U.S.A. (1950)
41. "The Streets of Philadelphia" - Philadelphia (1993)
42. "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" - Dirty Dancing (1987)
43. "You Light Up My Life" - You Light Up My Life (1977)
44. "The Days of Wine and Roses" - The Days of Wine and Roses (1962)
45. "Up Where We Belong" - An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)
46. "The Shadow of Your Heart" - The Sandpiper (1965)
47. "Take My Breath Away" - Top Gun (1986)
48. "Sooner or Later (I Always Get My Man)" - Dick Tracy (1990)
49. "Buttons and Bows" - The Paleface (1948)
50. "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" - Song of the South (1947)
51. "When You Wish Upon a Star" - Pinocchio (1940)
52. "Al otra lado del rio" - The Motorcycle Diaries (2004)
53. "The Windmills of Your Mind" - The Thomas Crown Affair (1968)
54. "You Must Love Me" - Evita (1996)
55. "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" - Hustle & Flow (2005)
56. "Last Dance" - Thank God It's Friday (1978)
57. "Secret Love" - Calamity Jane (1953)
58. "Arthur's Theme (The Best That You Can Do)" - Arthur (1981)
59. "If I Didn't Have You" - Monsters Inc. (2001)
60. "When You Believe" - The Prince of Egypt (1998)
61. "Say You Say Me" - White Night (1985)
62. "Evergreen (Theme From A Star is Born)" - A Star is Born (1976)
63. "Call Me Irresponsible" - Papa's Delicate Condition (1963)
64. "You'll Never Know" - Hello, Frisco, Hello (1943)
65. "On the Atchinson, Topeka and Santa Fe" - Harvey Girls (1946)
66. "The Continental" - The Gay Divorcee (1934)
67. "Let the River Run" - Working Girl (1988)
68. "The Lullaby of Broadway" - Gold Diggers of 1935 (1935)
69. "Flashdance... What a Feeling" - Flashdance (1983)
70. "We May Never Love Like This Again" - The Towering Inferno (1974)
71. "Sweet Leiulani" - Waikiki Wedding (1937)
72. "I Just Called to Say I Love You" - The Woman in Red (1984)