Did They Get it Right? – Best Original Song – Oscars 1997

Here is another great Oscar Original Song year. I love 4 of the 5 songs and the still are great to listen to nearly twenty years later.

The choice of the 5 seem to be quite on the mark but I would have slotted in one of the other Anastasia songs in place of the Good Will Hunting one.

Here are the five nominees: (Winner in Bold)

• “Go the Distance” – Hercules • Music: Alan Menken • Lyrics: David Zippel

• “How Do I Live” – Con Air • Music and Lyrics: Diane Warren

• “Journey to the Past” – Anastasia • Music: Stephen Flaherty • Lyrics: Lynn Ahrens

• “Miss Misery” – Good Will Hunting • Music and Lyrics: Elliott Smith

• “My Heart Will Go On” – Titanic – Music: James Horner • Lyrics: Will Jennings

Song (s) that I think should have been included in the mix: (Not sure if all really are eligible according to Oscar standards…)

• Once Upon a December – Meg Ryan (Anastasia)

• Tomorrow Never Dies – (Tomorrow Never Dies)

• At the Beginning – Richard Marx (Anastasia)

My Rankings:

Songs

• 5. – Miss Misery
• 4. – How Do I Live
• 3. – Journey to the Past
• 2. – Go the Distance
• 1. – My Heart Will Go On

Movies

• 5. – Con Air
• 4. – Good Will Hunting
• 3. – Hercules
• 2. – Anastasia
• 1. – Titanic

Do I agree with the Oscar winner? – Most Definitely, My Heart Will Go On is an amazing song that emotionally captures the feelings of the characters and still resonates twenty years later.

Let me know what you think about these songs!