Ties to Music Selection and the Oscars

[blue dog]

Maybe it depends on whether a piece of music is universally skate-able. Black Swan is one that can be pulled off by many, because it's pretty much Swan Lake. The Artist has many styles within that soundtrack, which works for skaters. A lot of Oscar-winning soundtracks have this element, where they are usable by many skaters. That's why Carmen just won't die. It's fairly easy to skate to.

The Red Violin is a very tough piece. It takes a special kind of skater to pull off what Michelle did in 2000. Sadly, when Yoshie Onda attempted it, she was not as successful.

The 2011 Oscar winner (The Social Network), though a great soundtrack, is not one that would have translated well to the audience.

 

[Serious Business]

Jeremy Abbott, dear!

Here, links are fun: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFj1FXhvgj0

Thanks! Although, I admit, I was all excited to see Jeremy Abbott, one of my favorite skating stylists, skate to that score, but came away rather disappointed. He didn't really make much use of the ambivalence and nuance of the music, and ended the program with a peppy footwork run that is just silly and wrong.

And then there's the matter of the James Bond themes!

Huge 007 fan here. And while Bond songs and scores have been used aplenty in skating, no film in the Bond franchise has won an Oscar for its music! In fact, only three Bond theme songs have even been nominated for an Oscar for best song! Considering how much prominence the Bond movies give its theme songs (really, the Bond movies originated music videos) and how important they are to the franchise, it's a huge oversight. In fact, the James Bond spoof film Casino Royale (the 60s one, not the recent Daniel Craig one) was involved in what is probably the worst Oscar Best Song decision ever: when novelty tune "Talk to the Animals" from Doctor Dolittle (the 60s one, not the 90s remake) beat out "The Look of Love" from Casino Royale. The latter became an instant-classic and all around standard, covered by every artist in every style (although I have yet to hear anyone come close to Dusty Springfield's original take of the Burt Bacharach song), while the former got covered by The Chipmunks...

Oscar or not, Bond theme songs that more skaters should use:

"Goooooldfinger"! One of the most iconic movie theme songs ever. Shirley Bassey is over the top and just right on it.

"You Only Live Twice", romantic and dangerous, the perfect combination for a Bond ballad.

"Live and Let Die", the most comprehensive James Bond theme song: packing in so many motifs and mood changes into one entirely coherent song. And please use the original Paul McCartney version, it really needs George Martin's bombastic symphonic arrangement for the full effect.

On the other hand, all Bond theme songs and score since Goldeneye should be avoided at all costs. Although I have high hopes for Skyfall, since the dreadful composer David Arnold, who came on board with Tomorrow Never Dies, has been replaced with my favorite film composer, Thomas Newman. And fun fact about Thomas Newman: he has the most Oscar best score nominations of any composer without ever having won one (except Alex North, who did get an honorary Oscar).

 

[blue dog]

"Live and Let Die", the most comprehensive James Bond theme song: packing in so many motifs and mood changes into one entirely coherent song. And please use the original Paul McCartney version, it really needs George Martin's bombastic symphonic arrangement for the full effect.

A bunch of juvenile skaters (and lower) are using the David Garrett version of this piece. Trouble is, it's a very powerful version, and most of them do not have the speed. One skater at the rink loses speed while David Garrett plays faster.

 

[ImaginaryPogue]

Love Chris Cornell's song for the Craig-Casinoy Royale, but I'm most emphatically not a Bond fan, so the deconstruction works for me.

 

[Serious Business]

Love Chris Cornell's song for the Craig-Casinoy Royale, but I'm most emphatically not a Bond fan, so the deconstruction works for me.

Even were I not a James Bond fan, I would really not care for David Arnold's compositions. He has a habit of coming up with uninspired melodies and motifs that never go anywhere.

As for deconstruction, what do you mean? There are a few perfunctory chord stabs that wanly echo some of the earlier Bond music. The lyrics to the song are very much in-universe, from the perspective of Bond or one of his rivals.

 

[ImaginaryPogue]

More referring to the film itself. "Live and Let Die" is the best, though I really like "For Your Eyes Only."

 

[skateluvr]

Does anyone think Yuna should use James Bond for her LP in Sochi? I think the audience would go nuts to see her skate to "Live and let die." There is no law one must use a classical piece if you are a skater lady, or is there an unwritten rule that this is what the judges expect. Yuna's Bond was so sexy, flirty, delightful and fun, why not package that Yuna into McCartney's great music? She will be older, truly more experienced to pull off the sexy part and as SB has noted there are so many moods and tempo changes. What do you think? It would be gutsy of Yuna and I think she will need to play to the crowd. Let us hope she doesn't go with a russian folk dance like Kalinka more suited for well, a Russian like Irina or Katia.

OT but I want to see a saucy Yuna with up beat strong music as her jumps are what win the day. Her artistry for me has always been secondary, unless we are talking her early amazing 'The Lark Ascending" which is her masterpiece. It is not close to "Lyra" but it is her best "Yuna" and something one can watch again and againl I will never think of James bond and skating again without Yuna's well done sp. Les Miz this year was well, anti-climactic for me but we will see, OT, I know.

 

[Olympia]

In fact, the James Bond spoof film Casino Royale (the 60s one, not the recent Daniel Craig one) was involved in what is probably the worst Oscar Best Song decision ever: when novelty tune "Talk to the Animals" from Doctor Dolittle (the 60s one, not the 90s remake) beat out "The Look of Love" from Casino Royale. The latter became an instant-classic and all around standard, covered by every artist in every style (although I have yet to hear anyone come close to Dusty Springfield's original take of the Burt Bacharach song), while the former got covered by The Chipmunks...

Oscar or not, Bond theme songs that more skaters should use:

"Goooooldfinger"! One of the most iconic movie theme songs ever. Shirley Bassey is over the top and just right on it.

I still grit my teeth when I think of that inane song, "Talk to the Animals," winning the Oscar. And not only that, Leslie Bricusse could ever after call himself "Academy Award Winner Leslie Bricusse." He got to write the sappy lyrics to John Williams's beautiful score for the first Superman movie. ("You can fly! You belong in the sky!") Grrrr.

Goldfinger is to me the ultimate Bond sound track, but all the John Barry music for Bond gives me chills of delight. The main theme from From Russia with Love...magnifique! I'm sure there are many parts of the Bond soundtrack supply that could be used by skaters without copying YuNa. Almost all of Barry's music is splendid, come to that. There's stuff from Chaplin that is by turns haunting and jolly. And then there are Out of Africa and Dances with Wolves.

Thomas Newman wrote a lovely score for Little Women. The thought that he has not won an Oscar and Leslie Bricusse has one...it's an unjust world.

 

[Serious Business]

More referring to the film itself. "Live and Let Die" is the best, though I really like "For Your Eyes Only."

Oh, I love Daniel Craig's Casino Royale on the whole. Despite growing up on the classic Bond films, I found it to be the best Bond film, and Craig the best Bond. I just really, really wish David Arnold never got involved, or the producers ditched him the same time they ditched Pierce Brosnan.

Does anyone think Yuna should use James Bond for her LP in Sochi? I think the audience would go nuts to see her skate to "Live and let die." There is no law one must use a classical piece if you are a skater lady, or is there an unwritten rule that this is what the judges expect. Yuna's Bond was so sexy, flirty, delightful and fun, why not package that Yuna into McCartney's great music? She will be older, truly more experienced to pull off the sexy part and as SB has noted there are so many moods and tempo changes. What do you think? It would be gutsy of Yuna and I think she will need to play to the crowd. Let us hope she doesn't go with a russian folk dance like Kalinka more suited for well, a Russian like Irina or Katia.

I really, really wish the no lyrics rule kicked in before Sochi. I'd love to see Yuna skate to the original "Live and Let Die" for her FS in Sochi!

Olympia, another egregious Oscar oversight in the song category is giving the best song Oscar "It Goes Like It Goes" from Norma Rae over "Rainbow Connection" from The Muppet Movie. Weirdly enough, the muppets covered "Talk to the Animals" on their show, while Dusty Springfield covered "It Goes Like It Goes".

 

[Tonichelle]

I love Rainbow Connection!!!!

(and Muppet of a Man)

 

[Serious Business]

What the what! I just learned that Ennio Morricone never won an Oscar for any of his scores! He did get an honorary Oscar. But only 5 of his scores were even nominated, and none of them won. His score to The Mission, which is more dead horse than warhorse at this point in figure skating, lost out to Herbie Hancock's rearrangement of jazz standards for the film Round Midnight. Possibly the worst robbery in Oscar best score history.