Today we turn the blog over to Tom Mizer, one half of the songwriting team Mizer & Moore...
Curtis Moore & Tom Mizer photographed by Xanthe Elbrick
by Tom Mizer
The Contestants: Tom and Curtis have been songwriting partners since meeting at Northwestern University. This may or may not have been before computers were required at college.
The Oscar Winning Song Game: Without looking in advance, the contestants will receive a range of Oscar Winning Best Songs. They will each have 30 seconds to peruse the list. When time is up, they will text the other the song “they wish they had written.” After years of working together, will their choices match? If not, they will have a short period to discuss and convince the other of the wisdom of their selection, hopefully arriving at an agreement. This may end their partnership.
Ladies and gentlemen, the transcript begins:
1934 - 1949
Curtis: What is "Sweet Leilani"?
Tom: The poor thing. Surrounded by all-time classics. I almost picked her just to give her some love.
Curtis: Why are there 300 nominees in 1938?
Tom: Focus. What’s your choice?
Curtis: I'm dying with these songs - can't we have written them all?
Tom: You are not playing right.
Curtis: Sorry! The song I wish I had written is “White Christmas”!
Tom: “Over the Rainbow”
Curtis: I think “Over the Rainbow” is also fantastic, but if we had written "White Christmas," I think we'd be richer. But maybe just slightly?
Tom: Gross. But fair and true. I will defer to your choice. Papa gotta pay the bills.
Winner: “White Christmas”
Sidenote - We stopped to listen to "Sweet Leilani" because it beat out "They Can't Take That Away From Me" and the Gershwins were ROBBED. It’s the Crash/Brokeback of Best Song.
1950 - 1969
Curtis: Jimmy Van Huesen is all over the list here.
Tom: Must have been a good campaigner. This one is SO random and tough.
Curtis: I have many, many songs here I'd wished we'd written. BUT, i think I would pick "Call Me Irresponsible" because it's from a movie called Papa's Delicate Condition which I know nothing about, and it seems like the kind of movie we'd be hired to write a song for.
Tom: “Moon River” because it was my parents’ wedding song, and if we wrote it, it would break some sort of Terminator time/space continuum. It’s also just lovely.
Curtis: OMG, Tom, you're taking this so much more seriously than I am! How awesome, and yes, that's a terrific song.
Tom: So we’re going Mancinci?
Curtis: All the way. He is one of my favorites. Remember the Remington Steel theme?!?
Tom: “All the Way” would also be a good choice.
Curtis: Hehe!
Winner: “Moon River”
1970 - 1989
Tom: This is brutal.
Curtis: We might have to break the rules here. There are too many songs I wish we had written! Plus nominees!!! I mean, I KNOW we both wish we had written "For Your Eyes Only."
Tom: That would be my write-in for sure. Sheena! Bond! I love all these songs. Like childhood lerve.
Curtis: It's terrible.
Tom: But we must. Ready? Curtis, you can not have 10 minutes on this one!
Curtis: Okay. But give me one more second….
Tom: “Let the River Run”
Curtis: I'm picking "The Way We Were."
Tom: That was my other choice!
Curtis: I think your song is also my other favorite!
Tom: I feel bad because Ashman is my idol but “Under the Sea” isn’t my favorite from The Little Mermaid.
Curtis: Me too! "Part of Your World" resonates more with me. They're both brilliant, and I get why they would submit "Under the Sea" but yes, I don't feel the same connection to that one.
Tom: “The Way We Were” was one of my Mom’s favorite songs...and I already played the family card. The Carly Simon song just feels perfectly of its time and inspiring and makes me want to ride the Staten Island Ferry.
Curtis: I love everything 80's so, Fame, Arthur's Theme, Up Where We Belong, Flashdance, Take My Breath Away, I Had the Time of my Life - they define my entire musical existence growing up.
Tom: So why Streisand?
Curtis: Because Streisand.
Tom: ‘Nuff said.
Winner: “The Way We Were”
1990 - 2009
Tom: I feel like I can cross off the 2000’s here. Except the “Once” song, which is genius but...
Curtis: Exactly, Annie Lennox is the queen of everything, but….
Tom: But...
Curtis: I mean, Lloyd Webber and Madonna? Sondheim and Madonna?
Tom: We are showing our true colors here.
Curtis: Also, Celine!!!! That key change in “My Heart Will Go On” is the COOLEST! Seriously, check it out, she jumps like a minor 6!
Tom: Some nerdy music talk at last!
Curtis: Okay, I think from this list, if I had to choose just one, I would choose "Beauty and the Beast.”
Tom: “Sooner or Later.”
Curtis: Really? I mean, i get the Sondheim connection, and Madonna - but is it really?
Tom: I know. It was a weird, gut reaction choice. Sondheim. I do love the lyric. I think it’s smart and twisty and classy.
Curtis: True. True True. It was my second choice, too. I love that combo. I just think that B&B was such a quintessential moment for Disney, for the reimagining of musicals in movies, and also one of the last moments we get to hear Ashman's lyrics.
Tom: It is perfect. I agree. And wonderfully odd when you think about it, how they managed to make a song out of THAT title feel so emotional and resonant. I will go over to your side and rescind my vote. Menken and Ashman forever.
Winner: "Beauty and the Beast"
2010 - 2019
Curtis: This is kind of awesome because now we REALLY know some of these people who won, and it's amazing to see them on this list and be reminded how much hard work and talent it takes to get there.
Tom: Thunk. Drop those names. No, I totally agree. It’s heartening. People we sat around a table with in NYC years ago, dreaming of people hearing our writing, and there they are on this list.
Curtis: What's kind of amazing going through these is seeing how the type of song changes, and how the song’s association to the movie changes. Animated movies suddenly had all the songs, the 80's were all about "soundtracks”...
Tom: And as bad a rap as the Academy gets sometimes, there are stone cold classics and some wonderful time-capsule, camp favorites on here. The list brings back memories and makes me grin.
Curtis: I agree.
Tom: But on task...
Curtis: If I had to pick just one (and it's not from one of my friends, whom I love and adore), I would pick “Skyfall.”
Tom: “Remember Me.”
Curtis: I've always wanted to write a Bond song, and I think it’s one of the best. Plus the performance is fantastic, and the movie is ALSO awesome.
Tom: Oh man, you know I adore all the James Bond themes. And that one is great. I chose “Remember Me” because of how it works in the film. I think it is a perfect example of film songwriting. It has to do SO much heavy lifting and yet feels simple and just right and adapts to each moment when it reappears.
Curtis: I LOVE LOVE LOVED Coco, too! It was such an innovative and unexpected film, and Kristen and Bobby's songs are just terrific. Agreed!! I'll jump ship and join you on Coco.
Tom: I’m surprised by how in sync our tastes were! We didn’t break up or kill each other.
Curtis: Yet.
Winner: “Remember Me”