Latest news with #SocietyofComposersandLyricists
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Arthur Hamilton, 'Cry Me a River' Songwriter, Dies at 98
Arthur Hamilton, the Oscar-nominated songwriter best known for his smoky torch-song classic 'Cry Me a River,' memorably recorded by Julie London, Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Cocker and many others, has died. He was 98. His death was announced this week by ASCAP and the Society of Composers and Lyricists; details were not immediately available. More from The Hollywood Reporter Enzo Staiola, Child Star in Vittorio De Sica's 'Bicycle Thieves,' Dies at 85 Jason Constantine, Lionsgate Co-President, Dies at 55 Jonathan Joss, 'King of the Hill' Voice Actor, Dies at 59 After Shooting Hamilton received his Oscar nom for best song (shared with composer Riz Ortolani) for 'Till Love Touches Your Life' from Madron (1970), performed by Richard Williams and Jan Daley for the movie Western that starred Richard Boone and Leslie Caron. For Warner Bros.' Pete Kelly's Blues (1955), starring and directed by Jack Webb, Hamilton created two wistful songs for Peggy Lee, who played an alcoholic jazz singer in the musical crime film — 'He Needs Me' and 'Sing a Rainbow,' which would evolve into a children's classic. 'Cry Me a River' was sung by Fitzgerald for the film but did not survive the cutting room floor. However, London — the actress and Webb's ex-wife — recorded it for her 1955 debut album, 'Julie Is Her Name,' and it soared to No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100. (London and Hamilton had gone to the Hollywood Professional School together, and he took her to the senior prom.) Performed from the perspective of a jilted lover, the sparse 'Cry Me a River' opens with: 'Now you say you're lonely / You cried the whole night through / Well, you can cry me a river / Cry me a river / I cried a river over you.' Fitzgerald released her version on her 1961 album Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie!, and Cocker performed his on his 1970 Leon Russell-produced live album Mad Dogs & Englishmen. 'Cry Me a River' also would be recorded by Barbra Streisand, Johnny Mathis, Ray Charles, Harry Connick Jr., Susan Boyle, Michael Bublé, Jeff Beck, Diana Krall, Björk and Aerosmith, among many others. 'I just liked the combination of words,' Hamilton told The Wall Street Journal in 2010. 'Instead of 'Eat your heart out' or 'I'll get even with you,' it sounded like a good, smart retort to somebody who had hurt your feelings or broken your heart. 'Its general use as a put-down phrase has continued to delight and amaze me. Whenever my wife and I are watching a film or TV show and the phrase is used, we laugh and gently punch each other.' Arthur Hamilton Stern was born in Seattle on Oct. 22, 1926. His father, Jack Stern, was a songwriter and orchestrator who worked on films including His Night Out (1935), Jane Withers' Little Miss Nobody (1936) and Sweetheart of the Navy (1937). His mother, Grace Hamilton, wrote lyrics for her husband's songs. He came to Los Angeles with his parents when he was an infant, learned to play piano and in 1949 wrote a live stage musical, What a Day, for local station KTTV. He then spent a couple years working for a music publishing company. Hamilton said he was inspired by legendary cabaret performer Bobby Short. 'I told people many times, 'I never went to college, I went to Bobby Short,' ' he noted in 2016 on an episode of The Paul Leslie Hour podcast. Bobby Darin recorded 'He Needs Me' as 'She Needs Me' in 1959 for his second album — the one with 'Mack the Knife' and 'Beyond the Sea' on it — and Hamilton's résumé also included 'Rain Sometimes,' 'One Look' and 'The Best I Ever Was.' He earned Emmy noms in 1993 and '94 for his tunes 'Good Things Grow' and 'Something Is Out There' from the respective TV movies Blind Spot and The Corpse Had a Familiar Face. London's version of 'Cry Me a River,' backed only by Barney Kessel on guitar and Ray Leatherwood on bass and released on the newly founded Liberty Records label, became her signature song. It was inducted into the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry in 2015. 'So fully does London's image, persona and, of course, her voice convey and encompass the world of smoky nightclubs and intimate stages, that every would-be chanteuse, whenever they take to the stage to sing out a song, are (whether they know it or not, whether they credit her or not) both channeling and paying homage to Miss Julie London,' the Library of Congress' Cary O'Dell wrote. Hamilton served as the second president of the Society of Composers and Lyricists from 1985-87 and was a music branch governor at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scientists and a member of the ASCAP Foundation Board. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More Hollywood's Most Notable Deaths of 2025 Hollywood's Highest-Profile Harris Endorsements: Taylor Swift, George Clooney, Bruce Springsteen and More
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Oscars Will Get A Major Musical Performance — But Not From Original Song Nominees
'Wicked' costars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo will open Sunday's Oscars with a musical number, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Doja Cat, Lisa of Blackpink, Queen Latifah and Raye will also perform during the telecast, the Academy announced Monday. It's unclear what Grande and Erivo, who are both nominated for acting awards, will perform, but earlier this month, Puck reported they will sing a medley of 'Wicked' songs — none of which are nominated for Best Original Song since the movie is based on the play that premiered on Broadway in 2003. Last month, the Academy sent a letter to members announcing that it planned to 'move away' from live performances of Oscar-nominated songs. In previous years, the Oscars telecast included performances of all the Best Original Song nominees. 'This year the best original song category presentation will move away from live performances and will be focused on the songwriters,' according to The Hollywood Reporter. 'We will celebrate their artistry through personal reflections from the teams who bring these songs to life. All of this, and more, will uncover the stories and inspiration behind this year's nominees.' In late January, the Society of Composers and Lyricists, which includes all of this year's Oscar-nominated songwriters as members, asked the Academy to reconsider axing the performances of the Oscar-nominated songs. Ashley Irwin, the society's president, said in a letter that its members are 'disappointed' in the Academy for removing the performances and are concerned the move will 'silence songwriters.' Angela Bassett Shares Why Her 2023 Oscars Loss Still Stings Adrien Brody Addresses Criticism Over Halle Berry Oscars Kiss 'Challengers' Star Reacts To Oscars Snub: 'I Don't Mind' Oscars 2025: The Complete List Of Nominees
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Society of Composers and Lyricists to Oscars leaders: Bring back the Best Song performances
The Society of Composers and Lyricists, the main organization representing film and television composers and songwriters, has asked the Motion Picture Academy to reconsider its decision to drop the Best Song performances from the upcoming Oscars ceremony. In a letter to the Academy on Friday obtained by Gold Derby, the SCL's president, Ashley Irwin, said the move to eliminate the song performances is a 'devaluation' of the artists who created the music and suggests even including a portion of each nominated song would be welcome. More from GoldDerby What 'Emilia Pérez' can (and can't) take away from 'Green Book's' controversy-filled road to the Oscar Karla Sofía Gascón releases yet another statement on offensive social media posts: 'I am not racist' 'Emilia Pérez' plummets to 4th place in Oscar odds amid Karla Sofía Gascón mess 'Our members, who number over 4,000 in more than 80 countries worldwide, including the majority of the Motion Picture Academy Music Branch, are disappointed over the decision to eliminate the Oscar-nominated song performances at the 97th Academy Awards,' the letter reads. 'The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and an award like the Oscar, has always served to amplify and honor the work of talented craftspeople, but this decision to exclude the song performances presents as just another example of the devaluation of music, and its creators.' Earlier this month, Academy President Janet Yang and CEO Bill Kramer sent a letter to members announcing major changes to the show in light of the deadly wildfires that ravaged Los Angeles. The ceremony will focus attention on 'those who fought so bravely against the wildfires' and honor the city, 'showcasing its beauty and resilience, as well as its role as a beacon for filmmakers and creative visionaries for over a century.' But the Academy decided to eliminate the performances of the nominated songs. Instead, Yang and Kramer said, 'We will celebrate [the songwriters'] artistry through personal reflections from the teams who bring these songs to life.' But the SCL believes that including the songs would actually honor the embattled region: 'In a time when Los Angeles, the home of filmmaking, has lost entire communities and with so many people affected, music has the power to inspire and heal — a message reflected in the Oscar-nominated songs.' Those nominees include 'Like a Bird' from Sing Sing, 'El Mal' and 'Mi Camino' from Emilia Pérez, 'The Journey' from The Six Triple Eight, and 'Never Too Late' from Elton John: Never Too Late. The performances of those compositions would 'represent a diverse range of artists, including past Oscar winners H.E.R. and Elton John along with Brandi Carlile, Clément Ducol and Camille, Adrian Quesada and Abraham Alexander, as well as 16-time Oscar-nominee Diane Warren.' The letter concludes, 'I respectfully urge you to reconsider your decision and let the songs provide the hope and inspiration to the audience that they do in their respective films.' (See the complete text of the letter below.) If Oscar organizers want a blueprint for how music can contribute to the healing of Los Angeles, they can look toward the FireAid benefit concert on Thursday that raised funds for wildfire relief and rebuilding. It featured an eclectic and powerhouse roster of musical styles and performances, including Oscar winners Billie Eilish, Stevie Wonder, and Lady Gaga. And the Grammys are scheduled to blend musical performances with fundraising for Los Angeles during its broadcast on Sunday. SIGN UPfor Gold Derby's free newsletter with latest predictions Dear AMPAS Governors and producers of the 97th Academy Awards, I am the president of The Society of Composers & Lyricists (SCL), the premier organization for professional songwriters and composers working in film and other visual media. All the Oscar-nominated songwriters this year, as in most years, are members of the SCL. Our members, who number over 4,000 in more than 80 countries worldwide, including the majority of the Motion Picture Academy Music Branch, are disappointed over the decision to eliminate the Oscar-nominated song performances at the 97th Academy Awards. Songwriters and composers face many challenges in the current climate, including everything from diminished royalty payments by streaming services to the theft of their intellectual property to enrich 'big tech' in the guise of training for AI. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and an award like the Oscar, has always served to amplify and honor the work of talented craftspeople, but this decision to exclude the song performances presents as just another example of the devaluation of music, and its creators. What should be an opportunity to elevate our craft, by an Academy tasked to represent the importance of music to a motion picture's storytelling, will be lost. A performance shares the creation of a songwriter's original work. To eliminate the nominee performances is to silence songwriters. We understand there are reasons behind this decision, but it is my understanding that there was no discussion with the Music Branch. The songs and performances this year would represent a diverse range of artists, including past Oscar winners H.E.R. and Elton John along with Brandi Carlile, Clément Ducol & Camille, Adrian Quesada & Abraham Alexander, as well as 16-time Oscar-nominee Diane Warren. The promotion of these song performances will undoubtedly draw a larger viewing audience. But most importantly, in a time when Los Angeles, the home of filmmaking, has lost entire communities and with so many people affected, music has the power to inspire and heal – a message reflected in the Oscar-nominated songs… 'The Journey' from All the times you could've give in and you'd given up Times you didn't know if you were strong enough Still you got through It's the journey It's the getting there to where you're going to Going through hell but still you're gonna make it through.. 'Never Too Late' from Well, it's never too late For a wide-open slate A kiss from a stranger A thousand first dates You're an iron man baby To hell with Heaven's Gate It's not a moment too soon If it's never too Never too late 'Fly Like a Bird' from I pray These broken bones will heal Only if walls could talk To tell you the pain I feel That day I'll paint a thousand skies Weight of the world aside Just leave it all behind 'Mi Camino' [English lyrics] from I want to love myself Love, yes, my life Love, yes, what I feel I want to love myself Love myself fully Love myself just as I am With the quality of the talent assembled to produce The Oscars®, there must be a way to accommodate even abbreviated renditions of the nominated songs during the show. I respectfully urge you to reconsider your decision and let the songs provide the hope and inspiration to the audience that they do in their respective films. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Ashley Irwin President of the Society of Composer & Lyricists Best of GoldDerby Jack Lemmon movies: 25 greatest films ranked worst to best Nick Nolte movies: 15 greatest films ranked worst to best Laura Linney movies: 13 greatest films ranked worst to best Click here to read the full article.
