Some incredible songs have won the Academy Award over the last several decades - "Streets of Philadelphia," "Theme from Shaft," and "Things Have Changed," just to name a few - but more often than not, the thematic tunes are either forgettable, complete crap, or just really out of place among the powerful acting and direction being recognized, not to mention the glitzy ceremony itself. Here are 10 nominees - mostly from the '80s, no shocker - who never should've made it past Joan Rivers outside.
10. "The Power of Love" by Huey Lewis & the News (1985)
Awesome song? Oh hell yes. But up for an Oscar? Even if Huey Lewis deserved some kind of recognition for his awesome Back to the Future cameo, this wasn't exactly a song that future generations would recognize for its artistic merit. Sadly, the News saw their headline vanish when they lost to Lionel Richie's cheese-tastic "Say You, Say Me" from White Knights.
9. "Shakedown" by Bob Seger (1987)
The fact that Beverly Hills Cop II came this close to any sort of Oscar win is still mind-blowing. A Dirty Dancing song won in '87, which doesn't seem nearly as far-fetched.
8. "Ghostbusters" by Ray Parker, Jr. (1984)
A genuine classic? Of course. But any song that's such a blatant ripoff of Huey Lewis' sweet sound should disqualify it from Oscar contention. (Not to mention the line "Bustin' makes me feel good." It's gross. Think about it.)
7. "Flashdance (What a Feeling)" performed by Irene Cara (1983)
An actual Best Song winner (beating out two songs from Yentl, proving that the competition wasn't exactly stiff), the theme from Flashdance had the odd distinction of never using the actual word in any of the lyrics. Not that it mattered, what with those rampant synthesizers beating the holy hell out of anything that got in their way.
6. "Benji's Theme (I Feel Love)" performed by Charlie Rich (1974)
The Silver Fox probably wasn't psyched about recording a country tune from a stray mutt's point of view...or watching it win a Golden Globe, or showing his face at the Oscars that year. Luckily, an utterly forgettable song from The Towering Inferno prevented him from further embarrassment. But we'd really like to hear a Charlie Rich sing about a burning building, for some reason.
Click the Page 2 link below for more of Oscar's moldy oldies.
5. "Glory of Love" by Peter Cetera (1986)
Had Peter Cetera's Karate Kid, Part II jam not lost to "Take My Breath Away" (Berlin won that year, really!), we imagine the former Chicago frontman would've given us many more awkward junior-prom dances. Oh, what might've been.
4. "I Just Called to Say I Love You" by Stevie Wonder (1984)
In 1984, Stevie took the big prize away from Phil Collins, Kenny Loggins, whoever wrote "Let's Hear It for the Boy," and the aforementioned Ray Parker, Jr. But he was also saddled with the "prize" of a throwaway song that's considered the nadir of his career.
3. "Talk to the Animals" written by Leslie Bricusse (1967)
Instead of showing the long, drawn-out scene in which Dr. Dolittle star Rex Harrison belts out this truly inhumane Oscar winner, we'll let the Lennon Sisters and an awesome dude in a bear suit demonstrate why PETA should've had this thing banned decades ago.
2. "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" performed by Starship (1987)
In the same race as Bob Seger/Beverly Hills Cop II, this pairing of Starship and Mannequin offers irrefutable proof of what a god-awful year 1987 was for music and movies.
1. "Blaze of Glory" by Jon Bon Jovi (1990)
Sure, worse songs have made it into and even won in the Best Song category. But were any of those songs recorded by a Sambora-less Jon Bon Jovi, in his decorative Native American jewelry prime? And were any of those songs from the unnecessary-sequel-to-end-all-unnecessary-sequels Young Guns II? Methinks not. Crazy as it may seem, Madonna and a Dick Tracy song probably deserved that win.
Check out some legit nominated songs with the Oscars' 10 most memorable musical performances.