How Did Best Song Become the Year’s Most Exciting Emmys Race?

As a seasoned TV awards analyst with over two decades of experience, I must say that Maya Rudolph is indeed a force to be reckoned with. With five Emmys under her belt in just six years, she’s undeniably becoming a household name among the voters. Her latest work on SNL’s Mother’s Day song may not be groundbreaking, but it’s definitely a testament to her versatility and comic timing.

One captivating category at the Creative Arts Emmys, held on September 7 and 8, prior to the Primetime Emmys, is the Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics, often referred to as “Best Song.” This category encompasses various TV genres such as comedies, dramas, sketch comedy, TV movies, and awards shows. For instance, “Corn Puddin'” from Schmigadoon! (2022), “Agatha All Along” from WandaVision (2021), and “Antidepressants Are So Not a Big Deal” from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2019) are examples of past winners. This category showcases a mix of both lighthearted and serious tunes, offering an enjoyable contrast to some of the more formal award categories in either Emmys ceremony. Interestingly, winners like “Til It Happens to You,” penned by Diane Warren and performed by Lady Gaga from the documentary The Hunting Ground, demonstrate the category’s ability to recognize both humorous and powerful songs, as this tune was nominated for both an Oscar and an Emmy.

This year’s nominees span a broad range of musical styles, encompassing everything from the somberly dramatic to the playfully tongue-twisting, all the way to the extravagant and entertaining:

The stakes are pretty high as well. Pasek and Paul remain one Emmy win away from achieving the EGOT. Rudolph is nominated in four different categories this year. Girls5Eva’s fate remains, as ever, in limbo, so this could be the show’s last chance to win an award. To give this category its due attention, and to try to make sense of which tune might win, I’ve roped in Vulture senior writer and musical-theater whisperer Jackson McHenry.

Joe Reid: Thank you for joining me to discuss this year’s Emmy-nominated tunes, Jackson. Given your background in theater, you were the obvious choice to delve into the intricacies of Marc Shaiman/Pasek and Paul. However, stepping back a bit, this category encompasses a broad range. The comedic songs feature a cleverly executed genre parody (“Pickwick”), a number packed with pop culture references (“Maya”), and an unexpected heartfelt declaration (“Medium Time”). Furthermore, there’s a folk ballad penned by an actor and a love ballad sung by Barbra Streisand in a Holocaust drama. In essence, I described it as a stronger collection of songs from top to bottom than the Oscars have presented in some time, and I still believe that today!

Jackson McHenry expresses his admiration for the diverse nature of this category, encompassing various genres and the way songs are woven into their respective show’s narratives. Unlike typical awards shows which often feature a somber credit song from a big star, the Emmys have veered towards comedy writing and compositions that originated from within the characters’ storylines. This is quite diegetic! The campaigns themselves also add an element of intrigue: Will voters be swayed by giving “Girls5Eva” recognition, even if it’s a more subdued version of its usual humor-dense content? Do they admire stars like Maya and Babs enough to vote for them regardless? The inclusion of the “Tattooist of Auschwitz” adds an important dimension. While Jackson believes “Pickwick Triplets” is the frontrunner and genuinely endearing, there’s a question about whether society wants to award Pasek and Paul an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) before Lin-Manuel Miranda does. Jesse David Fox frequently laments that it would be unusual if they achieved this milestone before Miranda.

Reid: If Disney had submitted the right song from “Encanto” for consideration, Lin-Manuel Miranda would have added another award (EGOT) to his collection. That’s a topic for another day. I appreciate your observation about in-character songs. It gives me more confidence that the “Pickwick” win for “Only Murders in the Building” is well-deserved, especially considering Pasek and Paul, but also because it acknowledges the show’s risk in creating a musical season and its success.

Sara Bareilles might have had two nominations in this category if her song from “Only Murders” (“Look for the Light”) was also nominated. However, “Pickwick Triplets” lacked Meryl Streep and Ashley Park collaborating harmoniously as a murdered mother and devoted nanny, which “The Medium Time” doesn’t offer either. While “The Medium Time” is commendable for showcasing Bareilles’s ability to infuse sincerity into the absurd, it didn’t receive recognition from the Emmys for songs like “New York Lonely Boy,” “Four Stars,” or even “The Splingee.” Nonetheless, it’s not unfair to say that “The Medium Time” isn’t as eye-catching a choice.

One interesting thing about Barbra’s star power influencing voters is that because she’s not a songwriter on “Love Will Survive,” her name won’t be on the ballot, and thus her contribution is somewhat muted. Which brings me to someone whose name could carry some swaying power: Maya Rudolph has won five Emmys in the last six years and is getting close to rubber-stamp territory with the voters. Her SNL Mother’s Day song is fun but also feels like territory the show has traversed a lot in the last few years. I think if there’s a threat to Pasek, Paul, and the Pickwicks, it’s Maya.

McHenry: Maya is indeed the mother she sings about, and her music has earned her the admiration of Emmy voters. This led me on a journey to uncover that Saturday Night Live (SNL) has received 13 Emmy nominations for Original Music and Lyrics, starting with “Dick in a Box” in 2007 (it won), followed by various creations from the Lonely Island, Justin Timberlake’s 2011 monologue (which also took home an award; the Emmys seem to have a soft spot for him), and then a series of songs from 2012 onward, all credited to SNL’s musical director, Eli Brueggemann – a hidden powerhouse at the Emmys! (He previously won in 2017 for a song featuring Chris Redd, Kenan Thompson, and Chance the Rapper about yearning for Barack Obama’s return.)

Regarding “Pickwick,” we should give credit to Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman, whose neoclassical musical-theater style harmonizes well with the rhythmic nature of that piece. Known for their collaborations on shows like “Hairspray” and “Catch Me If You Can,” it’s just Shaiman, the composer, who won an Emmy for his work on Billy Crystal’s 1992 Oscars melodies (his award was for Writing for a Variety or Music Program). Should they win here, this would be a significant moment for them, especially given their contributions to the late but soon-to-be-revived stage production of “Smash.” In fact, back in 2012, “Let Me Be Your Star” lost to “It’s Not Just for the Gays Anymore,” quite a difficult decision. Interestingly, the duo behind “Smash,” Pasek and Paul, wrote a song during its second season that subtly criticized the pop stars of the time, making “Pickwick” a reunion of sorts for “Smash.” I must say, I’m quite pleased with myself for tying all these connections back to “Smash.”

To begin with, thank you for bringing up that Pasek and Paul aren’t the only ones who have contributed to the “Pickwick” duet in that song, as Shaiman and Wittman also have their own history in this field (Shaiman just lacks an ‘O’ to complete his EGOT). Now, regarding Smash, there’s no link between it and the John Hawkes song from True Detective: Night Country. It’s a pleasant tune, and kudos to Hawkes for earning nominations in both acting and songwriting. However, it seems more like a strong fifth-place contender. Before we part ways, let me ask you a question: Who do you think is going to win?

McHenry: My pick? That the “Pickwick Triplet” quadruplets cinch it.

I absolutely concur! Beyond justifying its victory due to its impressive wordplay and boldness, “Pickwick” also impresses me as Steve Martin’s strong contender for the Comedy Actor category, given the challenging agility required in delivering such a quick-moving nursery rhyme.

2024-09-06 17:55

How Did Best Song Become the Year’s Most Exciting Emmys Race?

Read More

Minority Mindset