Oscars: "Once" Wins Best Song, Blanchett's Dylan Defeated

The little movie (and soundtrack) that could just kept on doing at last night's Academy Awards ceremony, as Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova's "Falling Slowly" from the film Once took home the prize for Best Original Song. "Falling Slowly" beat out three tunes from Enchanted and one from August Rush -- plus non-nominated songs from Eddie Vedder's Into The Wild soundtrack -- to win the Oscar, adding another trophy to sit beside the Grammy Hansard and Irglova won earlier this month in the same category. Also on Rock Daily's radar was Cate Blanchett's Best Supporting Actress bid for portraying a faux Bob Dylan in I'm Not There. Despite being an assumed favorite, Blanchett lost out to dark horse Tilda Swinton for her role in Michael Clayton. In case you missed the Academy Awards because you were too busy watching The Wire or Rock of Love 2, or if you just want to relive the action, Peter Travers has you covered with his Oscars Live Blog.

Related Stories:
• Oscars: Depp and Blanchett Nominated, Vedder and Greenwood Shut Out
• Critic's Choice Awards: Radiohead Guitarist Wins Critics Choice Best Score, Vedder Leaves Empty-Handed (But Probably Got a Good Swag Bag)
• Bizarro Grammys: The White Stripes' USBs, Gerard Way's MCR Packaging, Flaming Lips' Surround Sound

• 
  MUSIC The Top 25 Teen Idol Breakout Moments
• 
  MOVIES & TV 'Game of Thrones': The Show Vs. the Books
• 
  POLITICS Matt Taibbi: Facebook IPO vs. Shareholders
• 
  VIDEOS Exclusive: Garbage Rip Through 'I Think I'm Paranoid'

Song Stories

“Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Nirvana | 1991

"Smells Like Teen Spirit," named after a brand of deodorant marketed to girls, was Kurt Cobain's attempt to "write the ultimate pop song," he said, using the soft-loud dynamic of his favorite band, the Pixies. Cobain "had that dichotomy of punk rage and alienation," the song’s producer, Butch Vig, told Rolling Stone, "but also this vulnerable pop sensibility. In 'Teen Spirit,' a lot of that vulnerability is in the tone of his voice." Sadly, by the time of Nirvana's last U.S. tour, in late '93, Cobain was tortured by the obligation to play "Teen Spirit" every night. "There are many other songs that I have written that are as good, if not better," he claimed.

More Song Stories entries »

Twitter