This week I’ll continue counting down my ten most surprising Oscar-snubbed songs, picking up with #5.
Here’s a song that probably lost its bid for an Oscar due to the dismal failure of the film in which it appears.
Martin Scorsese’s New York, New York was a box office disaster and confusing, at best, to critics. Following the groundbreaking Taxi Driver, this oddly old-fashioned call back to classical musicals never really found an audience.
It did, however, feature an original song that went on to be a classic.
‘New York, New York’ – New York, New York
People who haven’t seen Scorsese’s film (and that’s most people, including me) certainly know the song that shares its title. I first heard ‘New York, New York’ performed by Frank Sinatra, who made it his own, but it remains a signature tune for Liza Minnelli as well.
And get a load of the collection of songs that bested it for an Oscar nod: ‘Candle On the Water’ from Pete’s Dragon; ‘You Light Up My Life’ from You Light Up My Life; ‘Someone’s Waiting For You’ from The Rescuers; ‘The Slipper and the Rose Waltz (He Danced with Me/She Danced with Me)’ from The Slipper and the Rose; and ‘Nobody Does it Better’ from The Spy Who Loved Me.
And the winner was… ‘You Light Up My Life.’ Fair enough, I guess. I would have gone with ‘Nobody Does It Better’ in a landslide. But how could ‘New York, New York’ not crack that list? Has anybody even heard of the other three?
I am leaving today
I want to be a part of it
New York, New York
These vagabond shoes
Are longing to stray
Right through the very heart of it
New York, New York
I want to wake up in a city
That doesn’t sleep
And find I’m king of the hill
Top of the heap
These little town blues
Are melting away
I’ll make a brand new start of it
In old New York
If I can make it there
I’ll make it anywhere
It’s up to you
New York, New York
New York, New York
I want to wake up
in a city that never sleeps
And find I’m a number one, top of the list
King of the hill
A number one
These little town blues
Oh they’re melting away
I’m gonna make a brand new start of it
In old New York
And If I can make it there
I’m gonna make it anywhere
It’s up to you
New York, New York, New York
Meet Me In Montauk 
As to your question, I’ve heard of and heard “Candle on the Water.” Beautiful song and worthy of a nomination.
Meanwhile, I had forgotten, or perhaps blocked out, that “New York, New York” had come from a movie. I am no fan of the song, but agree this is a snub nevertheless.
Definitely a snub, and I’ve already expressed my distaste for “You Light Up My Life” in a previous blog, hate that song.
“Candle on the Water” is a beautiful song and would have been my pick had one of the best Bond songs ever not been in the competition. I have always loved Helen Reddy’s voice, and it was particularly suited to the lovely song from Pete’s Dragon.
in my opinion the best song category has been a mess over the years , the brilliant song by kander & ebb sung by minnelli new york new york is the most glowing mistake they ever made , i think members of the academy know that