Best Original Song - 1949

"Through a Long and Sleepless Night" from Come to the Stable sung by Eileen Wilson and Ken Darby


Movie Synopsis: Two nuns from a French convent arrive in a small New England town with a plan to build a children's hospital.


Does it appear in the movie (i.e. other than the end credits)? Yes, it's performed by two characters.
Is it important to the plot? It's a love song and probably furthers the romantic plot.
Is it pleasing to the ear? B-.

"It's a Great Feeling" from It's a Great Feeling sung by Doris Day


Movie Synopsis: A waitress at the Warner Brothers commissary is anxious to break into pictures and his helped by two actors, both interested in her.


Does it appear in the movie (i.e. other than the end credits)? Opening credits, and then played at various times throughout the movie.
Is it important to the plot? Maybe.
Is it pleasing to the ear? C+.

"My Foolish Heart" from My Foolish Heart sung by Martha Mears


Movie Synopsis: A woman reunites with her friend, passes out drunk at her home, and reminisces about their past romantic entanglements.


Does it appear in the movie (i.e. other than the end credits)? I do not know.
Is it important to the plot? It feels like an opening credits song.


Is it pleasing to the ear? B+.

"Baby, It's Cold Outside" from Neptune's Daughter sung by Ricardo Montalbon & Esther Williams and Red Skelton & Betty Garrett


Movie Synopsis: Romance and mistaken identity complicate the lives of two couples.


Does it appear in the movie (i.e. other than the end credits)? Yes. Twice in fact.
Is it important to the plot? It is sung by both couples to show the differences in their relationships.
Is it pleasing to the ear? A-

"Lavender Blue (Dilly Dilly)" from So Dear to My Heart sung by Burl Ives


Movie Synopsis: A young boy strives to raise a lamb and present him at the county fair, despite his grandmother's objections.


Does it appear in the movie (i.e. other than the end credits)? Yes.
Is it important to the plot? Not really. Burle Ives just kinds of sings it for past time.
Is it pleasing to the ear? C.

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So what won?

"Baby It's Cold Outside" from Neptune's Daughter

What would I have voted for?

"Baby, It's Cold Outside" from Neptune's Daughter.

This is not a Christmas song. It was never intended to be a Christmas song. Stupid radio stations looking for any song with the world "snow" "winter" or "cold" in the title, kidnapped it and ever since then, this song has lost it's original meaning (which, by the way, is borderline creepy). Anyway, this one is the most important to the plot out of these five movies. It's also catchy and has stood the test of time.

Analysis
An average year at the Oscars (at least for song) I would say. I do blame a little of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" 's current success on it's Christmas connotations. It would be interesting to see if it would remotely popular today, if it weren't played ad nauseum every December.