Oscar-Nominated Top Ten: Blazing Saddles (#3)

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@FourWalls (61328)
United States
January 29, 2023 10:29am CST
On the road!!!! Well, I haven’t left town yet, but I’m heading that way. Lunch first! Also, before I move on, another song that was nominated for “Best Original Song” in the Academy Awards. Bet you didn’t see this one coming…. #3: Blazing Saddles - Frankie Laine If you’re not a Blazing Saddles fan you may not know this. When Mel Brooks was preparing the movie he put an ad in a trade paper, looking for a “Frankie Lane-type singer” to do the theme song. Well, who showed up but Frankie Laine?? AND, according to the stories, Laine was so overwhelmed by the lyrics of the sheriff who “conquered fear and he conquered hate”’ that he wept during the session! Nobody bothered to tell Laine about Mongo or the beans, I guess. The tag line for the movie poster was “Never give a saga an even break.” And it didn’t. Still, nearly 50 years later, the parody by which all movie spoofs are judged. Madeline Kahn was nominated for best supporting actress in addition to the song’s nomination. The song lost to “We May Never Love Like This Again” from The Towering Inferno, showing that the easiest way to get an Oscar in the early 70s was to have a sappy love song in a disaster movie. (Maureen McGovern, who sang “We May Never Love Like This Again,” also did the Oscar-winning “The Morning After” from The Poseidon Adventure.) Well, as Slim Pickens said in the movie, p*ss on them, this song was working for Mel Brooks! Blazing Saddles Written by Mel Brooks and John Morris Recorded by Frankie Laine From Blazing Saddles, 1974 Bart was his name:
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17 people like this
16 responses
@LindaOHio (153180)
• United States
30 Jan 23
I saw the movie but didn't recognize the theme. Hope you have a good week. Do you know where you're going?
2 people like this
@FourWalls (61328)
• United States
30 Jan 23
Of course I don’t know. I’m going to Falling Water State Park in Florida and Chuy’s in Gainesville. After that…..
2 people like this
@FourWalls (61328)
• United States
30 Jan 23
@LindaOHio — now, to be fair, there were people doing that when everyone else was running around in jackets back in December.
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (153180)
• United States
30 Jan 23
@FourWalls The Keys! They are wearing short sleeves and flip flops down there!
2 people like this
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
29 Jan 23
Love that movie. That and Spaceballs are my favorite Mel Brooks movies.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (61328)
• United States
29 Jan 23
This and Young Frankenstein are my favorites, but he has so many good movies. I even enjoyed To Be or Not to Be, which was more of a straight-up remake.
@FourWalls (61328)
• United States
30 Jan 23
@thislittlepennyearns — NO! You’ll never be able to hear “Puttin’ on the Ritz” again!!!
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• Defuniak Springs, Florida
30 Jan 23
@FourWalls I don't think I have ever seen Young Frankenstein.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (84408)
• Wheat Ridge, Colorado
29 Jan 23
I saw this a million times back in the day. Funny as all get out.
1 person likes this
• Wheat Ridge, Colorado
30 Jan 23
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (61328)
• United States
29 Jan 23
I still laugh at it, especially the “Mongo straight!” line.
1 person likes this
@DianneN (246452)
• United States
30 Jan 23
Loved the movie and the song. Interesting back story.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (61328)
• United States
30 Jan 23
Mel Brooks never does anything “normally.” He’s always Abby.
1 person likes this
@DianneN (246452)
• United States
30 Jan 23
@FourWalls We love him and everything he ever did
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34202)
3 Feb 23
What a great movie! A toss-up between Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein for me So many classic lines in both. Hedley Lamarr: Qualifications? Applicant: Rape, murder, arson, and rape. Hedley Lamarr: You said rape twice. Applicant: I like rape. Yes, the 70's definitely had some really sappy movie songs as you precisely point out
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (61328)
• United States
4 Feb 23
Or… Hedley: That’s Hedley. Hedley Lamarr. Governor: What the hell are you worried about? This is 1874. You’ll be able to sue her.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34202)
6 Feb 23
@FourWalls Another good one
1 person likes this
@thebos (5779)
• Kisumu, Kenya
1 Feb 23
I saw the movie, it looked nice to me
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (61328)
• United States
2 Feb 23
It’s a crazy movie, that’s for certain.
1 person likes this
@thebos (5779)
• Kisumu, Kenya
2 Feb 23
@FourWalls indeed, what other movies have you watched
@DWDavis (25820)
• Pikeville, North Carolina
29 Jan 23
Awesome song. Even more awesome movie. Blazing Saddles is on my annual must-watch list.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (61328)
• United States
29 Jan 23
I love the meme on Facebook about the “edited for TV” version being on from 8:00 to 8:07. This and Young Frankenstein are must-watch masterpieces.
1 person likes this
@DWDavis (25820)
• Pikeville, North Carolina
29 Jan 23
@FourWalls I recently read that "History of the World, Part 2," which was never intended to be made, might be in consideration. I'm of two minds on this. Some things are better left as is, but it would be hilarious, I'm sure.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (72527)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
29 Jan 23
The song is all right but I was never into this movie,
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (61328)
• United States
30 Jan 23
I understand. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118221)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Jan 23
Great song, and still one of my most favorite parody movies of all time. And hurry up and get to Florida! I'm hungry for Chuy's!
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (61328)
• United States
29 Jan 23
I’m hurrying!! Darn speed limit!!!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323706)
• Rockingham, Australia
30 Jan 23
What a great song. I really need to see the movie again too.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (61328)
• United States
30 Jan 23
“That’s Hedley!”
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116876)
• Anniston, Alabama
30 Jan 23
I know this one,
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (61328)
• United States
30 Jan 23
Yeah! Great song! Great movie! I’m in northern Alabama tonight, I’ll scream loudly at you as I go through Birmingham.
@tom_view (6412)
• Kolkata, India
29 Jan 23
just love it.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (61328)
• United States
29 Jan 23
Glad you enjoyed it!
• Northampton, England
29 Jan 23
Cant imagine Mel would get that made today.lol
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (61328)
• United States
29 Jan 23
He said that 20 years ago!
@CarolDM (203478)
• Nashville, Tennessee
29 Jan 23
I did not watch this one. I know many that did. It ran for awhile.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (61328)
• United States
29 Jan 23
It’s a classic but definitely not for everyone.
1 person likes this
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
29 Jan 23
I've watched Blazing Saddles several times.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (61328)
• United States
29 Jan 23
One of my favorite movies. I had to check my DVD hookup when I got my new TV (because newer televisions don’t have RCA jacks) so I popped in Blazing Saddles to make sure I’d hooked it up correctly. I ended up watching the entire movie again.
@NJChicaa (115621)
• United States
29 Jan 23
nope. I have seen the movie though
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (61328)
• United States
29 Jan 23
Then you’ve heard the song, unless you were making popcorn during the opening credits.
1 person likes this