Top o’ the charts

We do not want to second-guess Jack Mathews’ Academy Award predictions (Calendar, Feb. 19) in the acting, writing, directing and best-picture categories. However, Mathews’ ranking of the best original song nominees is another story.

The criteria--as defined by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences--are artistic merit and contributions to the film, which makes the song category unique in that the winner is rarely, if ever, lumped into a long list of wins for a popular film.

Also, for the past six years, the winning song has not only satisfied the category, but has also been a No. 1 pop hit.

Maybe Mathews has been swept away in a rush of nominations, but academy voters have shown that they award the best original song Oscar not on the basis of how many other nominations the film might have, but on the basis of a hit song which relates to the film for which it was written.

If Oscar predictions are indeed necessary, wouldn’t Calendar readers be better served by a music, not film, expert writing about the nominated songs?

KEVIN ODEGARD

Executive Director

National Academy of Songwriters

Mathews’ predictions: (1) Carly Simon, “Let the River Run,” from “Working Girl”; (2) music by Lamont Dozier and lyric by Phil Collins, “Two Hearts,” from “Buster”; (3) Bob Telson, “Calling You,” from “Bagdad Cafe.”