Monthly crush déjà vu: “Falling Slowly”-palooza

The wife & I were happy as a clam on Oscar night this past weekend because art triumphed over commerce in at least one category: Best Song, where Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglóvá’s “Falling Slowly” from the “little movie that could” Once triumphed over August Rush gospel shmaltz and a trio of hideously canned, musical-by-the-numbers numbers from the vile rat kingdom’s Enchanted. We lurved Once and its soundtrack, and when it won we actually high-fived.

You might not have heard, but there was some question over the song’s eligibility for Oscar. The award is given to a song written specifically for a film, and in the time between the filming of Once and its release in theaters almost 2 years later, the song had popped up on two albums: Hansard’s band The Frames’ disc The Cost, and The Swell Season, a full-length collaboration between Hansard & Irglóvá. Thankfully, after discussing it with the filmmakers & the nominees and determining the timeline for the song’s creation, it was given the thumbs-up and it was included on the official ballots.

Here, now, are all three versions of the nearly-controversial Oscar-winner. The first is the winner from the film’s soundtrack; the second is an extremely similar one from The Swell Season, whose real differences are more vocal contributions from Irglova and an orchestral bridge; and the third is the fleshed-out, full-band version from The Frames, which, thanks to the pounded piano during the chorus, feels a little Chris Martin-influenced. All good stuff — enjoy:

Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová, “Falling Slowly” (mp3 — from the film Once)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová, “Falling Slowly” (mp3 — from The Swell Season)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

The Frames, “Falling Slowly” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)