49 songs qualify for Oscar race

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Forty-nine songs from eligible movies are contending for three to five Oscar nominations in the Original Song category, it was announced in Beverly Hills.

Eleven of the possible nominees come from the "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" soundtrack, including "A Night to Remember," "Can I Have This Dance," "Walk Away," "Now or Never," "Scream," "Right Here Right Now," "High School Musical," "The Boys Are Back," "Just Getting Started," "Just Wanna Be with You" and "I Want It All."

Also eligible to be shortlisted in the Original Song Oscar category are the title songs from the films "Gran Torino," "Nothing but the Truth," "Trouble the Water," "Yes Man" and "The Wrestler."

The other original songs that could get an Oscar nod are "Another Way to Die" from "Quantum of Solace;" "Barking at the Moon" from "Bolt;" "Broken and Bent" from "Role Models;" "By the Boab Tree" from "Australia" and "The Call" from "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian."

Additional songs that made the first cut are "Chase the Morning," "Chromaggia" and "Zydrate Anatomy," all from "Repo! The Genetic Opera;" "The Code of Life" from "My Dream;" "Code of Silence" from "Save Me;" "Count on Me" from "The Women;" "Di Notte" from "The Lodger;" "Djoyigbe" from "Pray the Devil Back to Hell;" "Down to Earth" from "WALL-E" and "Dracula's Lament" from "Forgetting Sarah Marshall."

Those songs will also compete for nominations with "Drive" from "Fuel;" "Forever" from "They Killed Sister Dorothy;" "I Thought I Lost You" from "Bolt;" "In Rodanthe" from "Nights in Rodanthe;" "It Ain't Right" from "Dark Streets;" "Jai Ho" from "Slumdog Millionaire;" "Little Person" from "Synecdoche, New York;" "The Little Things" from "Wanted;" "O Saya" from "Slumdog Millionaire;" "Once in a Lifetime" from "Cadillac Records;" "Right to Dream" from "Tennesee;" "Rock Me Sexy Jesus" from "Hamlet 2;" "The Story" from "My Blueberry Nights;" "Sweet Ballad" from "Yes Man;" "Too Much Juice" from "Dark Streets;" "The Traveling Song" from "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa;" "Up to Our Nex" from "Rachel Getting Married" and "Waterline" from "Pride and Glory."

The 81st Academy Awards nominations are to be announced Jan. 22. The winners will be named at a ceremony Feb. 22.