Three SNL songs have won for outstanding original music & lyrics over the years.
Saturday Night Live has no fewer than eight songs in contention for outstanding original music & lyrics at this year’s Primetime Emmy Creative Arts Awards. The roster includes Maya Rudolph’s “Mothers Day Monologue,” in which she sings a “Vogue”-inspired song that pays tribute to the women of SNL as she strides through Studio 8H, and “Dune Popcorn Bucket,” in which the show that gave us “Dick in a Box” tries to top itself.
Four of the videos accompanying these songs feature major recording stars. Chris Stapleton shows personality and an unexpected flair for comedy in “Get That Boy Back.” Travis Scott is featured in “We Got Too High,” in which three kids are try in vain to keep up with the rap star’s marijuana use. Billie Eilish has some silly fun in “Tampon Farm.” Dave Grohl has a cameo as a minister at the end of “Lake Beach.”
These catchy and satirical songs are overseen by SNL’s music director Eli Brueggemann (who won in this category in 2018 for co-writing “Come Back Barack”) and music producer Jake Procanik.
Three SNL songs have won in this category over the years – “Dick in a Box,” the 2007 song from a Justin Timberlake-hosted episode that somehow managed to be both audacious and kinda sweet at the same time; “Justin Timberlake Monologue” (2011), in which JT sings a song about how he absolutely won’t sing that night; and “Come Back Barack,” a Boyz II Men-style ballad from a Chance the Rapper-hosted episode about how people in the Donald Trump years missed his more even-keeled predecessor.
SNL is currently tied with the annual Tony Awards telecast for having the most winners in this category. Three songs from the Tonys, all performed by host Neil Patrick Harris, won the award in 2012-14 – “It’s Not Just for Gays Anymore,” a sensational opening number from the 2011 show; “If I Had Time,” a very clever closing number from the 2012 show; and “Bigger!,” from the 2013 show, quite possibly the biggest opening number on any awards show ever. Who said less is more?
The outstanding original music & lyrics category originated in 1970. Notable winners over the years have included EGOT recipients Marvin Hamlisch and Robert Lopez; Broadway powerhouses Kander & Ebb and Lin-Manuel Miranda; Hot 100 chart-toppers Timberlake, Melanie, Walter Murphy, David Paich (Toto) and Ed Sheeran; and TV stars Seth MacFarlane, Sarah Silverman, Seth Meyers and Kenan Thompson.
Nominations for the 76th annual Primetime Emmy Awards will be announced on July 17. The 2024 Creative Arts Emmys will be held on Sept. 7-8 at the Peaco*ck Theater in Los Angeles. The primetime Emmy telecast will be held on Sept. 15 at the same venue.
Here you can watch the eight SNL songs that are in contention for this year’s Primetime Emmy for outstanding original music & lyrics.
“Lake Beach”
Music & Lyrics: James Austin Johnson, Andrew Dismukes, Streeter Seidell, Dan Bulla, Eli Brueggemann
Date: Oct. 28, 2023
Host/Musical guest: Nate Bargatze/Foo Fighters
Notes: This caricature of rural “bro country” was about a decade late, though the name of the supposed record label this song is released on (Red State Records) is clever. The stars of the country trio are host Bargatze and rep players James Austin Johnson and Andrew Dismukes. Dave Grohl, leader of the week’s musical guests, Foo Fighters, has a cameo.
“Rome Song”
Music & Lyrics: Streeter Seidell, Dan Bulla, Jake Procanik
Date: Nov. 18, 2023
Host/Musical guest: Jason Momoa/Tate McRae
Notes: Three women (rep players Ego Nwodim and Punkie Johnson and featured player Chloe Troast) wonder what their partners (guest star Momoa and rep players Kenan Thompson and Mikey Day) are thinking about.
“Tampon Farm”
Music & Lyrics:Kate McKinnon, Alison Gates, Eli Brueggemann
Date: Dec. 16, 2023
Host/Musical guest: Kate McKinnon/Billie Eilish
Notes: Eilish, Barbie director Greta Gerwig, former cast members Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig, and former, longtime SNL writer Paula Pell all pop up in the video, playing women who work on a tampon farm.
“Dune Popcorn Bucket”
Music & Lyrics: Dan Bulla, Steven Castillo, Jake Procanik
Date: Feb. 3, 2024
Host/Musical guest: Ayo Edebiri/Jennifer Lopez
Notes: AMC Theaters released alimited-edition sandworm popcorn bucketto tie into the release of Dune: Part Two. The bucket’s uncanny resemblance to a popular sex toy made it ripe for parody, none better than this video in which a teenager earnestly looks forward to his first time – with a popcorn bucket. Host Ayo Edebiri is featured, along with rep player Bowen Yang and featured players Marcello Hernández, Devon Walker and Chloe Troast.
“Airplane Song”
Music & Lyrics:Auguste White, Andrew Dismukes, Gary Richardson, Eli Brueggemann
Date: March 9, 2024
Host/Musical guest: Josh Brolin/Ariana Grande
Notes: Rep player Andrew Dismukes is very good in this highly relatable story of someone who, bored on a plane, watches someone else’s screen. Host Brolin is passenger whose space is being invaded.
“We Got Too High”
Music & Lyrics:John Higgins, Martin Herlihy, Ben Marshall, Dan Bulla, Jake Procanik
Date: March 30, 2024
Host/musical guest: Ramy Youssef, Travis Scott
Notes: Ben Marshall, John Higgins and Martin Herlihy (SNL staff writers who double as the comedy troupePlease Don’t Destroy) party with the week’s musical guest, Travis Scott.
“Get That Boy Back”
Music & Lyrics: Ben Marshall, Ceara O’Sullivan, Chloe Troast, John Higgins, EliBrueggemann
Date: April 13, 2024
Host/Musical guest: Ryan Gosling/Chris Stapleton
Notes: A group of women (rep players Ego Nwodim and Chloe Fineman and featured player Chloe Troast) sing about getting revenge on the men who done them wrong. The song owes a debt to Carrie Underwood’s car-scratching classic “Before He Cheats.” Stapleton, the week’s musical guest, has a funny part in the video.
“Mothers Day Monologue”
Music & Lyrics: Maya Rudolph, Auguste White, Mike DiCenzo, Jake Nordwind, Eli Brueggemann
Date: May 11, 2024
Host/Musical guest: Maya Rudolph/Vampire Weekend
Notes: Rudolph’s song, in which she pays homage to women at SNL over the years, owes a clear debt to Madonna’s 1990 classic “Vogue.”
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