It’s only been out for a little while, but The Super Mario Brothers Movie might already be a frontrunner for the Oscars. Well, for at least one category, anyway. Via Variety, we’ve learned that Bowser’s power ballad “Peaches,” sung by Jack Black in the Mario movie, will be eligible for Best Original Song at next year’s Oscars. The song is an ode to Bowser’s unrequited love, Princess Peach. Jack Black co-wrote this little ditty, along with the film’s directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic. Eric Osmond and John Spiker also contributed. If you haven’t heard it yet, you can watch the two music videos for “Peaches” and a live performance of the Super Mario tune from Jack Black right here:
The live version of “Peaches” is amazing. Jack Black performed it at the Game Awards 10-Year Concert. And as the above tweet notes, it was absolutely a highlight. But, of course, we love the music video version as well. Since the release of “Peaches'” official music video on April 7, The Super Mario Bros. Movie‘s song has received over 61 million views on YouTube. Incredible.
It even hit No. 2 on the trending page for music—over some pretty big pop acts, at that. And “Peaches” also emerged on the Billboard charts; the Mario song debuted at No. 83 on the Billboard Hot 100.
It seems no one can stop the power of Jack Black in a silly outfit doing an over-the-top power ballad.
Yes, Bowser’s song is very brief. It seems they know there’s such a thing as “too much of a good thing,” But regardless of how short it is, Jack Black manages to belt out the names of almost all the main characters in the movie. In “Peaches,” he sings “ Mario, Luigi, and a Donkey Kong, too. A thousand troops of Koopas couldn’t keep me from you.”
If “Peaches” gets an Oscar nod, it would not be the first time the Academy acknowledged a song at this level of silly. Back in 2000, they actually nominated “Blame Canada” from South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut for Best Original Song.
It didn’t win, losing out to Phil Collins’ song from Disney’s Tarzan. Here’s hoping this silly The Super Mario Bros. song receives a nomination in 2024 and that “Peaches” actually wins. If only so that we can hear a Jack Black acceptance speech at the Oscars.
Originally published on April 10, 2023.