The Grammy Awards were on Sunday night, (2.14.11). I generally don't watch them, but this year, I was mildly curious. The show was rehaulded a few years back to focus primarily on performances and less on the Best-Animal-or-Vegetable-Featured-on-a-Long-Playing-Movie-Soundtrack type presentations that no one ever cared about or ever will.
A gaggle of divas opened up with a nice tribute to Aretha Franklin. It was almost pleasant just to watch performances even though I didn't care for most of the people that were on. Sometimes these production numbers get so overblown to the point that it's the little performances that ultimately stand out. How lovely was that tribute to Dolly Parton with John Mayer and Keith Urban on guitars and the hauntingly dreamy vocals of Ms. Nora Jones? The power of the voice and the guitar still rules.
Lady Gaga was one of the most anticipated performances of the night, for she was to debut her new song, "Born This Way". Everything about this song is shockingly appropriated; from the title ("Born That Way" -- James Maker) to the melody and bridge that was a sort of mash up of Madonna's "Express Yourself" and "Vogue". I just sat there slack jawed; it sounded like something the cast of "Glee" would have done, but with much more charm. After that "60 Minutes" interview, I wonder if the revelation about the pot-smoking and whiskey-sipping may be called into question as perhaps not the best way to write a song. Perhaps she should get a cat.
What's a Grammy show without digging up a few legends? Bob Dylan was unusually freewheeling; how could he not be with the excellent Mumford and Sons and Evett Brothers to back him up on the old chestnut "Maggie's Farm”? It was more rollicking than a Disney bear jamboree, minus the jug-blowers. My favorite performance of the night.
Mick Jagger was also quite a hoot. He performed in tribute to the late Solomon Burke. No hip-hop dancing; no fire breathers; no whirling dirvishes; just Mick in all his glory, like a force of nature. You just couldn't help but admire in awe.
No one till this day knows why Barbara Striesand felt the need to perform "Evergreen" for the billionth time. Perhaps she got wind of all those Lea Michele comparisons. No doubt that Babs will keep her crown just a little longer.
Lady Antebellum was the big winner of the night and rightly so. Arcade Fire was a nice surprise. Beiber and Eminem both had a good year, so no need for them to leave with pusses on their faces.
I think I will give my iTunes a visit and check out the Mumford and Sons album. I guess that's what the Grammys are really all about, right?
A gaggle of divas opened up with a nice tribute to Aretha Franklin. It was almost pleasant just to watch performances even though I didn't care for most of the people that were on. Sometimes these production numbers get so overblown to the point that it's the little performances that ultimately stand out. How lovely was that tribute to Dolly Parton with John Mayer and Keith Urban on guitars and the hauntingly dreamy vocals of Ms. Nora Jones? The power of the voice and the guitar still rules.
Lady Gaga was one of the most anticipated performances of the night, for she was to debut her new song, "Born This Way". Everything about this song is shockingly appropriated; from the title ("Born That Way" -- James Maker) to the melody and bridge that was a sort of mash up of Madonna's "Express Yourself" and "Vogue". I just sat there slack jawed; it sounded like something the cast of "Glee" would have done, but with much more charm. After that "60 Minutes" interview, I wonder if the revelation about the pot-smoking and whiskey-sipping may be called into question as perhaps not the best way to write a song. Perhaps she should get a cat.
What's a Grammy show without digging up a few legends? Bob Dylan was unusually freewheeling; how could he not be with the excellent Mumford and Sons and Evett Brothers to back him up on the old chestnut "Maggie's Farm”? It was more rollicking than a Disney bear jamboree, minus the jug-blowers. My favorite performance of the night.
Mick Jagger was also quite a hoot. He performed in tribute to the late Solomon Burke. No hip-hop dancing; no fire breathers; no whirling dirvishes; just Mick in all his glory, like a force of nature. You just couldn't help but admire in awe.
No one till this day knows why Barbara Striesand felt the need to perform "Evergreen" for the billionth time. Perhaps she got wind of all those Lea Michele comparisons. No doubt that Babs will keep her crown just a little longer.
Lady Antebellum was the big winner of the night and rightly so. Arcade Fire was a nice surprise. Beiber and Eminem both had a good year, so no need for them to leave with pusses on their faces.
I think I will give my iTunes a visit and check out the Mumford and Sons album. I guess that's what the Grammys are really all about, right?
