Grammys Wrap-Up

February 12, 2007 – 5:30 pm |

I’m baaa-ack!  It’s been one million years since I posted, but because I am still fixated on it, feel I should discuss the Grammys with some of you out there.

I have been annoyed with the Grammys since 1989 when Jethro Tull beat Metallica in the brand new category for Hard Rock/Metal Performance. While the nominees as a whole are often sound choices, the winners are always head-scratchers.  Last night was no exception.

I am excited that the Dixie Chicks won some awards for their Post-Bush-Bash album, but I didn’t really expect them to win so many. They deserved to win Song of the Year (a songwriter’s award). I was surprised they won Country Album of the Year, as they have said they don’t consider themselves a country act anymore (they referred to themselves last night as ‘without a genre’) and much has been written about the fact that it was their country fans that were the most upset (in general, of course) with them. I am in full agreement that they deserve a lot of our love.  And respect. I want to send Natalie Maines an email commending her handling of this whole thing.  But I don’t think our love and respect should translate to Record of the Year.  Record of the Year should have gone to Gnarls Barkley, for the ubiquitous “Crazy.” How could it not have?  The song has been out less than a year, and has been covered more times than I can comprehend. It’s still in the top 20 downloads at iTunes.  Rolling Stone named it the best song of 2006. I am without understanding. 

And the show itself.  Usually, despite the headscratching wins, there are some pretty amazing performances. My faves of recent times are that version of “London Calling,” with Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Dave Grohl and Steven Van Zandt; and Melissa Ethridge (post-cancer treatment) and Joss Stone toasting Janis Joplin. Last night? Boring! That Police reunion?  Is it nostalgia that makes people go crazy for the Police? I was, like, 9 when they broke up, so I’ve never understood.  The reunion was all anyone talked about and then they open the show with one lame song. Ugh. Can we stop talking about them now? 

Edited to add: I completely forgot to talk about how God-awful Rascal Flatts were. Are they always like that? It burned my ears.