The Grammy Awards
TheU.S. economy may be $750 billion hurt (at least) but there is a newAfrican-American President who dreams almost as big as John Lennon andat the Grammy’s that means, people will even believe Neil Diamond whenhe says good times never seemed so good.
He can talk because he just scored his first number 1 album.
NeilDiamond’s timely Grammy appearance have coincided with the newlyheralded era of Democratic dreaming (even though someone did say theyheard it at McCain rally) or maybe even signifies a flamboyant returnof the descendants from the original dreamers. Remember CarolineKennedy?
And the Grammy’s last year showed us that music caneven draw punk rock bands like Green Day into award-winninginterpretations of politics.
But this year’s biggest politicalstatement wasn’t from a musician – in fact Will.i.am only saidcongratulations to Obama, Chris Martin seemed to say they aren’t a realrock band (he seemed to be embarrassed about upstaging metal headsMetallica for Rock Album of the Year) and Kanye only rapped about thecharm of a hip hop bling king’s swagger.
Rather, this year’s biggest political statement at the Grammy’scame from the President of the foundation itself. He awarded Obama twoGrammy’s in an analogy of attempted wit and irony and seemed to pipe inan anachronistic contribution to the yes-we-can campaign. Did no onetell him, Obama has already won the Presidential race?
Moreimportantly, he recommended the creation of a cabinet posting topromote U.S. arts internationally – never mind that Rock Album of theYear, Album of the Year, Record of the Year and Best New Artist wereall awarded to British artists this year. Or maybe he said to promotein the US the international arts?
This year’s Grammy’s however,didn’t fail to thrill music lovers the world over. Once again, thegoose bumps would rise with every ovation and the true music loverwould feel their passion being reignited inside, as we see and hear howmany amazing sounds and amazing moments and amazing messages music cancreate in just one night.
Whether it’s the drum-laden musicalgenius of 15 steps by Radiohead; or generation-bridging tribute fromJamie Foxx to the Four Tops; whether it’s M.I.A. putting her due dateon hold, to bounce her very pregnant belly with Kanye, Jay-Z and othersto a collaboration of Paper Planes and Swagger Like Us; or Sir PaulMcCartney teaming up with Dave Groel for a cracking version of I SawHer Standing There; or Lil Wayne’s not-so-little tribute to the BigEasy; in one night, music could bridge any difference in time, country,age or belief.
It could make the young believe that youth can beas powerful as Adele’s voice. And old can be as unifying as a NeilDiamond classic.
In times when the world struggles with thedefinitions of terror, and benchmarks for economic stability, all wecan hope for is that people do dare to dream as big as John Lennon oncedid. So, in the words of Lil Wayne, beat don’t fail me now.
Song of the Year: "Viva la Vida" Coldplay
Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals: "Rich Woman," Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, track from "Raising Sand" (Rounder)
Best Rock Album: "Viva La Vida" Coldplay
Best New Artist: Adele
Record of the Year: "Please Read The Letter," Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
Best Pop Vocal Performance: "Say," John Mayer; track from "Continuum" (Columbia)
Album of the Year: "Raising Sand," Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
Rap Album of the Year: "Tha Carter III," Lil Wayne
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