Grammys-best and worst highlights
The Grammys this year was, in a word, awesome. How awesome was it? Let me count the ways (in no particular order):
1. Jamie Foxx and T-Pain and Slash and Foxx’s excellent sister and Robert Downey, Jr., introducing them. The introduction alone was awesome-two opera singers supposedly injecting “class” into the proceedings, followed by Foxx belting out the opening lines to “Blame It” like one of The Four Tenors.
2. Pink’s trapeze performance-she had intertwined trapeze arts into her tour last year, so it was only fitting for her to keep the circus funhouse theme going, except this time, she included water. She was so professional-looking as a trapeze artist that she got a standing ovation.
3. Lady Gaga performing with Elijah “Seaweed” Kelley from Hairspray and legend Elton John-it was great enough to see the random inclusion of theatrical Kelley as the mean CEO of The Fame Factory and to hear Gaga remix her song “Poker Face” to sound like the beginning of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”, but it was awe-inspring when she performed with Elton John. You could tell that she truly idolized the man, and included niceties to him in their performance of “Speechless/Your Song”.
4. Beyonce wigging out before and to the Michael Jackson 3D tribute, rocking the 3D glasses and Jackson’s kids accepting his Lifetime Achievement Award for him. These were about one of the only good parts of that tribute, but more on that later.
5. David Forster, Mary J. Blige, and Andrea Bocelli singing for Haiti relief-it was a nice, solemn, but elegant portion of the night. Mary J. possibly sounded the best she’s sounded in a long time-her voice had touches of Aretha Franklin grittiness in it which was refreshing to hear from her. Remember that downloading the performance from iTunes will allow you to donate to the Red Cross.
6. Bon Jovi’s first performance on The Grammys with Jennifer Nettles from Sugarland.
7. The inspiring performance by Dave Matthews Band, with the help of a choir and string section (including an erhu!)
8. Beyonce mixing up “If I Were a Boy” with Alanis Morrisette’s “You Oughta Know”. In other Beyonce news, her acceptance speech dress was chain mail? And the fact that she was nervous, even though she’s won a gazillion Grammys, was very disarming and charming.
9. Legend Roberta Flack singing “Where is the Love” with Maxwell.
10. The rockabilly tribute to guitar legend Les Paul
11. Quentin Tarantino (He was nominated for a Grammy-what was he nominated for?) crazy intro for Drake (who is nominated for two Grammys without even releasing an album yet), Lil Wayne, Travis Barker on drums(!) and Eminem, one of my hip-hop heroes. About one half of their performance was bleeped out with long bouts of silence, though, prompting my mom to say, “They make some nasty songs.” Drake is also beginning to be one of my hip-hop heroes–he may have started out on teeny-bopper Degrassi, but he’s one of the best teen actors-turned-singers in the industry right now. Bonus points go to Jamie Foxx rapping along and videtaping it on his cell phone camera and Taylor Swift also showing her rapping chops by reciting and bouncing along with other members of the standing crowd.
With video, ignore the lady announcing over Tarantino. I guess in the country she’s from, they showed the uncensored version, and this was the only way to get it on YouTube.
Even though it was an awesome night, there are some things that weren’t so awesome…
1. The performance of “21 Guns” by Green Day and the cast of Green Day-inspired musical American Idiot. I know it’s a Broadway musical, but the singers were just being a bit too theatrical with their singing. They could’ve dirtied up a bit to fit in with Green Day.
2. The 3D tribute to Michael Jackson featuring Celine Dion, Usher, Jennifer Hudson, Carrie Underwood, and Smokey Robinson. The “Earth Song” tribute should’ve stayed focused more on the footage behind the singers, and the footage-a girl playing in the jungle-should’ve been a bit more exciting. The footage is supposedly something Jackson made for his “This is It” tour. I thought for the Grammys, the 3D bit was going to be very exciting, like us seeing a walking, singing image of Michael Jackson alongside the singers or something like that, but no.
(Get your 3D glasses if you still have ‘em!)
3. Taylor Swift’s duet with Stevie Nicks from Fleetwood Mac. It was less than stellar, to say the least. Swift’s vocals weren’t-and haven’t ever been-up to par for live performances, and that was the case tonight. Which bleeds into something I’ll lead you with-Taylor Swift winns the album of the year against Beyonce, Lady Gaga, The Black Eyed Peas, and The Dave Matthews Band. She was gracious and excited about it, but make of this what you will.
What did you think?
Excellent recap for people like me who missed the whole show. I love that Jamie Foxx performance!
Hey. Bill from work told me that singer with Jeff Beck doing the rockabilly tribute was named Imelda May. He send me a link 4 her at: http://www.imeldamay.com
I’ll check out her Cd & get back 2 u & let u know what I think!
Glad you liked it! I added more videos, so check back if you’d like to see them.
okey doke.