So...The Grammy's

[shadowkat]

Okay...the least interesting band and least interesting song, Arcade Fire won Record of the Year - which made no sense to me, because of the five nominated, they were the only one I did not like and gave me a headache. It's basically the same sound for 20 minutes. Also do not understand the appeal of Justin Bieber -- whose voice sounds like nails on a chalk-board and he looks like like a ten year old Shaun Cassidy, except less attractive. Are these pre-teens death and blind? Or just desperate?

Other head-scratching wins included "Lady Antebellum" repeatedly for "Need You Now" - which sounded like numerous songs I'd heard before. I do like them - they have smooth voices. But they aren't interesting.

Emminen's matchup with Rhiannon and Dr. Dre on Recovey, specifically "I Love the Way You Lie" - which I'd never heard before, blew me away. Fascinating song about abusive relationships and gender roles.
It had a lot to say. And it should be noted that I'm really not a rap fan. It won- one or two categories.

Lady Gaga's The Fame Monster won the one up against a lackluster bunch of competitors included the aforementioned Justin Bieber. Although Katy Perry is admittedly fun.

What I found hilarious and highly annoying was when the network kept cutting the sound on numbers that used foul language, specifically the word "Fuck". We need to get past this insane sensitivity to words, folks. It's just silly. I mean, if you can handle someone firing a gun a someone on stage,
beating someone up, or setting things ablaze in a violent manner - you can handle the word Fuck.
People give these words far more power than they deserve. (The two numbers were the Muppets/Gwenyth Paltrow and Ceilo was nominated (can't remember) for the song "Otherwise Called Forget You Now" (Fuck You Now) - its a song that basically makes fun of our problems with words and how words can be used as weapons. Forget You does not nearly have the same violence as Fuck You for example.
Hilariously effective song. The other one was I Love the Way You Lie - which had Emimen's rape firing a barrage of curse words - it's an angry duet filled with passion and longing, and the violent impossibility of desire. The curse words are necessary to it. Some days I just want to smack the PTC and FCC upside the head in the states for being nitwits. Apparently they have no problems letting their kids and adults watch people torture, maim, rape, kill, and beat up each other - but songs expressing anger through words scare them?

(I'm guessing from Jamie Fox's introduction of the Forget You Song - I'm not alone in this sentiment.)

The best performances?

*The Aretha Franklin Homage at the beginning.
*Katy Perry's Valentine songs
*Bruno/Jenette/Uther's Beautiful Girls medley
*Averly Brothers, Mumford, and Bob Dylan's folk medley ending with "I'm Not Gonna Work for Maggie's Farm No More".
* Muse's nominated song
* Emmimen/Dr. Dre/Rhiannon's Love the Way You Lie
*Jagger's salute to Solomon
*Norah Jones/Keith Urbane/John Mayer's salute to Dolly Parton - Joliene (which I liked better than Parton's rendition)
*Gwenyth Paltrow/the guy nominated/the Muppets - Forget You/Fuck You Song (fun)
*Miranda Lambert's The Home We Built - moving, but it did remind me of why I'm not a country music fan generally speaking - can't deal with the raspy nasality of their voices or what is called "twang". Twang...not my thing.

The most boring?
*Barbara Striesand (I'm admittedly not a fan of the song Evergreen - the first twenty times I heard it was fine, now I find it a bit silly. Prefer "The Way We Were" - which I wish she'd done instead.)
*Lady Antebellum's Tribute to Pendergrass (and I actually like Lady Antebellum but they were dull)
*Arcade Fire
*Justin Bieber and Usher (also the most head-ache and cringe inducing, making me very very happy I do not have children and do not work with children. I thought Barney and the Hansons were bad. Bieber makes the Jonas Brothers, the Hansons, and Barney look pretty good in comparison.)
*Lady Gaga's new song (I liked the song but found the performance duller than usual)

Overall, surprisingly entertaining. Although I kept wondering if I missed a performance by Lady Gaga - because they kept showing her singing Bad Romance in a green costume with a mask - which I never saw. Did they have performances that weren't televised?

Here's the video link to I Love the Way You Lie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uelHwf8o7_U

A fascinating song about an abusive relationship from both sides, the man and woman. A painful love song that rips through you.

And here's the one for Muse's Grammy Performance of "Uprising":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9p4GZDY9lrI or go here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vk8MK_Zhuk

Others of note:

* Lady Gaga emerging from an egg at the Grammy's - I like the song, but thought the performance sort of dull.

http://www.iviewtube.com/v/177972

Or just try and go here: http://www.youtube.com/user/thegrammys

Comments

[embers-log.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid I thought that Lady Gaga's new song was very derivative of Madonna's old songs in both song and performance...
but basically I thought the show was more entertaining than usual. I was a little disappointed that the cast of Glee didn't get to come out and sing.

And I agree, the homage to Aretha was really something special.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

I think her song is supposed to be a riff on Vogue. She uses the same
musical phraseology and notes. But with a twist. Gaga likes to comment on other pop culture hits and often satirize them, which amuses me. (apparently I know more about music than I thought.)
At any rate - how can you dislike lyrics that tell society and peers to frak off and be happy to be born the way you are? ;-)

At any rate - I didn't expect the cast from Glee to perform...although I admittedly would have enjoyed it (but that's sort of giving a shout out to a competing network television series - the Grammy's were held on CBS. If this had been on Fox - they might have done it. Note the presenters were mainly from CBS tv shows - they had NCIS). But regardless, it does make sense that the cast from Glee was not invited to come and sing - note they didn't do a homage to Julie Andrews either - the Grammy's is an awards show focusing mainly on the recording industry or people who are mainly musicians. It tends to avoid tv shows. It's the same reason - you are unlikely to see Mick Jagger or Lady Gaga performing on the Emmy's.

[embers-log.livejournal.com]

Well it does make more sense that the similarity to 'Vogue' was intentional and not accidental...

The Glee cast did have a nominated album and have been selling huge on iTunes, so I thought it would have been appropriate to recognize them for their contributions beyond just being a TV show... but I guess just being nominated was recognition enough since they are basically still actors who sing & dance.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

I could be wrong of course about Gaga - but I don't think so. Noticed a pattern emerging - her Telephone with Beyonce - had that same feel of satire. And her performance with Elton John on Fame Monster last year - which was in part a satire and homage to Elton.
She seems to like to poke at pop culture. While Brittany Spears just shamelessly copied Madonna and had no idea what she was doing.
Gaga has more raw "musical" talent than Madonna - so will most likely go further, if she is smart enough to redefine herself when necessary.

The Glee cast did have a nominated album and have been selling huge on iTunes, so I thought it would have been appropriate to recognize them for their contributions beyond just being a TV show... but I guess just being nominated was recognition enough since they are basically still actors who sing & dance.

They weren't nominated enough to warrant a slot. I noticed the one's who got the performing slots were nominated numerous times. Unlike the Emmys and the Oscars - the Grammy's is pretty much about the musical performances, and those slots are competitive. Striesand was person of the year - otherwise it's unlikely she'd have performed.

Note - of the Glee cast - only Lea Michele (Rachel) and Matthew Morrison presented, they were also the only ones asked to perform at the Tony's. While at the Emmy's and Globes - the whole cast got to. Makes sense - Lea and Morrison are the only two who have a recording contract and have performed outside of Glee. Everyone else only performs with the Glee cast or in association with. And they introduced both Lea and Matt as recording artists on Grammy's and as Broadway vets on the Tony's - they vaguely, if at all referenced Glee. Keep in mind - that performing on this show gives the artists excellent exposure - and the possibility of more people buying their albums or songs. There's no way the Grammy producers are going to give competitive slots like that to a tv show. I wouldn't. Bad business. Particularly if you want to grab top-notch people like Bob Dylan and Mick Jagger.

[embers-log.livejournal.com]

I didn't know Madonna's music well enough to say how close I thought 'Born That Way' was...
but this guy is singing 'Express Yourself' to Lady Gaga's new song and it really shows how close they are:

(I'm just sending this because I think it is funny, and Jane Espenson tweeted it)

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

It was Express Yourself - not Vogue. I get the two confused. Madonna is such a repetitive performer.

Did you see Lady Gaga on 60 minutes? Bright lady. She's studied at NYU first, took psychology and sociology and in depth research on fame and it's effects on people.

Sorry, I like Gaga, not as derivative and repetitive as some other artists that I won't mention.

[embers-log.livejournal.com]

Oh please don't get me wrong: I really like Lady Gaga, I love the song 'Bad Romance' and I was never a fan of Madonna, who I always thought was over rated...
but the new song is not Lady Gaga's best work (in my opinion).

[ann1962]

But they aren't interesting.

This was my view of most of the acts. Just no pep. They all seemed tired.

I liked the Aretha homage, but I would have liked her singing the songs more. I understand why she couldn't. If felt a little long.