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Mark Brown's Grammy blog

By Mark Brown, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published February 10, 2008 at 9:15 p.m.
Updated February 10, 2008 at 10:46 p.m.

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Kanye West, shown performing at the Concert for Diana at Wembley Stadium in London, won best rap solo performance for "Stronger," best rap song for "Good Life" and best rap performance by a duo or group for his collaboration with Common on "Southside."

Photo by Dave Hogan © Getty Images/2007

Kanye West, shown performing at the Concert for Diana at Wembley Stadium in London, won best rap solo performance for "Stronger," best rap song for "Good Life" and best rap performance by a duo or group for his collaboration with Common on "Southside."

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Are they purposely trying to show us how weak popular music was in 2008? The first hour of the Grammy Awards pitted classic performances versus pale modern-day ones: Frank Sinatra with Alicia Keys, Morris Day and the Time with Rihanna, classic Beatles with cover versions.

7 p.m.: Alicia Keys shows that bad ideas know no era, performing a duet with footage of Frank Sinatra that found Keys annoyingly overwrought, Sinatra classically understated. An underwhelming opening after past years with the likes of Prince — a point underscored when Prince presented an award a few minutes later.

7:04 p.m.: Carrie Underwood channels Nancy Sinatra (and her boots) in her get-up for Before He Cheats. If the next three hours are like this, kill me now.

7:16 p.m.: The Time perform a scintillating Jungle Love, then back Rihanna as she vocally hacks her way through the far less challenging Umbrella.

7:22 p.m.: Tom Hanks notes “tonight we honor the power of the Beatles” with a Cirque Du Soleil dance to A Day in the Life, followed by an overwrought (word of the night) cover of Let It Be. The irony: Paul McCartney released his best album in years in 2007 yet lost his nominations to the likes of Justin Timberlake and Amy Winehouse before the Grammy show even started.

7:34 p.m.: Jason Bateman hosts the People’s Grammys outside, noting that John Paul Jones will join the Foo Fighters — “from Led Zeppelin, for the morons.”

7:46: Hey Mama, Kanye West’s moving tribute to his late mother with altered lyrics, is the best part of the night so far.

7:54 p.m.: The Beatles win a Grammy for Love, 38 years after splitting up. “We miss those guys a hell of a lot,” producer George Martin says of John Lennon and George Harrison.

8:01 p.m.: Cher gets off the best self-deprecating line of the night: “I first started singing when Lincoln was president.”

8:02 p.m.: Beyonce gives the show a much-needed shot of energy, albeit in an obviously lip-synced intro for Tina Turner. Turner then schools the crowd with What’s Love Got To Do With It? and a stunning Better Be Good To Me.

8:07 p.m.: Finally the modern and the vintage sync up: Beyonce and Turner tear up Proud Mary, and a torch is passed. Even better: In the audience is a beaming John Fogerty, who wrote the song.

8:22 p.m.: The Foo Fighters tear the place up with The Pretender, hottest rock performance so far.

8:26 p.m.: A tease promises “the performance everyone is waiting for from Any Winehouse.” What, is she going to pass a drug test?

8:32 p.m.: Incongruous moment of the night: Comedian George Lopez makes a couple of political jokes, then introduces Brad Paisley and his pedestrian hit Ticks.

8:37 p.m.: With the best rap album award we’re reminded that rap wasn’t recognized as a category until 1989. Kanye West wins, but he should give the statue to pioneers Public Enemy for It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. In accepting, West happens to mention that he deserves to win the as-yet undecided album of the year Grammy.

8:43 p.m.: Aretha Franklin again shows how it’s done, with the best vocals of the night and a stunning turn from trombone band Madison Bumble Bees.

8:56 p.m.: OK, a new incongruous moment of the night: country singer Dierks Bentley takes the stage with classic songwriter Carole King to give banjo legend Earl Scruggs a lifetime achievement award as they introduce Canadian singer Feist — all in about 40 seconds. Then Keely Smith sings That Old Black Magic with Kid Rock and Dave Koz. Is LSD making a comeback?

9:10 p.m.: Stevie Wonder introduces Alicia Keys, who redeems her earlier weak performance with a blistering No One, despite painful-looking silver glittery earrings one could use for a game of horseshoes. John Mayer adds a particularly hot guitar solo, making one think he has taken Frank Zappa’s advice: Shut Up and Play Yer Guitar.

9:16 p.m.: Ringo Starr and Dave Stewart, looking eerily like twins, present the best country album award to Vince Gill’s ambitious These Days. Gill gets off the best line of the night: “I just got an award given to me by a Beatle. Have you had that happen yet, Kanye?” West laughs, but Vince should hire someone to start his car for the next few weeks.

9:33 p.m.: Rihanna notes that “Dad, I know I promised you I’d give you my first Grammy, but we might have to fight for this one.”

9:41 p.m.: Finally. A very clear-eyed, healthy and focused Amy Winehouse pulls off the performance many thought impossible — a riveting version of Rehab, due in no small part to her crack backing band (no pun intended).

9:48 p.m.: Record of the year goes to Winehouse. One hopes her amazing success is impetus to keep living well. Her scattered acceptance comments gives one pause.

9:56 p.m.: This show should end now, but we have the lame obligatory speech from the head of the Grammys. Can you name him? No. Does he say anything new? No. Do they start the exit music early to make him stop? Sadly, no.

10:01 p.m.: A tribute to those who died. Sad to lose John Stewart, Luther Ingram and Pavarotti.

10:24 p.m.: Will.I.Am does Mack the Knife, Strangers in the Night and Don’t Worry Be Happy to introduce the album of the year. Didn’t I wish for death about three hours ago?

10:27 p.m.: I was joking earlier about LSD; now I’m not so sure. In the biggest, most insane (and welcome) upset since T Bone Burnett won the 2002 Album of the Year for O Brother Where Art Thou, Herbie Hancock wins for River: The Joni Letters, a star-studded tribute to the songs of Joni Mitchell. Herbie Hancock won album of the year for 2007. Amazing.

Comments

  • February 11, 2008

    11:50 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    I_Slay_The_Dragon writes:

    Ah, intelligent AND acerbic...MARK BROWN, for President.

  • February 19, 2008

    10:29 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    redwhiteandBLUE writes:

    Does anyone know if and when they will re-run the 2008 Grammys again? I missed it. When, where, channel, cable, local? Any info
    greatly appreciated.