See how I leave with every piece of you. Don’t underestimate the things that I will do.” – Rolling in the Deep. We watched the Grammys on Sunday night, the family and I. It wasn’t my plan to sit in front of the TV for how ever long the show ran on, not really being that interested in long acceptance speeches and rap music, which I mistakenly believed was still the main musical genre of the day. So I turned on the DVR, in case they brought back an oldie I could relate to, one that might transport me back to the long ago Seventies.
I started walking out of the room and almost made it when LL Cool J (an abbreviation for Ladies Love Cool James), the host who I thought did a pretty good job, introduced ‘The Boss,’ and I was hooked for the night.
The E Street Band, minus the great Clarence Clemons who passed away last June, can still bring it. But whenever I watch them I can’t help seeing Steven Van Zandt as Silvio, Tony Soprano’s consigliere. It’s only a minor distraction and far from a bad one.
When they finished, I still had a hope to escape but kept watching as Bruno Mars and his band were introduced. I’d never heard of Mars until that moment but could not look away as he seemed to channel all the best of Little Richard, James Brown, Elvis and Prince. My friend ‘Kingbossdaddy’ Davis said it best on Facebook when the set ended: “Bruno Mars – Mercy!”
And my hopes for old timers came true when The Beach Boys were solid with their timeless “Good Vibrations.” Brian Wilson looked a little lost behind the keyboard, but as one of the world’s great all time songwriters, I guess he’s earned it. Paul McCartney came on later. McCartney will turn 70 on June 18, two days before Wilson hits the same age.
My next favorite moment of the show was probably the colorful and lyrical Target commercial, “louette.” I think Nicki Minaj could get some help from the Target creative team with that alter-ego “Roman” thing she did, but that’s just me.
As much as I loved Bruno Mars, he had to feel like his timing was terrible. The same probably goes for Bon Iver, Mumford and Sons and Kanye West, who all had songs nominated for the best of the year. Unfortunately for them, so did a 23-year old from North London named Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, who won the award for “Rolling in the Deep.” I think Adele won every category she was nominated in because she seemed to be on the stage more than LL Cool J. The first time she spoke, I was surprised at the cockney Eliza Doolittle sounding gratitude’s that poured from her mouth. But when she performed the winning song, all the other great performances of the night were overshadowed, as most from the last decade would have been, too. Let me echo the young singer in saying to a higher power for her great talent – “Fank you, fank you very much.”
•••
Here is the best email I received this past week. It came from my friend Jim Liles in Searcy, who knows my longtime angst with the maddening game of golf. (Try hard not to read any politics into this; I just thought it was funny.)
“I am a member of golf’s 99 percent. I play golf, but have not yet made it to the professional level. I have played the game for over 40 years, but have not really put in the practice time and study to be the best. I also probably do not have the skills to really get there, either. However, I now feel that I should be paid by the successful professionals for trying. It isn’t fair that those players who have worked harder, have studied the game, have better equipment and are stronger and more skilled should make all that money. Oh, sure, they have their charities that they give millions of dollars to, but I am sure that they write all that off on their tax returns to reduce paying their fair share. Is that fair? They should pay for my golf, buy me new equipment and pay me some of their winnings. The system should be changed to accommodate people like me and you! Let’s occupy a golf course and demand that those who are exceptional at what they do pay for us who aren’t.”