bob lefsetz on the grammy's

The Dixie Chicks? What kind of crazy fucked up world do we live in where “Not Ready To Make Nice” wins Record Of The Year? What next, Harry Reid elected PRESIDENT?

Speaking of politics, NARAS has insured at least a decade of bashing by the Republicans as a result of the Chick trifecta. You’d think they’d vote for something a little more right wing, or the black woman, you can’t criticize a black victory, at least not in PUBLIC!

But you take the most left-leaning act in recent memory, with an album that half the country REFUSES to listen to, and you give them ALL the awards. Smart.

But it’s worse. “Not Ready To Make Nice” is not a hit record. Oh, it’s pleasant, you can tap your toe to it, but a HIT is something indelible, something you get on the first listen, something you can sing EVERY WORD of thirty years later, FORTY! Hell, I heard “Ode To Billie Joe” on the way home from KLSX, I know more about Choctaw Ridge than anything that happened on “Take The Long Way”, even though I don’t own the oldie and I’m not even sure Bobby Gentry is ALIVE!

I heard “Crazy” for the first time a block from my house. I RAN from the garage into the house to download it.

I streamed “Not Ready To Make Nice” once on my computer, and I haven’t played it again SINCE!

Come on, even YOU’RE BEAUTIFUL was both a bigger hit and a better SONG! At least people are playing it at weddings, most people have never HEARD “Not Ready To Make Nice”.

At least “Put Your Records On” is CATCHY!

But no, we’ve got to give the award to the act with the brand name. This would be like giving the Oscar to…”Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men’s Chest”. It’s RECOGNIZABLE, it’s just not CLASSIC!

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