Last night Barack Obama won Maine and a Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album for “The Audacity Of Hope: Thoughts On Reclaiming The American Dream.” He must be delighted that he defeated perennial nominees Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter. This is Obama’s second Grammy.
Of course, the Clintons have three Grammys on their mantel. Bill won two spoken word Grammys (2004 Spoken Word Album and 2003 Spoken Word Album for Children). Hillary won a Spoken Word Grammy in 1996 for “It Takes A Village.”
Slayer won the Grammy for Best Metal Performance. If you don’t own Slayer’s album “Christ Illusion” (and why wouldn’t you?), here are some lyrics from their Grammy winning, anti-war song “Final Six.”
Surrender your cloth and collar priest
There’s no need for your beliefs in war
This is a place for heathens
Into that darkness fires illuminate
Grotesquely swollen by the heat
A half-burned corpse hanging naked
A stream is poisoned by the dead
In ghostly light, debris of war
Drug addicts everywhere are rejoicing that Amy Winehouse (5 Grammys including Best New Artist) and Willie Nelson (with Ray Price for Best Country Collaboration With Vocals) are Grammy winners.
Finally, let me end on a positive note. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss won a Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals Grammy for “Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On).” I believe this is Krauss’s 21st Grammy, the most by any female performer. She is an outstanding musician and deserves every Grammy that she’s been awarded.
