Okay, let me start by saying I like Taylor Swift. Really. She’s a great songwriter and a decent singer. I think she’s a great role model for young girls, especially with creatures like the barely-clothed Lady Gaga and the prematurely promiscuous Miley Cyrus running around out there. But I have a problem with some of the Grammys she won on Sunday. Let’s start with Best Country Album for Fearless.

Um… Define “country,” please.

Since when is Taylor countrier than George Strait?!? His Twang disc is one of the albums Taylor beat out in this category. I kinda thought (and hoped) that the Zac Brown Band’s The Foundation would nab this particular trophy. Also nominated was Lee Ann Womack’s Call Me Crazy. While not a commercial success, Lee Ann is a Grammy Darlin’, and her latest CD definitely is traditional, old-school, make-no-mistake COUNTRY. As much as I love, love, love Keith Urban, Defying Gravity wasn’t Grammy-worthy. Keith was the fifth nominee here.

Taylor also won the Grammy for Best Female Country Performance, for her song “White Horse.” I’m surprised that this song was nominated at all. It’s my least favorite song she’s ever released. I pretty much liked every other one of her songs except this one. Taylor sounds downright whiny when she laments: “I’m not a princess, this ain’t a fairy tale…” Oh, cry me a river, Taylor!

Okay, okay… Let’s look at it this way; maybe you think it’s a great song. But is it worthy of beating out the following nominated songs??? Lee Ann Womack, “Solitary Thinkin’,” Martina McBride, “I Just Call You Mine,” Miranda Lambert, “Dead Flowers,” and Carrie Underwood, “Just A Dream.” I’m glad I didn’t bet on the outcome of that contest, because I would have lost everything! I’d have put Taylor dead last.

Even worse, “White Horse” won the Grammy for Best Country Song!!! WHAAAAT???!!?? How is “White Horse” a better country song than Billy Currington’s “People Are Crazy”? “Crazy” is right! Miss Swift’s winning ballad also beat songs by Trace Adkins, Jamey Johnson and Lady Antebellum.

Last but not least, Taylor swept up the Grammy for all-genre Album of the Year, another shocker. Is she really talented enough, artistic enough or great enough to beat out the Black Eyed Peas, Beyonce, Lady Gaga (well, I’ll give her that one) and the Dave Matthews Band??? That is highly debatable. BTW, Taylor is the youngest artist ever to win the Album of the Year Grammy, at age twenty. (The previous record holder was Alanis Morissette, who was 21 when her “Jagged Little Pill” took top honors in 1996. Now THAT was an album!)

At this rate, I’m surprised that Ol’ Swifty didn’t take home the Best Rap Song trophy for “Thug Story,” the parody she performed with T-Pain on the CMT Awards. I heard a rumor that Taylor’s planning to clone herself so that she can be eligible for the Best Country Performance by Group or Duo trophy next year. Maybe the Grammy folks can add a new category next year, to open up the playing field a little bit. Might I suggest a “Best Album by an Artist Other Than Taylor Swift” Grammy?

Also, I did not understand the duet with Stevie Nicks. Was the purpose to introduce Nicks to a younger generation? Or was is to prove that Taylor can’t sing much better than an American Idol Top 30 castoff? Because listening to the audio without any visual distractions, I cringed. FYI, the song they performed, “Rhiannon,” was a #1 hit in 1976… 24 years before Taylor was born! And Stevie Nicks’ last solo hit was the Top 20 “Rooms on Fire” in 1989, when Taylor was in vitro.

I should probably say something positive after all that. I am happy that Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum and the Zac Brown Band each won a Grammy. There.

That’s all, folks!

Take It Easy,

Cricket
Listen to “The Morning Splash” with me & James Pond, weekday mornings on Froggy 97! (97.5 FM). We also stream live at www.froggy97.com.

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