Speechless/Your Song by Lady Gaga & Elton John

Man the Grammy’s just keep getting more painful to watch every year but there is hope.

Unlike the the CMA, the Grammy's seems more concerned with spectacle as opposed to the art of music. The amazing Grammy moments in the past weren't memorable because of insane stage effects or mountains of dancers. They were great because of the music.

It’s always been about the music like Ella Fitzgerald scatting right while presenting a Grammy.



btw, this really is the greatest thing EVER.

And Neil Diamond and Barbara Streisand performing "You Don't Bring Me Flowers " for the first time.



. . . yeah, isn’t the greatest thing ever but this performance always gets to me.

These moments featured artists doing what they did best at an amazing level and yes, the music industry has changed. Artists do big stage productions during tours and have high-budget music videos but at the same time, what is meaningful, what is significant is still the music.

Probably the worst part of the Grammy’s was the Michaela Jackson tribute. I mean no disrespect to Michael Jackson, but the 3D tribute performance of "Earth Song" was gimmicky and came across as silly, especially when you saw people in the Grammy audience wearing 3D glasses.

Now maybe it the stuff on the screens were in 3D for the Grammy audience but I doubt it was at an Avatar level. Honestly, the MTV Music Video Music Awards Tribute focusing on his art as opposed to his philanthropy is much more palatable and appropriate.

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Janet dancing with her brother one last time. . . wow.

I'll give the Grammy's credit, even in the modern age of the show there have been some truly amazing performances. Melissa Ethe ridge singing "Piece Of My Heart" became an inspiring statement of her triumph over breast cancer (which I covered in this earlier post).



This year the most significant moments wasn't the SWAT team that came in with Beyonce or the lackluster performance of "Rhianna" with Taylor Swift and Stevie Nicks, but it was Lady Gaga and Elton John's duet that truly left me breathless.



After a performance of her hit “Poker Face,” Lady Gaga got dumped into the “Fame Factory” and emerged singed with singing at a piano with Elton sitting across from her. As the camera panned over to Elton wearing Gaga like glasses we were reminded that once upon a time Elton wore things just as crazy as Gaga did.

However, we dealt with it just like the insanity that Gaga continues to display because he could play and perform like nobody’s business. With just her voice and her piano, Gaga proved that she could play as well.

As they effortlessly melded Elton’s classic “Your Song” with Gaga’s “Speechless” and Gaga let Elton jam on the piano, there was a sense of reverence and love. When Elton John sang “How wonderful life is with Gaga in the world,” there was a sense that he was acknowledging Gaga’s fans and also saying to all of his fans, “check Lady Gaga out, she’s the real deal.”

Even more touching was Lady Gaga’s response, “Thank you, love you, Sir Elton John.” Beneath the make-up Lady Gaga’s eyes twinkled with the smiled of a 10 year-old girl. In this moment simply as a fan, Lady Gaga expressed for herself and all of us how grateful we are for Elton John. It was not only a musical revelation but is the most heartwarming moments in Grammy history.

You can’t manufacture moments like these, they have to come from the hearts of the performers. It’s the simply things that have the most meaning. Sometimes you don’t need to look any further then allowing a Lady to give thanks to a Knight.

Space Oddity by David Bowie

“Why I grow up, I want to an astronaut.”

That was my line to the ever present “what do you want to be when you grow up?” questions during the first ten years of my life. I don’t know if it was Star Wars, Star Trek or just something else but space fascinated me when I was a kid. I have clear memories of playing my mom’s car pretending it was a space ship with my brother and loving the fantasy.

There was one problem. I almost always got air sick when I got on planes. I’ve since outgrown this but it was definitely an issue growing up and eventually I realized that this would be a problem as traveling to space is far more stressful on the body then a commercial airplane flight. So the dream diminished.

The in 1995, I saw Apollo 13 and for a moment I was drawn back into the fantasy of space travel, the heroics, the ingenuity and that dangerous frontier that continued the American tradition of exploration.



During the MTV Movie Awards that year, Apollo 13 was nominated for best picture and when they announced the nominees the music they played behind the image of Tom Hanks looking out into space was “Space Oddity.”

“Though I’ve crossed one hundred thousand miles, I’m feeling very scared and I think my spaceship knows which way to go.”

That was all of “Space Oddity” I heard. I searched through the internet and eventually figured out that it was David Bowie, went out and got a greatest hits collection and was simply memorized by what I heard.

Y’know that whole Madonna reinvention thing, yeah David Bowie did it first. Portraying different characters in his albums and shows, Bowie was as much a modern performance artist as a pop musician. Well, maybe pop musician isn’t quite the right fit, because this man experimented with music sounding not all that different then modern music artist of his time but something about “Space Oddity” connects in a meaningful accessible way.

In “Space Oddity,” Bowie tells the story through the exchanges heard on the communications between ground control and major Tom. The song combines the sounds of a acoustic guitar with ghost-like synthesizers that describe the sounds of the space shipping launching as well as the solitude and mystery of space.

The story starts with the lift-off and develops into a tragedy. For some reason Major Tom panics asks ground control to tell his wife that he loves her. Ground control sees that Major Tom’s “circuits are dead” and lose communication with Major Tom.

Like the situation in Apollo 13, “Space Oddity” captures the panic, the mystery and tragedy that is sometimes involved in space travel. Bowie’s voice can be both detached when he is ground control setting up the launch and also filled with passion and desperation when he is speaking as Major Tom.

“Space Oddity” uniquely tells a story in a way that few pop songs attempt. As weird as it may have sounded at the time with its synthesized transitions and unique subject matter, it captures the wonder and mystery of space travel, which inspired generations.

Kids now don’t seem too interested in space travel. I once took a group of high school students to Kennedy Space Center and while I was fascinated by the tours, other people there who were in my parents generations were almost brought to tears. However, my students didn’t really care.

The world is different now, our country has different priorities. But every once in a while it’s nice to think of the idea of space travel. No so much the reality of it but that feeling I had when I was a kid, the wonder and the adventure. And nothing brings that back like the amazing journey David Bowie takes us on with Major Tom’s unforgettable adventure.

You’re Still The One by Shania Twain

Taylor Swift was not the first lady in country music I fell in love with. First there was Wynonna Judd. KIDDING!! Could you imagine?!?

I’m talking about Shania Twain.

And no it’s not because she’s hot. Kind of. Ok, when Come On Over came out, her break-out crossover album, I was just like any other high school boy and I totally got that “feeling” whenever I saw things like the opening of the “You’re Still The One” video as she slowly pulls a dress up her bare back.

Even at my hormonal teenage peak, I still recognized that there was something different about her. It wasn’t so much a sensual thing that made her hot, it was her beauty. She exuded grace, charm, and classiness while Britney was playing up the dirty schoolgirl angle.

Now once Shania drew me in and I bought her album and I realized that hey, this lady had an amazing voice. And now that I’m older, I realize how beautifully life-affirming is the music of Shania Twain.



“You’re Still The One” is about the true wonder of love. The love story doesn’t end with falling in love with Prince Charming. That’s only the beginning. The real story, the real struggle that is worth celebrating is being with someone for an extended period and reflecting on the fact that they are “still the one.”

From the opening of the song there’s a laid back feeling of peace and reassurance like the warmth of a morning sun. Mutt Lange, Shania’s producer, who gained fame in the 1980s for producing AC/DC and Def Leppard, beautifully mixes rock music with country sensibility. The instruments may be rock the energy the feel the attitude is most definitely country.

Shania has an effortless quality to her voice. She shades the words with slight scoops and nasal colors that reflect her country roots. The aching in her voice is not so much sensual but passionate. Like her image, Shania’s voice is full of dignity, strength and beauty.

Probably the best display of her voice was when she recorded a track for Elton John’s failed Broadway musical Aida.



There’s some Patsy Cline in her voice, a little Aretha Franklin, and heck even a little Elvis in here voice. All these things combine in Shania with a style that transcends genres.

Few songs focus on affirming relationships like “You’re Still The One.” Most songs are about looking for love or describing love. “You’re Still The One” is something different all together. It’s about reflecting back on a life lived together, a relationship that has grown.

Shania’s star has faded. But I maintain that her stamp on country music and popular music is one of the most significant of her time. Without her we wouldn’t have Taylor Swift (which is a BIG deal people).

I will always love Shania Twain for reminding the world how much more beautiful staying in love is than falling in love. As much as we dream of finding true love, isn’t this idea of having a long lasting love really what we are going for? With this sentiment Shania sings lovingly about a powerful part of our dreams.

A Letter To Conan O'Brien

Dear Conan,

Jacob, one of my best friends is at a crossroads. After working for a company for four years he feels it's time to move on. It's wasn't the forced furlough, the lack of a bonus or the cut in benefits that led him to this decision. It was the fact his companies is now making decision that he philosophically disagree with.

He asked if it was worth making a stand. He wondered if he should take a chance to find something else and he didn't how to handle the situation especially if it left him without a job.
And after watching you say farewell on your last night on the Tonight Show, I finally have an answer for my friend.

When you made your stand and told NBC that you disagreed to with their change in the Tonight Show schedule, I expected them to change their mind but they didn’t. Because of this you lost your dream job but in doing so you showed not only your fans but also America what it means to stand up for what you believe in.

People say that my generation at doesn’t stick with jobs, expects too much, too quickly and has no sense of loyalty. I disagree. It's not that we aren't loyal, it's that companies often lack a sense of loyalty to their employees. Loyalty is not a one-way street and many companies fail to realize that they cannot expect workers to be loyal when they are cutting benefits.

In the past week you made jokes about Leno and NBC (which you’ve always done) and some people criticized you for this but hey, you’re a comedian, that’s just what you do. However, when the jokes subsided and you finally decided to speak from the heart, you spoke deeper truths in a way that is rarely seen on televisions.



"All I ask is one thing, this is, I'm asking this particularly of young people that watch. Please do not be cynical. I hate cynicism, for the record it's my least favorite quality, it doesn't lead anywhere. Nobody in life gets exactly what the thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you're kind amazing things will happen . . . it's just true."

Through this difficult situation, you’ve maintained a sense of perspectives and dignity. It would have been easy to end with a message of anger at NBC and “corporate America” and plenty of people would have rallied behind you but you chose the high ground ending your show with a message of optimism, hope and reassurance.

Neil Gaiman is his epic comic series Sandman wrote this dialogue as the king of dreaming was discussing a dream with troubled artist:

"It is sometimes a mistake to climb; it is always a mistake never even to make the attempt. If you do not climb you will not fall. This is true. But is it that bad to fail, that hard to fail? Sometime you wake, and sometimes, yes, you die. But there is a third alternative. Sometimes you wake up. Sometimes the fall kills you and sometimes, when you fall, you fly."

Thanks Conan for teaching us how to fly.

"You totally spoil Buffy!"

I do not spoil my dog.

Yes, we feed Buffy Fromm's, a gourmet holistic dog food and yes, we do mix her kibble with Merrick’s 5 Star Entrees. I mean really you’d get bored eating the same thing EVERY meal so we like to give Buffy some variety in her life.

And yeah Buffy has two beds, one in the living room and one in the bedroom and well there’s also her crate and pen. There are the two puppy classes Buffy went through, the variety of toys:


and treats:


Since its snowing we did get her boots. Look they put a lot of salt down in the streets that we walk Buffy and that stuff is bad for dogs feet. And look, she LOVES wearing them:



And sometimes I do carry her over puddles of muddy slush so she doesn’t get her paws dirty. That’s not so much that she’s a princess but I’m not a fan of cleaning her little muddy footprints in our condo.

Now you may be thinking, “Wow Tang, are you serious? You’ve got her all this stuff and done all these things and you claim that you aren’t spoiling your dog?” Well, I still argue that Diana and I do not spoil Buffy.

A kid is not spoiled because he is given an ipod touch for Christmas. He’s spoiled because his parents have not made him earn that gift through good behavior. Spoiling continues as they lets him play games on it at the dinner table and during church service. The difference is that Buffy never gets a treat from unless she does a trick, or does something like poo or pee where she is supposed to.

The food and the toys are simply monetary investments. The better quality her food, the better her health and the less we pay in Vet bills. The more toys she is used to having and chewing up the less she chews up our furniture. It's a lot easier to buy her a new toy then to get a new couch.

The puppy training classes at Barker’s Behavior (which you really should check out) has made Buffy a great puppy to live with. Dogs need to learn how to respect the boundaries of their owners, how to be polite to other dogs and people and most of all be safe. If we hadn’t went to those classes we would not enjoy Buffy nearly as much as we do now and we’d be like some of those nightmare dogs you see on It’s Me Or The Dog (which is a far superior show to the Dog Whisperer).



As great as a dog Buffy is, she would not be the dog that we love without her training.

Some people think we give Buffy too many walks but hey it paid off, by the age of 6 months our girl was potty trained with less then ten accidents. It’s not like Buffy demands walks of us, this is something we enjoy, do with her and for her and like the food in and investment in her quality of life and hey we could also use the exercise.

The amount of time we play with Buffy may seem like a lot but it's just as much for us as it is for her. We love spending time with Buffy. If we dedicate a day to spending time with her it’s part of what it means to be part of our family and we are happy to do it.

A spoiled dog pees and poos all over the house, does things that they shouldn’t because their owners don’t stop them. Spoiled dogs have no manners, jump all over people and beg at the table. These are dogs who have no respect for other dogs, other people and are basically allowed to do whatever they want. Spoiled dogs are reflections of lazy and irresponsible dog owners, not "bad dogs." Spoiling a dog borderlines on abuse and Buffy for all the love and attention we give her is not one of those dogs.

When I buy Buffy a toy or get her nice food, does she recognize that I’m doing these things because I love her? I don’t know. But it’s a way that I can tangibly express my love to her. Do I need a material gift to express that love? No, but it helps. It’s the same reason we give gifts to people we love. Sometimes it’s not so much the gift but the feeling you feel from the person, the look on their face that makes the gift meaningful.

And trust me the look on Buffy's face when she's happy . . . that would make anyone want to spoil Buffy . . . except for us.

Faith by George Michael

Have you ever had a friend who was in a mediocre relationship and just stuck with it because she didn’t think there was someone better suited for her out there? Or talked to someone who feels unmotivated to find a job because he doesn’t think that he can get a better gig?

If you don’t think in a positive way that something better can happen, nothing better ever will. You got to believe that you not only deserve something else but that you can get it. You to got to have to strength. You got to have courage and you got to have faith.

George Michael declaration, “Faith” is perhaps his most enduring songs. The best-selling single of 1988, the title track of the best selling album that year “Faith” is a song that continues to resonate in popular music.



Reinventing himself after the break-up of Wham! (most famous for their bubblegum pop hit “Wake Me Up Before Go-Go”), Michael ditched the neon and big hair and reappeared as a modern version of a 1950s rocker.



[btw, the "choose life" t-shirts have nothing to do with abortion, they were statements against suicide.]

With a slick pompadour, tight jeans, leather jacket, and aviator sunglasses, Michaels represented a new cool and “Faith” like his image drew upon music of generations past.

Starting with a musical allusion to religion, the church organ introduction fades in gradually growing into a peak, like a the sunrise slowing bathing a church in light through stained-glass windows. We expect to organ to resolve but instead it ends in a question mark and after a few seconds of silence we have our answer.

In a world of synthesizers and over-production, “Faith” stands out as an anomaly. With sparse instrumentation, guitar, bass, drums, “Faith” sounds more like a 1950s rock song than a late 1980s pop song. This acoustic and transparent instrumentation gives this song soul, drive and passion.

The lyrics are a brilliant internal discussion. It portrays feelings that people have in relationships with honesty. Look at the opening line, “Well I guess it would be nice if I could touch your body. I know not everybody has got a body like you.” There could not a more honest reflection of physical urges.

This conversation plays out throughout the rest of the song as he reflect on the pain that he has felt “time to pick my heat up off the floor” as well as his desire for companionship “well I need someone to hold me.” Michael concludes that even though he feels like he needs something even if it has hurt him, he will hold strong and “wait for something more.” And that at the end of all, he’s “gotta have faith.”

There’s something beautiful, a feeling like the sun is shining about this “Faith.” In this song there’s hope, a new beginning, reminding us that even though it’s scary to take a chance, it’s also exciting. There is strength and courage reflected in this song through Michael’s vocals but it’s the pure joy that resonates, that reminds us that faith is something to be celebrated, something that inspires us. And that in the rough time in our live you simply got to have faith.

Shed a Little Light by James Taylor

“Let us turn our thoughts today to Martin Luther King. . . ”



Honoring Martin Luther King Jr. is honoring his beliefs, his methods and his dream. It is saying that we continue to believe that all men are created equal, that violence an inferior way of promoting change and that a world where our children are not judged by the color of their skin but rather the content of their character is worth believing in.

With this day we say that we admire best among us not because of economic success or physical prowess but rather because of service to society. And in honoring Martin Luther King Jr. is believing as James Taylor sings, “we are bound together in our desire to see the world become a place that our children can grow free and strong.”

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is affirmation; it’s a statement of values, a declaration of what it means to be American. This day reminds me that deep in our hearts, we want something better and we are all working together for a common dream.

This day is also a reminder of the nature of change. No great steps in freedom have come about organically. Everything from gaining the right to vote for women and minorities to desegregating schools have come about through the work of tenacious and dedicated citizens who refused to accept the status quo. If there is something in this country that you think is unfair and unjust then you need to do something about it, because if you don’t the worst thing of all will happen:

Nothing

Martin Luther King Jr. Day’s most important message is that we still have a lot of work to do. As James Taylor sings, “We are bound together by the task that stands before us.” There is still discrimination in America. My personal belief is that the battle over same-sex marriage is a Civil Rights issues and if you disagree, I respect your opinion. Beyond this one issue, there are gross inequalities in people’s access to education, jobs and housing throughout America. While I respect individual’s rights to bigoted, the shocking amount of ignorance and stereotyping in our America is a reminder that the Civil Rights act is meaningless if we do not enforce in our every day actions.

“Shed A Little Light” by James Taylor is how I like to think about Martin Luther King Jr. Day. While it reminds us of who we are, the beliefs that bind us and the tasks ahead it is also a celebration of how far we’ve come in such a short period of time in our great country. Yes, “there is a feeling like the clenching of a fist” but there is also the light that washes over “the darkness and the mist, and though the body sleeps the heart will never rest.”

When I turn my thoughts today to Martin Luther King, I feel proud that we value this great man, that we believe in his dream and that we are bound together in hope and love.