What happened at the 2011 Grammys

• http://clatl.com/atlanta/ImageArchives?by=1223504
• Is that Cee Lo or George Clinton dipped in peacock feathers?

Remember last year's Grammy ceremony? It opened with a HUGE and FLAMBOYANT duet between Sirs Elton John and Lady Gaga. The bars of Midtown Atlanta were ablaze with giddiness. But the Recording Academy would have none of it this year. The Aretha Franklin tribute that opened the telecast was just fine: reverent, faithful to the source material, serviceable all around. But where was the fire? Where was the passion? Sure, Xtina — something to prove, the emotional wounds of Spanglegate still fresh — hit some crazy Mariah high notes, and Jennifer Hudson continues to look more bangin' with every public appearance. But the performance seemed muted, unsure of itself. Aretha herself appeared via Skype or something, saying she appreciated people's thoughts and prayers. (She has cancer? Maybe? Or maybe not?) Get well soon, Aretha. For real.

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Anyway, Grammy is back. Grammy is dead. Long live Grammy. Or whatever, I don't care. Here's what happened:

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Horrible <a href=” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xshgWuZmC6k”>ad soundtrackers Train won Best Pop Duo/Group for their appalling song “Hey Soul Sister,” a repulsive slice of sound doodoo. Next!

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Gaga! New song! Premiere! I really like the idea of Lady Gaga. I like her attitude, her confidence, her insistence on challenging the structure of celebrity. But I do not care for her music. At all. Dig it: if your whole thing is raging against the music industry machine, you should probably actively pursue a distinctive musical path, not regurgitate the sleek, blank dance pop of the past two decades. Maybe it’s all part of her big statement. Or maybe, probably, she’s just not that talented, or that bright. And maybe the industry’s using her even more than she’s using it. And so on, and so on, and down the rabbit hole we go…