By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
February 23, 1997
If there’s any justice at all, Beck, Smashing Pumpkins and Tracy Chapman will lug a few Grammy Awards home on Wednesday. And Alanis Morissette, whose “Jagged Little Pill” was released in June, 1995, will be shut out of this year’s ceremonies.
The Canadian artist has sold more than 14 million copies of her album and won four Grammys in 1996. But she’s nominated again this year, thanks to a technicality that says a single is eligible for Grammy consideration the year it was released, as long as the track wasn’t nominated in a previous year. The rule brought nominations for her single “Ironic,” released in 1996, for record of the year and best music video, short form.
The whole concept of a two-year-old song being eligible to win a Grammy Award in 1997 is ridiculous. But then again, the Grammys have always been about perception vs. reality.
Here’s a rundown of the nominees we believe will make it to the podium to recite their “thank you” speeches, as opposed to our choices for the trophies.
RECORD OF THE YEAR
Nominees: “Give Me One Reason,” Tracy Chapman; “Change the World,” Eric Clapton; “Because You Loved Me (Theme From `Up Close and Personal’),” Celine Dion; “Ironic,” Alanis Morissette; “1979,” Smashing Pumpkins.
And the winner is: Celine Dion. The Grammys may have gone up half a notch on the hip-ometer, but they still have a soft spot for crescendoing songs that figure skaters end up building routines around.
But the trophy should go to: The Pumpkins. The song effortlessly captures the free-spirited memories of high school years.
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Nominees: “Odelay,” Beck; “Falling Into You,” Celine Dion; “The Score,” Fugees; “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness,” Smashing Pumpkins; “Waiting to Exhale” soundtrack, various artists.
And the winner is: Dion. Why? Because the votes for Beck, Fugees and Pumpkins will cancel each other out, leaving the field open for Dion and the “Waiting to Exhale” soundtrack. Dion will be rewarded for her solo work, while “Exhale” will be penalized for having various artists.
But the trophy should go to: Beck. The Pumpkins may have sold more CDs, but the wispy alternative artist released the best studio album not just from this year, but from the last few years.
SONG OF THE YEAR
Nominees: “Because You Loved Me,” Diane Warren; “Blue,” Bill Mack; “Change the World,” Gordon Kennedy, Wayne Kirkpatrick and Tommy Sims; “Exhale (Shoop Shoop),” Babyface; “Give Me One Reason,” Tracy Chapman.
And the winner is: “Because You Loved Me.”
But the trophy should go to: Chapman. Hers is the least manipulative and the only song nominated where the singer also is the songwriter. She doesn’t stand a chance.
RAP ALBUM
Nominees: “Gangsta’s Paradise,” Coolio; “The Score,” Fugees; “Mr. Smith,” LL Cool J; “Beats, Rhymes and Life,” A Tribe Called Quest; “All Eyez on Me,” 2Pac.
And the winner is: The Fugees, who will be rewarded for their soulful blend of pop and hip-hop.
But the trophy should go to: Coolio.
NEW ARTIST
Nominees: Garbage; Jewel; No Doubt; the Tony Rich Project; LeAnn Rimes.
And the winner is: Garbage. The Grammys won’t give this award to a country (Rimes) or R & B act (Rich). Jewel didn’t sell enough records, and the Grammys won’t want to reward No Doubt, which many in the industry doubt can follow up the success of its current chart-topper, “Tragic Kingdom.” Having learned their Milli Vanilli lesson, the Grammys will reward the extremely well-produced Garbage with this honor.
But the trophy should go to: Garbage. Fronted by the enigmatic Shirley Manson, the group has no competition in this category.
POP PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP
Nominees: “Free as a Bird,” the Beatles; “As Long as It Matters,” the Gin Blossoms; “When You Love a Woman,” Journey; “Fire on the Mountain,” the Neville Brothers; “Peaches,” the Presidents of the United States of America; “When You Wish Upon a Star,” Take 6.
And the winner is: The Beatles, who will win a posthumous award for a song that’s so bad it doesn’t even deserve to be on a Paul McCartney album. The award, however, will reward the Fab Four’s untouchable legacy.
But the trophy should go to: The Gin Blossoms. The seldom-heard “As Long as It Matters” has the same touching poignancy as classic Beatles ballads such as “And I Love Her” and “If I Fell.”
ROCK SONG
Nominees: “Cry Love,” John Hiatt; “Give Me One Reason,” Tracy Chapman; “6th Avenue Heartache,” Jakob Dylan; “Stupid Girl,” Garbage; “Too Much,” Dave Matthews Band; “Wonderwall,” Noel Gallagher.
And the winner is: “6th Avenue Heartache.” The moody ballad sung by Bob Dylan’s kid, Jakob, will score a big win.
But the trophy should go to: “Wonderwall.” The shimmering ballad is a beauty, but Oasis’ bratty behavior hasn’t exactly endeared the group to the rock ‘n’ roll establishment.
ROCK ALBUM
Nominees: “Sheryl Crow,” Sheryl Crow; “Crash,” Dave Matthews Band; “Tragic Kingdom,” No Doubt; “Road Tested,” Bonnie Raitt; “Broken Arrow,” Neil Young.
And the winner is: Sentimental favorite Neil Young.
But the trophy should go to: Sheryl Crow. Her eclectic sophomore effort is the strongest in the field.
ALTERNATIVE MUSIC PERFORMANCE
Nominees: “Boys for Pele,” Tori Amos; “Odelay,” Beck; “The Burdens of Being Upright,” Tracy Bonham; “Adventures in Hi-Fi,” R.E.M.; “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness,” the Smashing Pumpkins.
And the winner is: The Pumpkins.
But the trophy should go to: Beck. They don’t get much more alternative than him.
COUNTRY ALBUM
Nominees: “Borderline,” Brooks and Dunn; “High Lonesome Sound,” Vince Gill; “The Trouble With the Truth,” Patty Loveless; “The Road to Ensenada,” Lyle Lovett; “Everybody Knows,” Trisha Yearwood; “Gone,” Dwight Yoakam.
And the winner is: Brooks and Dunn, who’ve won just about everything else already.
But the trophy should go to: Dwight Yoakam.
SPOKEN WORD OR NON-MUSICAL ALBUM
Nominees: “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” Garrison Keillor; “Charles Kuralt’s America,” Charles Kuralt; “Grow Old Along With Me, the Best Is Yet to Be,” Edward Asner, Ellen Burstyn, CCH Pounder and Alfre Woodard; “Harry S Truman: A Journey to Independence,” Lauren Bacall, Martin Landau, Jack Lemmon and Gregory Peck; “It Takes a Village,” Hillary Rodham Clinton.
And the winner is: the First Lady.
But the trophy should go to: Who cares?
