1 of 1- aflem
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Grammy "Song Of The Year" At First Ignored Top 40 Hits
Not that I watch the Grammys any more (and this year, they're embroiled in a huge controversy about whether everything is rigged) but I was curious about the Song of the Year choices from back, as Elton John so wisely noted in Crocodile Rock, when rock was young.
It's apparent looking at the list that efforts were made to not honour any rock and roll as late as 1966. How else do you explain "The Days of Wine & Roses" getting the Song of The Year nod in 1964, as the British Invasion was starting up and selling millions of dollars of music?
Or Louis Armstrong notching the same honour in 1965, when the Beatles were smashing all existing sales marks? And really, "The Shadow of Your Smile" by Tony Bennett wins in 1966, beating out "Yesterday" by The Beatles? That's just crazy. (The Fab Four didn't get the Grammy until the following year and for a song that isn't exactly one of their best - "Michelle.")
My how times have changed.
Here's the list of all the Grammy-chosen Song of the Year winners, since the prize was first awarded in 1959.
Grammy Record Of The Year Winners
- It's me Karen
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Re: Grammy "Song Of The Year" At First Ignored Top 40 Hits
That was a very interesting read. Lots of surprises throughout the years. 1961 would have been a difficult one for me to choose: "Theme of Exodus" and "Theme From A Summer Place" are both great songs.
And yes, I see what you mean about rock being pushed aside at the beginning. You are so right about "Yesterday."
You can almost see the sympathetic votes in several of the years.
- aflem
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Re: Grammy "Song Of The Year" At First Ignored Top 40 Hits
It's hard to remember it now, but there was a lot of resistance to rock and roll from the established record companies at the beginning. In its early years, before pirate radio forced their hand, even the BBC refused to play much of it. It was considered a vulgar form of music by some older critics and "noise" by many parents.
It wasn't really until it became the predominant music format on 60s radio that it could no longer be ignored and Grammy success followed, much to the chagrin of people like Columbia Records A&R head Mitch Miller, who despised it so much, he passed on signing Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly and even the Beatles.
It's one of the reasons for my favourite misheard lyrics. A long time ago, during the first few instances of hearing the Queen classic "Bohemian Rhapsody," when they sang "Bismillah," I thought they were singing "Mitch Miller," as a way to tweak his hatred of rock. It would have been a great story if they had!
Last edited by aflem (January 26, 2020 12:02 pm)
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Thread Starter- Flo
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Re: Grammy "Song Of The Year" At First Ignored Top 40 Hits
Depends on your age and how you remember the history of the era. You just have to remember that back then the "music industry" had no use for our music. I always sensed that the Grammys were created to honor what they considered "good" music. Never meant to take sales, chart positions and popularity into consideration. And if they were to stay true to their mission, they never should have succumbed to popularity.