I’ve Never Heard ‘The Dance’ by Garth Brooks

Last night I found myself watching a little bit of the 'love fest' they call American Idol.  I call it a 'love fest,' because that's what it's turned into.  When Simon Cowell left the show it's little more than 'who can glow the most,' after most of the performances.   So last night while I was watching I came up with a couple of observations.  Here they are.

Not everyone listens to a lot of music.  (at least outside the genre of music they are in) and in many cases some of the expert judges don't know a tremendous amount about the very industry they are in.  Did you catch when Janelle Arthur sang, The Dance last night?  Of course Garth Brooks only had what was probably the biggest country song in the last 20 years with the song.  Randy Jackson said 'that was a great song that Garth Brooks wrote,' I love that song.  Well that's great Randy Jackson. I was happy when Keith Urban corrected Jackson saying, Garth would want people to know the song was written by Tony Arata. Urban did leave out however that Henry Drysdale-Wood Co-wrote the song.

Don't get me wrong.  I'm not going all musicologist on you here, it's just that some of that stuff should be researched or looked up a bit before you start dumping the sugar on the bowl of corn flakes. (They seem to be doing that a LOT more this year)  Then it got even 'deeper' when one of the other judges, Mariah Carey said, she loved that song, even though she had never heard it before.  Really?  You've never heard 'The Dance?'  Isn't that like telling people you go to church all the time, but you've never heard Amazing Grace?

Here's my point.  American Idol puts these 'judges' in place because they allegedly have some expert knowledge of music.  All Music. Or, judging by their bank accounts should be able to pay to have someone brief them on the basics.  Shout out to Keith Urban for at least turning his brain on.  Come to think of it, he ought to get more than a shout out for sitting next to 'that one lady, with the interesting eye shadow and funky lipstick I'd never heard of before American Idol started this year.  Answer: Nicki Minaj

Ok, I hear you.  I guess we might all learn something along the way.