‘The Stars Aligned’

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Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” is one of those songs I never get tired of hearing. I seldom listen to contemporary pop music, preferring old rock and soul classics of the 1960s and ’70s, but “Rolling in the Deep” is an exception. In a BBC interview, the British singer explained how she suddenly gained worldwide fame in 2008:

“The week I was doing Saturday Night Live, it was meant to be a normal week but the week after, Sarah Palin was supposed to do it, . . . Because something came up in the campaign, she came and did the week I was doing it with Josh Brolin. So it was one of the most watched SNLs ever, and then it was two weeks before the Grammy ballot, which is when people decide what songs they want to maybe nominate, so, like, literally the stars aligned for me. . . . All thanks to Sarah Palin.”

After Adele performed for that huge audience, her album hit number one and she was nominated for four Grammys. Sarah Palin recently sent Adele a copy of her new book, Sweet Freedom: A Devotional, penning this autographed inscription:

“Adele, You look so great! So beautiful! So . . . Rumor Has It you recently threw me some credit for your amazing success — very kind coming from Someone Like You! Congrats on motherhood. Keep Setting Fire to the Rain.
Love, your fan
Sarah Palin”

As Paul Harvey would say, now you know the rest of the story.

(Via Memeorandum.)

 

29 comments

  5. I’ve discovered that the only actual pop music I like is either by the Beatles or by Simon & Garfunkel (including Simon’s solo stuff).

  10. Try some Al Stewart. He has all the tune-smithing powers of the Beatles, but with the greatest lyrical ability in the biz.

    If you can find a copy of “Between the Wars” it will blow your hair back.

  12. Oh, c’mom, they all like that. Some of them may say they don’t, but everybody knows better.

    Right, ladies? Can we get some Tumblrinas to weigh in?

  13. Al Stewart is just a trend follower. I swear, if I hear one more formulaic song about the Roehm Purge or Admiral Jackie Fisher I’m gonna puke. Done to death, man.

    I mean, jeez, break some new ground here. Try singing about a car or a girl.

  17. Now I like Adele because of her technique. She doesn’t sound like the interchangeable popsingers taylormileykatytwerkingmediabeforemusic little girls with little girl voices.

    In many ways she reminds me of my fave woman singer when I was a little girl listening to my parents’ records — Peggy Lee.

    Adele is young, IMO she will grow, mature and those years & experience will just enrich her craft.

  21. Maturity has little to do with it. The reason Amy Winehouse was great at 20 is because there was scarcely an obscure jazz or blues album she didn’t know about. It’s a matter of education as your base. She used to routinely stun old school black jazz and blues artists with her knowledge and they openly speak about that in Winehouse documentaries. Watch the Jools Holland show with video of Winehouse at 20 standing with her guitar, playing and singing songs she wrote. Adele is of the Aguilera/Carey school of over-souling improvisation which is mimicry. Winehouse was a true jazz singer and when she sang it was like a history book on stage. It’s not a question of one being “better” than the other but a question of taste and what you appreciate.

  22. EXACTLY!She doesn’t sound like the interchangeable popsingers taylormileykatytwerkingmediabeforemusic little girls with little girl voices.”

    EXACTLY!

    I’d heard *of* her, of course, but had never heard her. She has an awesome voice.

  25. Winehouse was terrific but obviously doomed. Every time I heard something about her my reaction was always “She’s still alive?”

    Until inevitably, she wasn’t. Some people just hang that “Going Over The Cliff” sign on their neck.

  26. He also plays, and is the only genuine musical talent, with Dave Barry’s band Rock Bottom Remainders.

    So far as I know they only perform at ABA conventions and other venues for professional writers.

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