4 Grammys for Poignant Song by Springsteen

By ROBERT HILBURN

March 2, 1995 12 AM PT

TIMES POP MUSIC CRITIC

Bruce Springsteen became the first rock songwriter ever to sweep the Grammy and Oscar best-song competitions when his poignant, AIDS-related “Streets of Philadelphia” was named song of the year Wednesday in the 37th annual Grammy awards competition.

In nationally televised ceremonies at the Shrine Auditorium, “Streets of Philadelphia” also was named best rock song and best song written for a motion picture or television. Springsteen’s recording of it was also honored for best male rock vocal.

Accepting the first of his four Grammys early in the three-hour telecast, the 45-year-old New Jersey native thanked “the folks who have come up to me in restaurants and on the street who have lost their sons or their lovers or their friends to AIDS and said that the song meant something to them.”

Written for Jonathan Demme’s 1993 film “Philadelphia,” Springsteen’s composition won last year’s Oscar for best song. The reason the song was honored in different years is that the Oscars’ eligibility period covers the calendar year, while the Grammys’ period runs from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30.

The lyrics describe an individual’s struggle with AIDS in stark, unflinching terms:

I walked the avenue ‘til my legs felt like stone

I heard the voices of friends vanished and gone

At night I could hear the blood in my veins

Black and whispering in the rain

On the streets of Philadelphia.

Grammy’s biggest surprise was when Springsteen’s recording of the song lost to newcomer Sheryl Crow’s frisky “All I Wanna Do” in record of the year competition.

Crow, a 32-year-old Missouri native who spent years as a bar band and backup singer before making her debut album last year, also was honored as best new artist and best female pop vocalist.

But the winner in the best album category was sentimental favorite Tony Bennett, who picked up his sixth Grammy for his “MTV Unplugged” collection. (The “Unplugged” album also won for traditional pop vocal performance.)

“This is the greatest moment in my whole musical career and the greatest moment in my life,” said Bennett, 68, who won his first Grammy 32 years ago for his recording of “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”

“I want to thank you very, very, very much for voting for me. . . . It’s such a victorious feeling to sing good American music and have this happen.”

Other key winners included the Rolling Stones, rock album and short-form video; Boyz II Men, best R&B; album and R&B; group vocal; Babyface, R&B; male vocal and R&B; song; Soundgarden, best hard rock and metal recordings, and Mary Chapin Carpenter, country album and female country vocal.

It was the first-ever Grammy for the Stones, who are eligible for a Legends Award.

Lyle Lovett, who could not attend the ceremonies because he broke his collarbone while riding a motorcycle in Mexico, won two Grammys--best country collaboration for his version of “Blues for Dixie” with Asleep at the Wheel, and pop vocal collaboration with Al Green for their interpretation of Willie Nelson’s “Funny How Times Slips Away.”

Once again in balloting covering 87 categories, the 8,000 voting members of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences turned frequently to former winners.

By picking up one and two awards, respectively, composer John Williams and conductor Pierre Boulez moved into a sixth-place tie with Paul Simon and Leonard Bernstein on the list of all-time Grammy winners, with 16 awards each.

Williams’ “Schindler’s List” won in the instrumental composition for a motion picture or television category, while Boulez was honored for best classical album and instrumental classical performance.

Chet Atkins picked up his 13th career Grammy with a victory in the country instrumental category, while arranger David Grusin and soul-gospel singer Al Green each won their ninth Grammys. Gospel star Andrae Crouch won his seventh and eighth awards, and U2 picked up its seventh.

Vince Gill won in the male vocal country category for the third time in five years, while Toni Braxton won R&B; female vocal honors for the second straight year.

In jazz, Herbie Hancock won his fifth Grammy for his contribution to the album “A Tribute to Miles,” which was honored in the individual or group instrumental performance field.

Other ‘50s and ‘60s acts joining the Stones in winning their first Grammys were Pink Floyd, rock instrumental; Booker T. & the MG’s, pop instrumental, and R&B; great Etta James, jazz vocal.

Don Was, who produced the Rolling Stones’ “Voodoo Lounge” album and Bonnie Raitt’s “Longing in Their Hearts,” was named producer of the year.

Sam Kinison won a posthumous award in the comedy competition for his “Live From Hell” album.

Conductors Boulez, John Eliot Gardiner and Kent Nagano dominated the classical Grammys with their recordings of familiar music by Bartok and more rarefied repertory from Berlioz (“Messe Solennelle”) and Carlisle Floyd (his 1955 opera, “Susannah”).

Italian mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli defeated her considerable competition in a recital of Italian songs with pianist Andras Schiff. Winning solo performances from pianist Emanuel Ax and cellist Yo-Yo Ma could surprise no one, but Stephen Albert’s “Cello Concerto” was a dark horse who came in first in the classical contemporary composition category.

Times staff writer Daniel Cariaga contributed to this report.

* GRAMMY COVERAGE: Stories, pictures. F1, F10-F12

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The Top Trophies

The winners in some of the top categories in Wednesday night’s Grammy awards:

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

“MTV Unplugged”

Artist: Tony Bennett

Producer: David Kahne

RECORD OF THE YEAR

“All I Wanna Do”

Artist: Sheryl Crow